Hello and welcome to the MLB DFS Playbook for August 17! We have a tiny 4-game slate on both DK and FD on our hands today. We have a 7:15 pm ET start time, so plenty of time to get those lineups made! Make sure to check out all of our amazing MLB DFS tools as they are always worth going through before building your lineups as are the Vegas Odds. However, as I am sure you have figured out by now, the new playbook will be a one-stop shop that includes everything from easy-to-read player write-ups and suggestions to MLB Weather Reports to lineup construction tips to our best value plays for DraftKings and FanDuel. You will be given core plays around which to build your lineups, DFS stacks to consider for GPP tournaments and key statistics to help you in your DFS research. Let’s dive in! 

 

MLB DFS Playbook August 17

MLB Weather Updates

Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians (High chance of rain)

Games that appear to have a decent wind blowing out:

Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians (blowing out to CF / RCF)

Games that appear to have a decent wind blowing in:

None.

DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

Small slates like this are tough because you have to try and separate from the field (as rostership percentages are inevitably high), but you also can’t fade good chalk, because than you’re playing from behind. We only have 4 games to work with and it’s very possible that it becomes 3 before the slate even starts (Tigers vs. Guardians on heavy PPD watch). 

Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks

Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers

Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

Best Odds for a Win

Lance Lynn (Los Angeles Dodgers -142)

Jose Quintana (New York Mets -121)

Tarik Skubal (Detroit Tigers -118)

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Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups

Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers

Burnes had a stinker in his last outing, but he had been pitching really well prior to that with at least 15.3 dk points in 7 straight. He has also pitched better on the road this season with a 3.35 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, compared to 3.92 and 1.15 at home. The Dodgers are a tough test, but the Padres aren’t slouches either (Gallen faces them), so it’s really close and a tough choice between Burnes and Gallen. 

Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

You never know what you’re going to get from Skubal. Over his last 5 starts he has scored -4.4, 32.1, 6.9, 23.8, and 4.6. That’s 2 great outings and 3 terrible ones and that just seems to be the type of pitcher he is. He has good stuff and when he is on, he’s incredible. It makes him an interesting GPP play anytime he takes the mound and today is no different as he takes the ball against the Guardians. 

Jose Quintana, New York Mets

Quintana has pitched very well thus far, not giving up more than three runs in any start and pitching at least 5 innings in all of them. His strikeout rate is poor, but he is getting the job done and has scored at least 15.3 dk points in back-to-back outings. He threw 104 pitches his last time out, so we are good there too. It also doesn’t hurt that the Mets have the highest implied run total today and the second biggest favorites to win. 

Recommended DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

5.66 – New York Mets

4.88 – St. Louis Cardinals

4.69 – Los Angeles Dodgers

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Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups

Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets

Alonso not only has the best matchup of the day, but he comes into this game bashing home runs left and right on a near daily basis right now. He has FIVE home runs in his last 10 games with 12 RBI. He now has 36 home runs on the year. He has been FAR better on the road this season, hitting .249 with a .922 OPS, compared to .193 and .758 at home. Adam Wainwright is the worst pitcher in baseball this season with a 8.78 ERA and 2.09 WHIP. 

Mark Canha, 1B/OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Canha has a home run and a steal in his last 10 games and has been pretty steady recently with at least 6 dk points in 6 of his past 7 games. Now, that’s not winning you a tourney by any means, but he has the upside for more and I like that he is at least scoring on a consistent basis right now. Lance Lynn has pitched well since joining the Dodgers, but his ERA on the year is still 5.88 with a 1.40 WHIP. 

Kerry Carpenter, OF, Detroit Tigers

Carpenter is insanely hot right now, hitting .459 with a 1.431 OPS over his last 10 games. In that timeframe, he has FIVE home runs and 12 runs scored. He has hit for a better average at home this year (by a WIDE margin), but he has actually averaged more fantasy points on the road as 12 of his 16 home runs have come away from Detroit. 

Rafael Ortega, OF, New York Mets

The Mets are the clear chalk of the slate with the highest implied run total and a matchup with Waino, so you can take your pick on a few of these cheap Mets bats like Ortega, Jonathan Arauz, and DJ Stewart. Ortega is my top pick of the litter, but I can get behind any of them and they’ll all be seen in the core plays section. Ortega comes into this game hitting .333 over his last 30 at-bats with three steals in that timeframe.  

Player Pool

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Stacks

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