This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
The final weekend of July ends packed with MLB action. We're only a couple days away from the deadline, so what happens Sunday could play an outsized role in team decisions. What about your decisions? There are 10 games on the slate for DFS purposes with the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. EDT. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Cole Ragans, KC vs. CHC ($10,000): You can't quibble with Ragans' 3.23 ERA, yet his 2.74 FIP is even better. The Royals lefty is one of the best starters when it comes to avoiding home runs. I knew the Cubs were having a tough season and the offense was a little lacking, but now it seems as though they're going to finish in the bottom-10 for runs scored.
Bryce Miller, SEA at CWS ($9,400): Miller has been much better at home during his career with a 2.81 ERA. He's struggled on the road, but there's the matchup to consider. The White Sox could set records for offensive futility as they are comfortably last in runs scored while holding a .620 OPS.
Tobias Myers, MIL vs. MIA ($8,200): As a rookie, Myers has posted a 3.14 ERA. He's had issues against lefties, though righties only hit .193 against. The Marlins sit 29th in runs scored, and there's a sizable gap between them and Seattle along with the fact they've traded away Jazz Chisholm.
Top Targets
It's a bit disappointing that CJ Abrams ($5,500) is running less as I had high hopes after he stole 47 bases last season. However, he pairs his 19 swipes with 15 homers, six triples and a personal-best .461 slugging percentage. Miles Mikolas is oh-so-hittable, especially at home where he's slumped to a 6.61 ERA after a 5.51 there last year. Both lefties and righties have gone .274 against the Cardinals righty, though Abrams is a southpaw.
A .272/.359/.474 slash line with 19 home runs in 92 games only feels unremarkable for a shortstop when said shortstop was a 2023 MVP candidate in Corey Seager ($5,300). The lefty has mostly struggled against fellow lefties with a .915 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. Jose Berrios has recorded a 4.08 ERA with a 5.20 FIP in part because his K/9 rate is down to 6.70 and his HR/9 rate is up to 1.60.
Bargain Bats
The Tigers' outfield looks a little sparse with Riley Greene on the IL, but Matt Vierling ($4,000) has 13 homers and five triples even with a sub-.300 OBP. He's also slugged .474 against his fellow righties and a .524 at home. Bailey Ober has given up 1.42 homers per nine innings over his career and has registered a 4.67 ERA on the road this season.
Out of nowhere, Gavin Lux ($3,200) has produced an 1.050 OPS the last three weeks. He's not been anywhere near that on the campaign, though the offensive floor is lower for a second baseman. And with the Dodgers banged up (best wishes to Freddie Freeman), options for lefties aren't what they usually are. Rookie righty Spencer Arrighetti has posted a 5.65 ERA while southpaws have batted .286 against.
Stacks to Consider
Phillies vs. Guardians (Xzavion Curry): Trea Turner ($6,300), Bryson Stott ($4,500), Brandon Marsh ($4,000)
Curry is getting a start on Sunday, even with a 5.49 FIP. He also carries a 5.53 ERA on the road, where he's conceded 1.8 homers per nine innings. Curry would be worth targeting with any opponent, but the Phillies are usually primed for a stack as one of MLB's best offenses.
Turner's first season in Philly was up-and-down, though he's been stellar in 2024 slashing .332/.380/.528 with 13 homers and 13 steals. While he's a righty, as is Curry, righties have hit .285 against the pitcher. Stott's power is down this year, though he's managed seven home runs. More importantly he's swiped 23 bags, and it's easier to steal on a righty. Curry has also only struck out 5.40 batters per nine in his career, which increases Stott's chances of getting on base. Marsh and Johan Rojas are primed to platoon after the addition of Austin Hays, but this is exactly where you want Marsh playing with his .826 OPS against righties and at home.
Orioles vs. Padres (Randy Vasquez): Gunnar Henderson ($6,200), Ryan O'Hearn ($4,100), Cedric Mullins ($3,500)
This combo was pretty easy for me to land on. Vasquez has posted a 5.01 ERA on the road where he's given up 1.7 homers per nine innings. But what really pops is that he's let lefties hit a whopping .390 against, so we'll go with three lefty Orioles.
Henderson has already matched his 28 homers from 2023 to go with a career-high 14 steals while batting .284. While he's learned to handle his fellow southpaws, he's notched a .970 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. Over the last two weeks, O'Hearn has an 1.031 OPS. Facing a lot of righties during that time has benefited him as he's managed n .823 OPS versus them. The 30/30 version of Mullins proved a fluke, yet he has turned into a hitter who delivers counting stats to DFS players if not much else to real-world baseball action. Even though the centerfielder lists a sub-.300 OBP, he's registered 11 homers and 17 stolen bases.
