This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
It's the final Sunday of August, and it's starting to feel like the MLB regular season is about to end. That's a moment that can't come too soon for, say, the Baltimore Orioles. For the rest of us, it's about keeping up the DFS fun while we can. There's actually only 14 games today and not 15 as the Padres and Angels have the day off. The action starts early, so get those lineups in as soon as possible! Here are some recommendations:
PITCHING
Zack Greinke, HOU at TEX ($10,000): Over his last eight starts, Greinke has posted a 2.84 ERA. He also has a 2.34 mark on the road this year. Texas sit 28th in runs scored, but last in team on-base percentage by a wide margin. The Rangers have no chance of lifting their collective OBP up to .300 at this point.
Tyler Mahle, CIN at MIA ($9,600): Mahle has recorded a 3.69 ERA, but has some truly insane home/road splits this season. In Cincinnati, he's managed a 6.00 ERA. On the road, that number drops to 1.84. Mahle is traveling today and is also facing a Marlins side ranked 27th in runs scored.
Dylan Cease, CWS vs. CHC ($9,100): Cease has been the opposite of Mahle with a 5.37 road ERA and a 2.61 at home. And while he's currently at a 3.92 ERA, his FIP is at 3.57 and has also struck out 11.57 home runs per nine innings. The Cubs struggled offensively all year, but the attack is in a totally different place now with Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez having all been dealt.
Kwang Hyun Kim, STL at PIT ($8,500): And now, we get to the portion of this article where I recommend the pitcher facing the Pirates. Pittsburgh ranks last in runs scored and 29th in team OPS. The Pirates' real problem on that front is that they enter with by far the majors' worst slugging percentage. Kim also hasn't been a slouch with a 3.27 ERA.
TOP TARGETS
Nick Castellanos, CIN at MIA ($4,200): Castellanos is vying for the batting title with a .321 average and is also hitting for power. The 29-year-old has also notched a .574 slugging percentage. Jesus Luzardo was once considered a top-notch prospect and came over to Miami as the key part of the Starling Marte trade. In five starts with the Marlins, Luzardo has posted a 9.67 ERA.
Carlos Correa, HOU at TEX ($4,000): Correa has been a steady bat for the Astros all season slashing .275/.370/.479 with 20 home runs. Taylor Hearn has logged a 4.93 FIP and has mostly been pitching out of the bullpen. In fact, he's made all of six starts in his career out of 51 games. They lefty has held his fellow lefties in check, but has allowed righties to hit .251 against.
VALUE BATS
Tyler O'Neill, STL at PIT ($3,200): Getting a chance to play close to a full season for the first time, O'Neill has put up impressive numbers with 20 home runs and 10 stolen bases while hitting .270. Best of all, O'Neill is facing Wil Crowe and his career 6.14 FIP.
Ty France, SEA vs. KC ($3,400): Brady Singer is good at suppressing home runs, but he still has a 5.07 ERA this year because he allows a lot of contact. Case in point, righties have hit .282 against over his career. Given that, I wanted to find a Mariners bat that can hit for average. Enter France, with the first baseman batting .291 this year and .305 last season.
STACKS TO CONSIDER
Red Sox vs. Eli Morgan: Rafael Devers ($4,100), Kyle Schwarber ($3,400), Alex Verdugo ($3,100)
Cleveland's rookie pitcher Morgan has posted a 5.98 ERA through 12 starts, thanks in part to allowing 1.99 home runs per nine innings. I happened to grab three lefties for this stack, which could be an issue if Morgan is pulled early and a lefty enters from the bullpen. But if he's pulled early, it likely means he was knocked around and by that point these three could have already done their damage.
Devers can handle himself against lefties as evidenced by a .787 OPS, but his overall numbers are much better than that with a .352 OBP along with 30 home runs. Schwarber is a guy you avoid against lefties, but this year he's managed a 1.023 OPS versus righties. Verdugo has struggled the most against southpaws of these three, but still carries a .284 average and a career .288 mark.
Rays vs. Spenser Watkins: Randy Arozarena ($3,500), Nelson Cruz ($3,800), Austin Meadows ($3,300)
It's been a bleak season for the Orioles, and the pitching staff is part of that. Rookie Watkins has made 10 appearances (nine starts) this year and has posted a 7.07 ERA. Tampa's lineup used to be quite lefty-heavy, but now it's a little more balanced. So even though this is a matchup with a righty, I have two righties and a lefty here.
In his first full season, Arozarena has produced 17 home runs and 11 stolen bases with a career OPS of .833. Though Cruz is 40, he's still crushed 26 homers and slugged .510 this year. He's struggled a bit since joining the Rays, but has still gone deep seven times in 26 games since being traded. Meadows hasn't produced particularly well against lefties, but has a .904 OPS versus righties in 2021.
