This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Last Sunday, we were kicking off All-Star weekend. It's now just business as usual in the world of baseball for a while. Most teams have played at least 90 games. We know these teams and we know these players. That can give you some confidence when it comes to choosing your DFS roster. What could provide even more confidence? Looking into the numbers, or perhaps just getting some recommendations for your lineups. Sunday means every team in action, and it means games starting at 1:05 p.m. EDT. Here are my suggestions.
PITCHING
Zack Wheeler, PHI vs. MIA ($11,000): Wheeler's record isn't great, but you can blame offensive support for that. He's posted a 6-5 record, even though he's registered personal bests with a 2.26 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. Wheeler might not need much help today since the Marlins rank 27th in runs scored.
Chris Bassitt, OAK vs. CLE ($9,900): Bassitt is a pitcher who definitely benefits from pitching at home with a 2.32 ERA in Oakland since 2019 and a 4.28 everywhere else. Cleveland is middle-of-the-pack in runs scored, but their team OBP hovers around .300. Jose Ramirez can only do so much.
Sonny Gray, CIN vs. MIL ($8,600): This could be quite the pitcher's duel with the Brewers starting Corbin Burnes. But don't overlook Gray. He may be returning from the IL, but has registered a 2.42 ERA since the start of May. The Brewers' offense is a little less proficient than the Reds' and also maintain a .221 team batting average.
Joe Musgrove, SD at WAS ($8,200): I'd like Musgrove better at home, but he's been no slouch on the road with a 3.07 ERA. Washington's offense has picked up recently, but it's still just outside the bottom-10 in runs scored. And if we're talking run support, Musgrove's covered by one of baseball's top-10 lineups.
TOP TARGETS
Max Muncy, LAD at COL ($4,400): Other than 2020, Muncy has been a power hitter since joining the Dodgers. In his other three seasons in LA the lefty, has posted a slugging percentage over .500 - including this year. Jon Gray's 3.99 FIP isn't terrible, but this game is at Coors Field. The ball won't be flying like during the Home Run Derby, but it's still a park to go long.
Rafael Devers, BOS at NYY ($3,900): Devers has crushed 22 home runs this season while crushing right-handed pitchers to the tune of a 1.036 OPS and a .991 mark since 2019. We have Domingo German as the expected starter for Sunday, though it could also be Jameson Taillon. Either way, it will be a righty with an ERA over 4.00.
VALUE BATS
Miguel Cabrera, DET vs. MIN ($2,600): Once upon a time, Cabrera would have been a top target. Those days are gone. Miggy occasionally shows some life in his bat, especially against lefties as shown in his .928 OPS against them since 2019. J.A. Happ has allowed a .299 batting average to righties this year and enters with an 8.29 road ERA.
Ryan Mountcastle, BAL at KC ($2,600): Mountcastle hit .333 last year, but that was in only 35 games. His average has fallen to .252 in 2021, but he's hit 14 home runs. Mike Minor had a 5.56 ERA in 2020, and that's up to 5.67 this campaign. He's also given up 1.44 home runs per nine innings.
STACKS TO CONSIDER
OK, so originally right here you would be reading about the Toronto Blue Jays taking on Mike Foltynewicz. Vladimir Guerrero, Bo Bichette, and George Springer? Sign me up! Then the game between the Blue Jays and Texas Rangers on Saturday got rained out and Sunday got turned into a doubleheader. The Blue Jays still get to face Foltynewicz. However, doubleheaders aren't included for DFS purposes on FanDuel. Not to leave you in the lurch, let me just quickly note the Royals are facing Matt Harvey and his 7.70 ERA. Here's three quick names: Whit Merrifield ($3,800), Salvador Perez ($3,600), and Carlos Santana ($3,500).
Giants vs. Wade LeBlanc: Wilmer Flores ($2,500), Austin Slater ($2,300), Donovan Solano ($2,100)
This is a stack for those who want to save some salary but also get some upside. LeBlanc has mostly pitched out of the bullpen and comes in with a 4.78 ERA while producing 5.88 over the last three seasons. He's also allowed righties to hit .300 off of him during the same span. That's why I selected three righty Giants for this matchup. Flores hit 12 home runs with a .515 slugging percentage in 2020 and has nine long balls in 2021. Slater has logged an .872 OPS versus lefties since 2019 with nine homers and eight stolen bases. Over the last three seasons, Solano has posted a slash line of .308/.347/.427. There's not a ton of power there, but he can still get hits.
