Welcome to the MLB DFS Playbook for July 25! I know it’s been a minute since I’ve graced these pages, but I am ready to get back in action and build some winning DFS lineups today.  We’ve got a juicy 12-game main slate to look at and, thankfully no Coors Field. The Cincinnati Reds are also on the road today so no Great American Smallpark. We can actually focus on today’s starting pitcher match-ups without having to worry about jamming in some overinflated hitting prices. Still, there are a million different directions we can go, so sorting through the data and making the right decisions is going to be paramount to our success. As always, let me remind you, as you move through today’s DFS Playbook, be sure to check in with our MLB DFS Tools, take in the daily MLB projections, follow the MLB DFS Ownership projections and maybe even take our MLB DFS Lineup Generator for a spin. With so much knowledge at your fingertips, it’s going to be tough to not see green no matter if you’re playing cash games or GPP tournaments. 

MLB DFS Playbook: July 25

MLB Weather Updates

BAL/PHI – Likely storms in the area right around first pitch but should clear up shortly after that. They could go with a late start, but there is definite risk of a postponement.

COL/WAS – similar forecast like we see in Philadelphia but with slightly better chances of them playing

NYM/NYY – potential storms in the area so we could see a possible delay

ATL/BOS – storms in the northeast scattering near Fenway Park during game time. Watch closely throughout the day as there is a solid chance of a postponement.

DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

As I said in the introduction, there are a million ways to go tonight. First and foremost, we’re going to try to avoid the potential rain as much as possible. I’m being tempted by the Nationals match-up, so I will splash a couple in if I think the game is going to happen, but always be prepared with pivots. The spend-ups at pitching are solid and we’ve got at least one pay-down so we aren’t over-investing in arms. I prefer two-man stacks to full-blown stacks, so when building your lineup, be sure to check out our MLB lineups page to see what works best. Plenty of value to be had, so enjoy a few big bats while sneaking in some supporting value bats. 

 

 

Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

Best Odds for a Win

Bullpens Most Likely to Blow Your Starters’ Win & Boost Your Stacks

Side Note: Most overused bullpens in the last week are the Giants (32.2 IP), Rockies (31.1), Blue Jays (27.0), Red Sox (26.0) and Reds (25.1)

Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups

Blake Snell, San Diego Padres

Though he may walk an extra guy or two each start, Snell has been lights-out since May 25. He’s made 11 starts and seven of them have been scoreless appearances. We’re talking about a 0.71 ERA with a 95:32 K:BB over 63 innings. The Pirates have just a .316 wOBA with a 23.5-percent K-rate against southpaws this season and while they’ve been swinging the bats better recently, they are striking out at an even higher rate.

Pablo Lopez, Minnesota Twins

I don’t normally like to use a pitcher on the second game of a back-to-back facing the same team, but with it being Seattle, the strikeout upside might just be too tough to pass up. Seattle strikes out 26-percent of the time against righthanded pitching and over the last seven days, the Mariners have whiffed at a 28.6-percent clip. Lopez struck out seven batters over five innings while allowing two runs back on July 20, so you can probably expect something similar while hoping for maybe six or seven innings of work.

Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds

After getting roughed up by the Brewers on July 7, Abbot bounced back to hold them to two runs over six innings for his first start of the second half. He then went out and blew away the Giants with eight scoreless, one-hit innings. There might be some familiarity here, but the Brewers remain a bottom-five team against lefties with a 26.7-percent strikeout rate.

Aaron Civale, Cleveland Guardians

Nothing wrong with trying to pluck some low-hanging fruit for our pitching pay-down, right? The Royals continue to be one of the least productive lineups in baseball and their .311 wOBA over the past week is probably the bigger focus than the .204 ISO. Civale has been solid over his last four starts, allowing no more than two runs in an appearance and he’s only allowed one home run over his last 29.1 innings. Not much of a gauntlet to get through in this batting order, so we’ll take the discount.

 

 

Recommended DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups

Keibert Ruiz, C Washington Nationals

He’s on a nine-game hitting streak where he’s slashing .469/.528/.781 with two home runs, seven RBI and seven runs scored so we strike while the iron is hot. The .352 wOBA against lefties with Austin Gomber on the mound also helps.

Christian Walker, 1B Arizona Diamondbacks

The price tag is a little high, but considering the match-ups for some of the elite first basemen, I am willing to pay for Walker against a tomato can like Steven Matz. Walker has an .850 OPS against lefties and he’s hot at the plate right now with hits in three straight games including two doubles and a home run.

Nolan Arenado, 3B St. Louis Cardinals

He’s currently riding an eight-game hit streak with two homers and 13 RBI in that span and will face Merrill Kelly who is making his first start since coming off the IL. Kelly will have some rust and likely go no more thn five innings which gives Arenado not only a great chance early on, but the opportunity against a Diamondbacks bullpen that has an ERA north of 9.00 over the past week.

Tim Anderson, SS Chicago White Sox

While I’m paying up for Bo Bichette in my primary lineup, I am taking the discount on Anderson in some GPP tournaments as well. I don’t believe in Kyle Hendricks at all and while has yet to homer this season, he’s seeing the ball real well right now with hits in four-straight games and he has six multi-hit performances in his last nine games.

Cody Bellinger, OF Chicago Cubs

Another hit streak to take advantage of as Bellinger is riding a seven -game hit streak and is batting .464 with two home runs and nine RBI. The price is fair and the opposition, Michael Kopech, is prone to blow ups. Righties are posting a .322 wOBA against him this season and Bellinger is rocking a .344 wOBA against right-handed pitching.

 

Player Pool

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Stacks

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