TGIF! We have a loaded MLB DFS main slate tonight with 11 games on top featuring all the top names including Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Corey Seager. Be sure to check in with our MLB DFS Tools, with the daily MLB projections, MLB DFS rostership projections, and our MLB DFS Lineup Generator when building those lineups today to help you decide which players you should be targeting!

 

MLB DFS Playbook: July 21

MLB Weather Updates

There is some rain in the forecast up in the Northeast which may impact the start of the Yankees game and potentially the later portion of the Red Sox game. As of right now, things look like thy will be OK but as we get closer to roster lock this is a  situation worth monitoring. 

DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

I mean, its a monster slate with two elite pitching options at the top in Shohei Ohtani and Framber Valdez in amazing spots. You also have some top tier offenses in position to do a lot of damage. On the DFS morning show we did a double-SP spend up build and were happy with the outcome but it seems more likely most rosters will plant their flag in one of the top two guys so you can get some big hitters in the lineup.

Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

Best Odds for a Win

Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

While Framber Valdez has shown strikeout upside this season, including against the A's, it just doesn't compare to what we can get from Ohtani here in this matchup tonight against a Pirates team that is very quickly heading towards the bottom of the standings. For the past month the Pirates rank 28th in wOBA and 29th in batting average against right-handed pitching with a 23% strikeout rate. In what could be Ohtani's last start with the Angels, I expect him to go out on a high note.

Framber Valdez, Houston Astros

If you find yourself in need of an extra $300 on DraftKings tonight then Framber is the way to go. He has allowed just one earned run over 15 innings against the Athletics this season with 12 strikeouts. He has the best odds on the board to get a win and this matchup presents a ceiling opportunity when it comes to his strikeout potential.

Clarke Schmidt, New York Yankees

Vegas is telling me Schmidt is the play here this evening. He is +150 to get a win which is one of the best odds on the slate. His pitching out number is set at 17.5. He has a 6.5 strikeout total tonight which is among the highest on the slate and they even have his earned run number set at -155 on the UNDER 2.5 earned runs allowed. Those are all pretty good numbers. Basically, if Vegas is correct, we are looking at six innings, two earned runs with six or seven strikeouts and a win from Schmidt tonight which is plenty fine at $6,200.

Kutter Crawford, Boston Red Sox

When we did the podcast this morning it was looking like James Paxton was going to be on the bump but that has since changed and now Kutter Crawford will start for the Red Sox tonight. If you have been following our MLB DFS show this season you know that I've talked a lot about liking Crawford. The team thinks he has the talent to stick in the rotation and we've seen some glimpses of him being a very effective starter. That type of talent was on display in his most recent start when he tossed six innings of one hit baseball against the Cubs where he had a season best nine strikeouts.  Tonight he faces another National League team in the Mets who are nothing special against right-handed pitching and are another team on the downtrend. 

Recommended DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups

Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

Well, I did the RT Sports DFS Pick'em plays video today and the MLB Best Bets article and both featured Mookie Betts so you know I'm going to be all-in here tonight when it comes to DFS. Andrew Heaney has been getting shelled by right-handed bats this season, allowing all 17 of his home runs to righties and Betts has been a monster with an ISO north of .400 and and a slugging percentage over .700 against lefties this season. Paring Betts and J.D. Martinez will be a favorite stack of mine tonight.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cincinnati Reds

There are obviously a lot of good options at first base here tonight but we have the Reds with one of the highest implied team run totals tonight in their home ballpark and CES has a ton of home run potential in this spot against Tommy Henry. If we want to spend up for guys like Mookie Betts then we need to spend down somewhere and it could very well be right here with the Reds prospect.

Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins

Lance Lynn is allowing 1.99 HR/9 with a 20% HR/FB rate this season both are the worst marks of his career. Left-handed bats are absolutely tuning him up, owning a .437 wOBA and a .649 slugging percentage against with 17 home runs allowed. Kepler is hitting cleanup tonight for the Twins and he has homers in two of the last three games that he has started.

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