MLB DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups & Stacks Today: Thursday Playbook

Rise and shine! We've got an early six-game MLB slate to look forward to. Some pitching matchups are a bit weak on this slate. However, there are still some big-name starting pitchers that you'll want to target for your MLB DFS picks. 

There isn't too much time until the first game. Therefore, check out our MLB DFS projections to help you win your DFS matchups on DraftKings and FanDuel for August 29. 

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, August 29

MLB Weather Today, 8/29

• Los Angeles Angels vs. Detroit Tigers

There could be a stray shower during the game, but it's unlikely to hit the ballpark. You might want to be slightly cautious, but there is probably nothing to fear. 

MLB DFS Lineup Construction Optimizer & Generator

Below, you'll have all the resources to make the best decisions for your DFS lineups today.  Check out the MLB DFS projections, MLB DFS ownership projections and MLB DFS picks for today's early slate of games. 

You can also check out our mock MLB DFS lineup generator, which will give you an idea of a potential lineup that would look good on today's slate. The ideal lineup would add as many top-tier bats as possible. I'd be okay with starting Ryne Nelson and Keider Montero if that meant adding a bunch of the elite hitters mentioned below. 

Meanwhile, if you wanted to choose between Michael King and Nathan Eovaldi, I'd agree that King has more upside today than Eovaldi, despite King's somewhat tougher matchup.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

Top Options For Strikeouts

• Nathan Eovaldi (6.5, +115) vs. Chicago White Sox
• Michael King (5.5, -115) vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• Ryne Nelson (5.5, +100) vs. New York Mets

Best Odds For A Win

• Nathan Eovaldi (-120) vs. Chicago White Sox
• Michael King (+135) vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• Keider Montero (+145) vs. Los Angeles Angels

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Michael King, San Diego Padres

Over the last 30 days, Michael King has looked sensational. The young right-hander for the Padres has struck out 31.6% of batters and has allowed just a .119 ISO and wOBA of .305 over the last month. King has also earned nearly 14% of swinging strikes in that time and has gained more than 46% of grounders. 

He'll likely throw a quality start against the Cardinals. Ultimately, the St. Louis lineup has hit a .133 ISO and wOBA of .298 against righties over the last month. King has also performed better against righties and will likely face more righties than lefties in the St. Louis lineup today. He's at the top of our MLB DFS projections for starting pitchers with this early slate. 

Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers

Nathan Eovaldi has struck out 23.7% of batters over the last month. He's also held his last 93 batters to 25.4% of fly balls while inducing more than 43% of grounders. Eovaldi has been much better against righties over the previous month, but he's facing a White Sox lineup that has only hit a .151 ISO with just 5.7% of walks and more than 20% of strikeouts over the last 30 days. 

Eovaldi's matchup against the lowly White Sox is gold. He will be one of our top-recommended MLB DFS picks on this slate. 

Ryne Nelson, Arizona Diamondbacks

If you look through the MLB DFS projections from earlier this year, you'd likely be confused about why Ryne Nelson is on the core list today. He's only struck out 19.8% of batters this season. However, over the last month, he's really turned it on. 

Nelson has struck out 31.7% of batters over the previous month and has held his last 120 batters to a .150 ISO and wOBA of .252 with 44% of ground balls induced and just 5% of walks allowed. Nelson will take on a Mets projected lineup that has struck out 29.5% of the time against righties over the last 30 days. We won't have many MLB DFS picks in the Mets lineup. That's ultimately because of how well Nelson has pitched over the previous 30 days. 

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

• Colorado Rockies (5.5, -120) vs. Miami Marlins
• Miami Marlins (5.5, -105) vs. Colorado Rockies
• Texas Rangers (5.5, -105) vs. Chicago White Sox
• Detroit Tigers (4.5, -125) vs. Los Angeles Angels

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters

Brewers Righties

The San Francisco Giants will pitch Hayden Birdsong. He's a right-handed pitcher who has struggled badly against righties over the last month. Birdsong has only struck out 19.4% of righites over the last 30 days. He's also allowed a .296 ISO and wOBA of .421 to his previous 31 righties.

In addition, he's given up 57.1% of hard contact and has added below 9% of swinging strikes. Beyond that, he's allowed almost 29% of fly balls to righties. Over the last 30 days, Jackson Chourio, William Conteras, and Willy Adames have put up big-time numbers against righties as righties. 

Over the last 30 days against righties:

• Jackson Chourio: .260 ISO, .359 wOBA
• William Contreras, .338 ISO, .418 wOBA
• Willy Adames: .342 ISO, .436 wOBA

This is one of the more elite stacks of today's MLB DFS picks and options. 

Corey Seager, SS, Texas Rangers

Corey Seager has launched a .380 ISO and wOBA of .434 against his last 76 righties. He's also struck out only 13.2% of the time against righties over the previous month while hitting 54.1% of hard contact with a 14.8% barrel percentage. 

Seager will battle Nick Nastrini of the White Sox. Nastrini hasn't pitched in over a month on the big league mound. However, when he was on the mound, he watched 49 lefties hit a .188 ISO and wOBA of .432. Nastrini struck out 8.2% of lefties and walked 34.7%. Seager should find himself in hitter-friendly counts throughout the entire game. 

Brenton Doyle, OF, Michael Toglia, 1B, Brendan Rodgers, 2B, Jake Cave, OF, Colorado Rockies

Another top stack per our MLB DFS picks includes the Rockies in Coors Field. The Rockies will hit against Valente Bellozo of the Miami Marlins. Bellozo has thrown against 158 batters but has allowed a .194 ISO and wOBA of .323 in that time. In the last month, he has allowed a .219 ISO and a wOBA of .339, suggesting he has gotten worse. 

Bellozo is a right-handed pitcher who has struggled more against righties. But that doesn't mean lefties can't do damage, either. Bellozo has induced just 20.7% of ground balls against both sides of the plate and has allowed 34.5% of fly balls with nearly 30% of line drives. Meanwhile, Doyle has slugged a .231 ISO and wOBA of .358 against his last 59 righties. Behind him, Toglia, who will bat left-handed, has smacked a .236 ISO and woBA of .368 against his last 67 righties.

The stack continues with Brendan Rodgers. He's added a .238 ISO and wOBA of .333 against his last 67 righties, and Jake Cave has tattooed righties with a .316 ISO and wOBA of .410. All four of these hitters aren't heavy prices but can undoubtedly produce at a high-tier level today. 

Jesus Sanchez, OF, Miami Marlins

The Rockies will roll with Bradley Blalock. While he's been good against righties since getting the call for the majors, he struggles against lefties. Blalock has allowed a .174 ISO and wOBA of .338 to his last 51 lefties. He's also given up 35.9% of fly balls and 35.9% of line drives to lefties in the previous 30 days. 

In addition, he's induced just 23.1% of ground balls and has struck out only 13.7% of lefties. That's good news for lefty Jesus Sanchez. The Marlins' outfielder has already hit a .254 ISO and wOBA of .381 against his last 73 righties. Sanchez will likely hit third in the order and is in a perfect spot to have a big day against Blalock. 

Player Pool

• DraftKings
• FanDuel

$ Tier	SP	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
High	Michael King $10,000	William Contreras $3,300	Michael Toglia $3,300	Marcus Semien $3,400	Jake Burger $3,800	Corey Seager $3,700	Brenton Doyle $3,500
	Nathan Eovaldi $9,500						Jesús Sánchez $3,400
							Riley Greene $3,300
							Kerry Carpenter $3,300
Medium	Ryne Nelson $8,700	Jacob Stallings $3,000	Spencer Torkelson $3,200	Colt Keith $2,900	Eugenio Suárez $3,300	Willy Adames $3,500	Heliot Ramos $3,300
					Matt Chapman $3,100		Jackson Chourio $3,200
							Corbin Carroll $3,200
Low	Keider Montero $7,700	Jonah Heim $2,700	Jonah Bride $3,100	Brendan Rodgers $2,700	Josh Smith $3,000		Parker Meadows $3,000
				Jace Jung $2,500			Grant McCray $2,800
							Andrew Benintendi $2,700
							Jake Cave $2,500

Stacks

Tigers	Kerry Carpenter	Parker Meadows	Riley Greene
DraftKings	4700	3700	5100
Fanduel	3300	3000	3300

Brewers	William Contreras	Willy Adames	Jackson Chourio
DraftKings	5200	4600	4300
Fanduel	3300	3500	3200

Rockies	Brenton Doyle	Michael Toglia	Jake Cave	Brendan Rodgers
DraftKings	6000	5500	4500	4700
Fanduel	3500	3300	2500	2700