MLB DFS: Stud and Steal of the Day July 4th
MLB DFS: Another Big Slate of Games (Happy 4th America!)
Looking at today’s slate of ten baseball games, it can be daunting to decide who deserves a place in your lineup. Knowing which star player is worth the money can be the difference between a winning night and one that ends in failure. However, finding the hidden gems that perform well are equally as important because they can let you spend more on your starting pitchers. This article will touch on one expensive player who is primed to have a big night, and one cheap player whom you wouldn’t normally play but is a great play tonight.
Past Plays:
6/27:Mike Trout:3/4, 1 HR, 2B, 2R’s 1 RBI
6/28:Josh Donaldson:2/5, 3B,BB,3 RBI’s,1R
6/28:Giancarlo Stanton:3/5, 1 HR, 2 1B, 3 RBI’s, 1 R
Next: Stud of the Day
The Stud of the Day: Kris Bryant 3B ($5,300 DK, $4,100 FD)
Nobody had a better June than Kris Bryant and he’s the player that earns our stud of the day title for the 4th of July. After mashing 11 home runs last month, he is primed to have another big night facing off against little known southpaw Cody Reed and the Reds at Wrigley Field this afternoon. When you look at his splits vs. left-handed pitching, while his batting average doesn’t jump off the paper he is averaging a home run every 8 at bats and I love his chances to hit one out today. Remember this is the guy who hit 11 home runs last month, he has some serious power.
Now that I’ve gushed over Bryant enough, it’s time to look at who he’s going up against. While Cody Reed has only pitched about 16 innings in the majors this season, he’s gotten absolutely killed by right-handed batters. Out of the 65 he’s faced, they have a .383 average, hit 5 HR’s, and have accounted for 13 runs scored in only 13 innings. The last thing you want when facing Kris Bryant is having a problem giving up the long ball and it’s clear that Reed has exactly that. The .383 batting average against is an added bonus given Bryant isn’t the greatest contact hitter, (.275,).
Don’t go contrarian at third base today, you have the hottest hitter in the league going up against a relatively unknown southpaw, get Kris Bryant in your lineups!
Next: The Steal of the Day
The Steal of the Day: Travis d’Arnaud ($2,900 DK, $2,200 FD)
When a player comes back from injury sometimes it takes Draftkings and Fanduel a couple of games before they adjust his price, this will happen soon with Travis d’Arnaud. At the price he’s currently at he is a must play today against Tom Koehler and the Marlins. He’s killed Koehler in his career to the tune of a .400 average in 20 plate appearances and when looking for steals, you should use batter vs pitcher stats while also looking at the advanced statistics. You want to find a cheaper player in a great matchup and d’Arnaud is that player tonight.
While d’Arnaud was really struggling in April when he got injured, since he’s come back into the lineup he’s hitting .354 and looks like he’s found his rhythm at the plate. While he hasn’t yet homered this year, the power should come as he has never hit less than 12 HR’s in a full season. I’m high on all of the Mets bats today as they have all hit Koehler well and after a four game sweep of the Cubs, the bats seem to have finally awoken in Queens.
In a relatively weak slate for catchers, this is a play you can use to help you go after the plethora of amazing outfielders today or Kris Bryant. Saving $1,000 on d’Arnaud will help you have a powerful lineup that might even take down a GPP today. Best of luck to all, Happy 4th of July, and get d’Arnaud in your lineups!
Next: Chicago Cubs: This team isn’t the one you’ll see in October