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MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: August 18 – Knock your Sox off

By Brian Tulloch

BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 17: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox poses before a game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 17, 2019 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 17: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox poses before a game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 17, 2019 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 17: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox poses before a game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 17, 2019 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 17: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox poses before a game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 17, 2019 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /

MLB DFS – Building Our Bats:

We started off this first look with a mention of the Red Sox massive implied run total that is just shy of 8 runs as of this writing as they take on LHP Ty Blach and the putrid Orioles bullpen. Now, paying up for pitching may seem like a route that eliminates a Red Sox stack but with the pricing as it is on FantasyDraft, I actually think you can make a case to full-on stack the Red Sox without having to compromise with your arms.

The path to get there may be easier today than on most days because Sundays in Major League Baseball gives us rest days for starters and that means cheap bench guys getting a spot start and we are going to need all the #FreeSquare love we can find to make this build work. Looking at you Tomas Nido and your beautiful $3.9K price tag.

The key though, as crazy as it may sound – is hoping that the Red Sox start Chris Owings ($3.9K). Last Sunday against a lefty in Patrick Sandoval, Owings drew the start and actually led off for the Red Sox – this is simple, if Owings is in the line-up, you find a way to utilize him because of what it will open up for the rest of your build.

What it really allows you to do is load up on the big bats in the Red Sox line-up – Mookie Betts, JD Martinez, Xander Boegarts and Rafael Devers and you can round out a stack with a cost-effective piece like Sam Travis ($7.6K).

This Red Sox line-up is loaded with power against LHP with Boegarts (.281 ISO), Travis (.241 ISO) and Martinez (.459 ISO) all putting up massive numbers this season while Betts .246 mark since the start of 2018 gives you a well-rounded stack that has as much upside as you can ask for on a short slate like this.

The key – WATCH THE LINEUPS today. A Stars/Scrubs build is possible but only if we get the punt value we need.