DraftKings Early MLB Picks August 29: Who is the best pitcher?

HOUSTON – MAY 03: Fans looks on from the roof of Union Station as the Arizona Diamond Backs play the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on May 3, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

DraftKings Early MLB Picks August 29: Who is the best pitcher?

We only have three games in the early DraftKings tournament today because they lopped off the Seattle-San Diego game from the early and the Miami-Boston game from the late. Those are only available in the all day or showdown modes. The pitching in this early slate is, well, average. We don’t have any aces going, but there are still a couple of intriguing options.

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Rain likely wont be a bother here, but the roof may have to be closed in Houston. There is a 12 mph wind blowing in today from left at Wrigley, so it could temper the offense from where it has been the last couple of days.

We will provide you with several options to build your lineup here. Want to spend all your money on pitchers and play bargain bats? We will highlight who is worth the money. Want to punt arms and pay up for the big boppers? We can help you with that as well, and everything in between!

These tips are based mostly on past performance. This is a nice tool for building a lineup, but should not be the only pieces of information you use. We have plenty of writers on here who give you relevant information no matter which site you play on!

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OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 18: Dallas Keuchel #60 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the first inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on August 18, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Dallas Keuchel ($9,000): Oakland is a pesky offense. We have been over this a dozen times. Keuchel has held Oakland to a .241 average and only five homers in 212 at bats, but they have still scored 23 runs and only struck out 30 times. If taking a pitcher from this game, Keuchel is easily the safer option, but there is risk involved here as well.

Trevor Cahill ($8,200): Cahill hasn’t been very good on the road at all, so this is a huge trap for him. The Astros are only hitting .184 with three homers, but they still have eight runs in 74 at bats. The 17 strikeouts will help, but the Astros are healthy and are blasting away at everyone lately. I know it’s a short slate, but I’ll draw a straw from one of the other five. Cahill has the best chance to be blasted this afternoon.

Middle Tier:

Danny Duffy ($7,700): I am here to inform and entertain, and I wouldn’t be doing that if I didn’t list all six pitchers here this afternoon. Personally, I hate this matchup for Duffy. Despite his recent run of decency, Duffy still has an ugly 6.83 ERA at home in 10 starts. On top of that, the Tigers have just destroyed him this year for 13 runs in only 10.1 innings! This is the kind of play that can separate you from the pack of plant you firmly at the bottom. There is some sneaky right handed power in this lineup yet.

Michael Fulmer ($7,200): The Royals are hitting a solid .278 against Fulmer, but they don’t have a lot to show for it. In 90 at bats, the Royals only have two homers and six runs to go with 19 strikeouts. If you can look past the average and all of the nicks to your point total that those hits provide, Fulmer is a pretty decent option today. This offense just isn’t very good.

Bargain Pitchers:

Jason Vargas ($6,100): Vargas is nothing exciting, but on this slate he looks like a ribeye to a person that hasn’t eaten in two days. Especially with the wind blowing in at Wrigley instead of out. However, Vargas has a dreadful 6.96 ERA on the season. It’s even worse on the road at 8.15. This may not be the time to play with fire, but you have to at some point on this slate. There isn’t a single “safe” pitcher on it. Vargas has only allowed four runs in his last three starts. None of the rest of these five can say that.

Alec Mills ($5,800): Mills looked good in his first major league start against the Reds, racking up 24.4 DraftKings points in that one. The Mets got a little weaker when they jettisoned Jose Bautista to Philly. The Mets did get Nimmo back, so this isn’t a slam dunk for Mills by any means. However, I will say that I am much more comfortable using a guy for this price against the worst offense on the slate than anyone else.

OAKLAND, CA – JULY 31: Mark Canha #20 of the Oakland Athletics is congratulated by Jonathan Lucroy #21 after Canha stole home plate against the Toronto Blue Jays in the bottom of the third inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on July 31, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Matt Chapman is 4-12 with two homers and three RBI against Keuchel in his career. Pinder and Khris Davis have also homered off of Keuchel, but they are both well under the Mendoza line against him. Mark Canha is the other one I have my eye on. 5-20 isn’t bad, and he does have a homer and three RBI.

Whit Merrifield is expensive, but the is about the only Royal that is hitting right now. He is also 7-16 with a homer off of Fulmer. Salvy has homered off of Fulmer as well, but there is a chance that he will be out of the lineup.

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Middle Tier:

Gattis, Gurriel, and George Springer are the Astros that have homered against Cahill so far. I have a feeling that someone like Bregman could get added to the list today. Cahill’s road ERA is nearly 7, so the Astros are going to get their licks here.

Ben Zobrist is about the only Cub with any sort of history against Vargas. It’s a good history though. Vargas is 12-29(.414) with a homer, a steal, and six RBI against Vargas.

I’m not all that crazy about Mets today, but both Nimmo and Michael Conforto are worth a look against a righty. And I really like Amed Rosario so cheap hitting leadoff.

Bargain Shoppers:

If Jonathan Lucroy is in the lineup, he is worth a look. Lucroy is 4-11 lifetime against Dallas Keuchel.

Victor Martinez is just $3,200, but he is 18-45(.400) with three homers and seven RBI against Danny Duffy. Castellanos has slammed Duffy as well for two homers and eight RBI in 36 at bats. Jose Iglesias is another great option, and is somewhat cheap. Iglesias is 10-27(.370) with a homer and four RBI against Duffy.

Next. MLB Game by Game breakdown August 29. dark

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