MLB DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Sunday, August 6
We're a week into August, and we've arrived at the first Sunday. As per usual, the DFS slate starts early and is packed with 14 games and the first one starting at 1:35 p.m. EDT. The only missing matchup involves the Guardians and White Sox, so we aren't missing out on much. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Kyle Bradish, BAL vs. NYM ($43): With better control and fewer home runs allowed, Bradish has dropped his ERA to 3.32 in his sophomore season - including a 2.39 at home. And he's held righties to a .223 average. The Mets rank below average in terms of runs scored, and I like Bradish's chances of picking up a W at home.
Taijuan Walker, PHI vs. KC ($39): Speaking of winning at home, Walker's 12-4 record speaks to some good luck with plenty of offensive support. His 3.99 ERA may not wow you, but he's managed a 2.80 in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Royals come in ranked 28th in offense and team OPS.
Alex Cobb, SF at OAK ($39): Cobb has endured a subpar season, though his 4.08 road ERA is almost passable. What matters here is the matchup as Oakland's the worst team in MLB sitting last in runs scored and team OPS. The only concern I have with Cobb is the number of innings he'll go since he's not frequently not a five-inning pitcher.
Top Targets
In the blink of an eye, Juan Soto ($25) went from slightly disappointing to a potential top-three MVP candidate having racked up a .424 OBP with a .531 slugging percentage and 24 homers. And since 2021, he's registered an 1.016 OPS versus righties. Lance Lynn may have earned the win in his Dodgers debut, though he allowed three homers to the Athletics. He also lists a 6.32 FIP while allowing lefties to go .325 against.
As the Brewers vie for a playoff spot, Christian Yelich ($23) has put the offense on his back with a 1.046 OPS the last three weeks. The southpaw hasn't done much against lefties, but he's gotten on base against righties at a .401 clip. I mentioned Yelich's OBP because Johan Oviedo is decent at avoiding home runs, though the righty still has a 4.87 road ERA and a 4.42 overall.
Bargain Bats
While he won't be rookie of the year, Masataka Yoshida ($16) has delivered as hoped for the Red Sox. In particular, he's produced an .856 OPS versus righties and a .921 at Fenway. Chris Bassitt has allowed lefties to bat .278 against while posting a 5.63 ERA on the road.
He won't hit 48 homers, but Jorge Soler ($13) has crushed 26 this year and could cross the 30 threshold for the second time. More matchups with lefties would help, as he's slugged .582 against them the last two seasons. Andrew Heaney is a lefty who's given up 1.62 homers per nine innings over his career.
Stacks to Consider
Dodgers at Padres (Rich Hill): Mookie Betts ($27), J.D. Martinez ($20), Will Smith ($17)
The 43-year-old journeyman Hill has changed teams once again because when a franchise is desperate for a mediocre pitcher who can eat innings, they call upon the southpaw. However, this year, his ERA is up to 4.76. Hill is still able to do reasonably well against fellow lefties, but righties have gone .278 against and that's why I've selected three of them here.
Betts is once again going to rack up 100 runs leading off with 30 home runs. One of baseball's elite players, the one-time MVP has a .976 OPS versus lefties since 2021. Martinez has already been announced as sitting Monday but playing Sunday, so the slugger will be out there to take advantage of the matchup. His power has played better away from Dodger Stadium with a .630 slugging percentage. The catcher Smith carries a .384 OBP, though his power plays up against lefties having slugged .519 against them in 2023.
Cardinals vs. Rockies (Austin Gomber): Nolan Gorman ($22), Nolan Arenado ($19), Tyler O'Neill ($15)
Gomber has a career 4.91 ERA and a 5.68 this season. And you assume this has something to do with Coors Field, though the lefty has struggled to a 5.54 road ERA since he joined the Rockies. I expect the former Cardinal won't appreciate his return to St. Louis.
Gorman, like Gomber, is a lefty. In addition to his .988 home OPS, he lists a .934 versus lefties in limited action. Gomber has also allowed southpaws to hit a whopping .371 against. The second Nolan is a more straightforward option who's posted a .912 OPS against lefties since 2021 and an .887 at home this year. O'Neill has missed a lot of time, yet has produced a .918 OPS the last three weeks to go with an .808 at home this season.
Diamondbacks at Twins (Dallas Keuchel): Christian Walker ($21), Ketel Marte ($21), Lourdes Gurriel ($16)
That's right, your eyes do not deceive you. Keuchel is back in MLB. It seemed like the 35-year-old lefty was done with a 5.28 ERA in 2021 and a 9.20 across 14 starts and three teams last year. It was bleak, and Keuchel didn't even sign a minor-league deal with the Twins until June. He also allowed righties to hit .305 against the previous two seasons, so that's where this stack lands.
After a tough 2021, Walker figured out his power stroke again with 36 homers last year and adding 22 this season. While his .837 OPS against righties is quite good, his .890 versus southpaws is even better. Marte has an .361 OBP, 18 homers, six stolen bases, and seven triples. While he's a switch-hitter who excels from both sides of the plate, his .945 OPS against lefties the last three seasons shows a clear preference. Gurriel slowed down after a hot start with his new team, though he's recorded three home runs from his last five games to give him 18 overall. He's also displayed more power against righties, but with a sub.-300 OBP. And against lefties, he's hit .283 with a .347 OBP.
