WEATHER All clear   Logan Webb Max Fried Jose Quintana   Primary SP Combo:  Max Fried & Logan Webb The battle between Max Fried and Logan Webb really catches my eye.  Webb is going to pitch well and the Braves bats will go cold after a big night last night, but this becomes a spot which you ride with the SP game stack similar to the Monday pitchers duel these two teams had.   DODGERS Betts, Freeman, Hernandez, Lux Mookie is locked in and you’re damn right that Freeman HR is today.  Teoscar & Gavin Lux a nice round it out stack. TIGERS Colt Keith & Kerry Carpenter.   It’s a shame Riley Greene is not back yet, he would murder Miller.  Like the LHH for the Tigers none the less… MARINERS Arozarena, Robles, Raleigh, J-Rod   CATCHER Cal Raleigh Will Smith Jake Rogers   FIRST BASE Freddie Freeman   SECOND BASE Gavin Lux Colt Keith   THIRD BASE Tyler Nevin Mark Vientos Kike Hernandez   SHORTSTOP Mookie Betts Zack McKinstry   OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore Kerry Carpenter Randy Arozarena Jesse Winker Teoscar Hernandez   Freddie Freeman – 1B – LA Dodgers – Chairman of The Dongers Club Jesse Winker – OF – Mets Kerry Carpenter – OF – Tigers   TOP BETS Tigers ML Dodgers ML

WEATHER All clear   Bryan Woo Jose Berrios Ronel Blanco     Guardians Cardinals Orioles Phillies     CATCHER Willson Contreras Bo Naylor Mitch Garver   FIRST BASE Freddie Freeman Ben Rice Jake Burger   SECOND BASE Brendan Donovan Jorge Polanco Jackson Holliday   THIRD BASE Alec Bohm Jose Ramirez Dylan Moore   SHORTSTOP Trea Turner CJ Abrams Xavier Edwards   OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore Giancarlo Stanton Jesus Sanchez Steven Kwan Alec Burleson   OUTFIELD – Tier 2 George Springer Will Brennan   Jose Ramirez – 3B – Guardians – Chairman of The Dongers Club Jesus Sanchez – OF – Marlins Alec Burleson – OF – Cardinals Giancarlo Stanton – OF – Yankees   TOP BETS Guardians + Cardinals ML Parlay

It’s a shame all the early games aren’t on the main slate because that’s a good 6 game Turbo slate and it would make for a terrific 15-gamer tonight in mid-August.   TURBO/EARLY SLATE Matthew Boyd opening things up as a … Guardian … still feels very weird to me.  Taijuan Walker will be on the bump again for Philly and yes, Yusei Kikuchi might actually be good enough to use on this slate. SP Rankings:  Skubal, Kikuchi, T.Rogers Stack Rankings:  Orioles, Marlins/Phillies, Astros   WEATHER All clear   There are just a couple guys that I really want to use today, but that’s not to say I wouldn’t expect another 4-7 pitchers give you ‘decent’ outings, it’s just void of a ton of heavy studs tonight.  These are the three to use in main lineup combinations KEVIN GAUSMAN (DK: $9000, FD: $8800) … The only thing that keeps Gausman from a CGSO tonight is himself.  Which, he very well might do. CHARLIE MORTON (DK: $8500, FD: $8900) … If you loved last night’s 1-0 game, wait until tonight’s 3-1 game between Morton and Kyle Harrison. PAUL BLACKBURN (DK: $7500, FD: $8300) … Blackburn will face his former team now in the friendly Citi Field environment, but it’s merely a lateral park shift overall, so it’s not like we should factor too much into it.  More relevant is that Blackburn is just a quality and blow-up adverse guy.   YANKEES Reverse Blowout Theory … Check. Lineup that should hit lots of home runs … Check. Bad SP on the other side … Check Stacking against the White Sox … Check Going back to the Yankees after they were the first team all year to lose by double digits to the fucking White Sox …. Vomit ROCKIES/DIAMONDBACKS ‘ZONA vs a LHP.  They dont strikeout and they just find ways to put up massive innings in what is easily the best hitting environment on the slate E-Fraud should pitch okay for Arizona, so I wouldn’t go full Colorado but Tovar (4500), Diaz (3400) and Doyle (5100) are all decent picks today.  Diaz homers. ROYALS & TWINS Another warm night in Target Field with the Twins calling up prospect Zebby Matthews.  We have rules and we follow those rules, but I do not believe Matthews is an automatic -10 out of the gates here.  He’s a quality RHP who is tall, pitched in […]

Back home later tonight and of course the week I leave the west coast is when all these west coast series pop-up.   WEATHER All clear   The headliner SP match-up tonight is gonna be Sale vs Snell out in San Francisco.  The total is only 6.5 and the Braves are coming out of Coors, so I can see why some would think this will be true to form — but that’s just screaming to take the over — so expect a nice, quiet 2-0 Giants win of course. Joe Musgrove will be returning tonight for San Diego, which is a huge boost if they can get him healthy and actually pitching well down the stretch.   The SoCal native has always pitched well out in PETCO park, but first start back and facing a team tonight I wouldn’t mind taking a shot on in the Pirates is reason enough to not even sniff that. On the flip side, I can justify using Kershaw now.  He’s still gonna be a limited PC option but a good one tonight vs the Brewers.  Pfaadt and Gil are probably the two chalkier options after Snell/Sale, both of which should be fine and my preferred leans. LUIS GIL (DK: $9000, FD: $10.8k) CLAYTON KERSHAW (DK: $7700, FD: $8000) BRANDON PFAADT (DK: $8600 – FD: $9200)   NY YANKEES Gleyber Torres, Giancarlo Stanton, Jazz Chisholm Jr. I swear the Yankees, no matter who is wearing the uniforms, go into AL Central parks and absolutely rake.  Throw on top going up against a rookie SP for the White Sox in Ky Bush — making his second ML start now and we’re just asking for Gleyber Torres to please not suck tonight.  Don’t sleep on the lefties here either because Bush won’t make it past 3 1/3. DIAMONDBACKS Joc Pederson, Josh Bell, Ketel Marte ‘Zona on an extended home streak now, should absolutely murder Cal Quantrill in the first 3 innings.   SECOND TIER TEAMS RED SOX — Duran, Abreu, Devers TWINS — Larnach, Castro   CATCHER Adrian Del Castillo … Essentially min price and has a chance to hit middle of order. Logan O’Hoppe Salvador Perez   FIRST BASE Freddie Freeman … 11 HR in 36 career games in Miller Park.  He’s homering this week, maybe twice. Donovan Solano Nolan Schanuel   SECOND BASE Gleyber Torres Ketel Marte   THIRD BASE Manny Machado Rafael Devers Ke’Bryan Hayes   […]

Looks like we have a split slate with FanDuel including the Braves/Rockies COORS game on their main slate.  This is also just a 7 game main DK slate because — yeah, there are four teams who just don’t even play today!  White Sox/Cubs and Cardinals/Royals are off today as they had just 2 game series.  Teams not playing Baseball on a Sunday in August.  Blasphemy.   WEATHER All clear   The way Cease is going right now you just don’t fade him.  Every year there is that one big pitcher dominant run & Cease is on it right now.  He’s gotta be fresh too after dealing with a short rain outing and yeah, it’s the Marlins. The Blue Jays & Reds are two offenses that have been dead quiet of late which could get picked on with JP Sears (Oak) and DL Hall (Mil), but neither to me is above each other or Chris Bassitt.  Out of the group, going with Sears and Bassitt is the best route here – I trust Cincy bats. Hunter Brown vs James Paxton should result in another game going over and with limited games you’re quickly pushing into the Max Meyer type range and lets just stop there.  These are your top 3. Dylan Cease (DK: $10.1k, FD: $11.1k) Chris Bassitt (DK: $8400, FD: $8800) JP Sears (DK: $7600, FD: $8300)   RED SOX … Hunter Brown gives up 5 ER today.  He’s been worse vs RHH which makes Boston a tough stack to back based upon data, but they are the best Sunday team this year for what it’s worth. ASTROS … Diaz, Bregman, Altuve YANKEES … Judge/Torres   SNEAKY TEAMS RAYS … Lowe/Lowe/Morel   CATCHER Yainer Diaz Ryan Jeffers Gary Sanchez   FIRST BASE Dominic Smith Spencer Steer Nathaniel Lowe   SECOND BASE Deepest spot on the slate. Brandon Lowe Gleyber Torres Jose Altuve Christopher Morel   THIRD BASE Royce Lewis Rafael Devers Alex Bregman   SHORTSTOP Not a ton here that stands out as a one off.  If you go with the Reds as a stack then obviously Elly is a must here because for them do well he’s gotta produce, but as a one off you don’t use him still vs LHP at that price. Corey Seager Jeremy Pena Brayan Rocchio   OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore Oddly enough Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are both 1-9 against Andrew Heaney.  That’s changing today. […]

WEATHER All clear – wind blowing out in Chicago   Really tough DFS slate to not pay up for pitching.  I don’t see many ways which Gavin Williams doesn’t have high ownership for just $6400. Corbin Burnes (DK: $9300, FD: $10600) Paul Skenes (DK: $10200, FD: $10800) Gavin Williams (DK: $6400, FD: $7800)   OTHER QUICK THOUGHTS I would avoid Logan Gilbert tonight even at home.  Warm out in Seattle and lots of HR prone risk there, some solo shots.  If Manaea was cheaper then maybe take him for the win, but just not worth it.   Chicago Cubs / Chicago White Sox … The wind definitely should be a factor combined with the pitching here.  Steele just can’t be trusted even vs the White Sox.  Taking the over here. Cincinnati Reds … They gotta flip back on Milwaukee. Cardinals / Royals … Should be a 7-6 game   SNEAKY TEAMS Diamondbacks Mets CATCHER Mitch Garver Sean Murphy Tyler Stephenson   FIRST BASE Ty France Paul Goldschmidt Andrew Vaughn   SECOND BASE Nico Hoerner Jackson Holliday Michael Massey   THIRD BASE Jose Ramirez Austin Riley Nick Senzel   SHORTSTOP Oneil Cruz Bobby Witt Jr. Elly De La Cruz   OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore Joc Pederson / Corbin Carroll Ian Happ Spencer Steer JD Martinez     Oneil Cruz – SS – Pirates – Chairman of the Dongers Club Paul Goldschmidt – 1B – Cardinals Ian Happ – OF – Cubs JD Martinez – OF – Mets Joc Pederson – OF – Diamondbacks   TOP BETS Dbacks ML Mets ML Royals/Cardinals OVER Cubs/White Sox OVER

Just quick listing of picks tonight, not much write up time to add on to the thoughts…   WEATHER All clear   ZACK WHEELER EDWARD CABRERA ROBBIE RAY … After Dark!   My read is more on games/game stacks spots tonight, not necessarily saying you should stack these only together but the runs are coming from these games. Houston/Boston … Boston’s too hot to not hit at home and Houston has always hit well in Fenway. Atlanta Braves … Coors donkeys, but they’re cheaper than usual. Oakland/Toronto … Jays pen is trash and Oakland will hit Berrios.  More confident in that then the Jays full stack against Spence   Sleeper Team PIRATES … Hate Flaherty tonight and will take PIT ML   CATCHER Alejandro Kirk Shea Langeleirs Sean Murphy   FIRST BASE Vinnie Pasquantino Vlad Guerrero Jr Matt Olson   SECOND BASE Jose Altuve Brice Turang Michael Massey Jonathan India   THIRD BASE Alex Bregman Rafael Devers Alec Bohm   SHORTSTOP Bobby Witt Jr. Elly De La Cruz Nick Sogard – Value/Punt   OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore Yordan Alvarez JJ Bleday TJ Friedl Bryan Reynolds     Jose Altuve – 2B – Houston Astros – Chairman of The Dongers Club Bryan Reynolds – OF – Pirates   TOP BETS Astros/Red Sox OVER 10 Phillies/Diamondbacks under 8.5 Pittsburgh ML

WEATHER I won’t be able to double check all the weather, so monitor it accordingly but it looks pretty clear for all games to play. CHRIS SALE (DK: $10,300) … I lean Sale over Skubal who is probably more popular in Seattle tonight.  A little leverage play at the top.  Atlanta is winning. COLE RAGANS (DK: $9,000) … KC Desperately needs a big game from Ragans.  They no longer can win the tie-breaker w/ the Red Sox now but he’s someone I expect to deliver a great 6 inning outing against Boston tonight which will get him over 20 DK FPTS with good K% upside. ERICK FEDDE (DK: $7700) … The only cheap option to look at.  We have two guys who got moved at the deadline that fall into this category with Trevor Rogers being the other – but you gotta believe Fedde avoids blow up much easier tonight.   CARDINALS … They’re better vs RHP and are a good contrarian spot.  Granted, I think lots of contrarian builds are good tonight (see Atlanta below) BRAVES METS Definitely can go back to the Baltimore well and hope they wake up tonight, I don’t hate it and I’m sure as the day moves along I’ll talk myself into making them the top ML play tonight as well.   CATCHER Francisco Alvarez Sean Murphy   FIRST BASE Ryan Mountcastle Vinnie Pasquantino Pete Alonso   SECOND BASE Michael Massey Jackson Holliday Nolan Gorman   THIRD BASE Nolan Arenado Austin Riley Mark Vientos   SHORTSTOP Gunnar Henderson Francisco Lindor Trea Turner   OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore Shohei Ohtani Marcell Ozuna Jarred Kelenic Eloy Jimenez   Nolan Arenado – 3B – St. Louis Cardinals – Chairman of The Dongers Club Ryan Mountcastle – 1B – Orioles Marcell Ozuna – OF – Braves Michael Massey – 2B – Royals   TOP BETS Orioles ML Braves ML Royals ML

Just a quick heads up looking ahead, there may not be an article on Thursday (August 8th) and next Monday (August 12th) will likely be short.  Not definitive, just a possibility.   WEATHER Angels at Yankees – PPD!  Amazing job getting this done 3 hours before first pitch and I’m being sincere here.  Thank you.   LUIS CASTILLO (DK: $8200, FD: $9700) Like everyone on Seattle Luis in 2024 has been much better at home (2.82 ERA vs 4.14 on the road) and could see 4+ RHH tonight which also favors him greatly.   With Luis Gil getting PPD tonight Castillo moves up as the no doubt #1 option given his price, opponent and all the data you can spin to justify the reason to pick a guy. GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ (DK: $8500, FD: $10,300) My somewhat of a sleeper/darkhorse is Gray-Rod.  Only thing I don’t love is seeing the same team twice in a row but expect him to get around Vladdy Jr and pitch well again vs Toronto. FRAMBER VALDEZ (DK: $8400, FD: $9600) Another mid 8k guy who has positive items to consider.  Texas is still rough around the edges vs LHP and just Marcus Semien is on my radar for them.  Valdez has 3 10K+ guys all going under 100 pitches lately, his form is good and the Rangers is not. KEEP AN EYE ON JEFFREY SPRINGS (DK: $7300, FD: $8500) … The Cardinals are still pretty bad against LHP but there is still a pretty hard ceiling on Springs until they ramp him up a little more going into September.  The price isn’t very generous here either, so I wouldn’t think he’s worth rolling with but a good start here against the Cardinals can translate into us really considering him down the stretch.   ORIOLES — Ryan Mountcastle, Eloy Jimenez, Anthony Santander Orioles lefties vs Bassitt is the easy spot, but Mountcastle’s Toronto dominance & Eloy looking rejuvenated (shocker) makes this a possible 4 to 5 man win it all 14 run outburst from Baltimore. METS — Mark Vientos, Francisco Alvarez, JD Martinez, Brandon Nimmo The Downside for the Mets tonight is this is three cities in three days.  Anaheim on Sunday, St. Louis on Monday and now back to Denver for a quick series vs the Rockies. The Upside for the Mets tonight is Kyle Freeland, temps in the upper 80’s.  We’ll not overlook Colorado vs […]

Broken down by pricing tiers, Mark Farris outlines his favorite PGA DFS plays on DraftKings