Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: MLB DraftKings Ideal Lineup Picks – Bleacher Report – Bleacher Report
DraftKings players should be stacking Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays positional players on Monday. Hitters from those two teams should provide the best opportunity to score big.
The Cubs, who face the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, haven’t exactly been the highest-scoring team in the majors this season. However, they have scored an average of 4.6 runs per game against the Reds in nine games.
On Monday, the Cubs will take their swings at a young pitcher who doesn’t strike out many hitters (47 in 71.1 innings pitched) and who has struggled with his control (39 walks). The Cubs are second in the majors in strikeouts, but they are also fourth in walks.
Michael Lorenzen doesn’t have the stuff to take advantage of the Cubs’ weakness, but the North Siders have patient hitters who will allow him to get into trouble. Last but not least, lefties are also hitting .306 against Lorenzen this season.
The end result should be a big day for the Cubs hitters.
Tampa Bay will have the pleasure of facing struggling Philadelphia Phillies starter David Buchanan. The 26-year-old is 0-5 with an ERA of 7.58 and a 1.85 WHIP. Buchanan has walked 15 in 29.2 innings pitched and has struck out only 15.
Like the Cubs, the Rays don’t score a ton of runs, but Buchanan is pitching so poorly, he could be the temporary remedy for what ails Tampa Bay’s bats.
Here are two hitters from both the Cubs and Rays whom you have to draft.
The Cubs
Anthony Rizzo ($5,100)
Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press
All season long, Anthony Rizzo has been the Cubs’ most consistent hitter. His average has dipped just under .300 for now, but that should be changing shortly. Rizzo shortens up his swing against lefties, and it has resulted in a higher batting average against southpaws. However, against right-handers, he’s more of a pure slugger.
All but two of his 16 home runs have come against righties. Against Lorenzen, I expect Rizzo to let it rip. With runners on base in front of him, Rizzo’s run production should be high.
Count on some extra-base hits to boost his fantasy production.
Kyle Schwarber ($3,400)
Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press
ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers reported Kyle Schwarber will start three straight games of the four-game set against the Reds.
The lefty slugger has torn the cover off the ball in his brief time in the majors this season. In 28 at-bats, Schwarber is hitting .393 with a home run and six RBI. Against right-handed pitchers, Schwarber is hitting .409. As he makes a play to stay in the majors, this looks like a perfect spot for him to continue to mash the ball.
The Rays
Logan Forsythe ($3,900)
Tony Dejak/Associated Press
The Rays’ leading hitter is swinging the bat well since the All-Star break. He’s hitting .444 with four hits in nine at-bats. Against a pitcher like Buchanan, there’s no reason to believe Logan Forsythe‘s bat should cool off.
Expect him to take advantage of both the hitter-friendly Coors Field and the matchup that is in his favor.
John Jaso ($3,700)
Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
Since returning from injury, John Jaso has been the Rays’ best hitter. He’s hitting .353 in July. Jaso doesn’t hit for much power, as he has just one long ball in 30 at-bats, but a multihit game with at least one extra-base hit seems like a sensible expectation.
Catcher options are usually the toughest decisions to make with a DraftKings lineup, and this one is not any different. The San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey is tempting here, but Jaso is a better bargain at just under $4,000.
He should have some good swings against Buchanan.
| Position | Player | Opponent | Salary |
| P | Matt Harvey | Washington | $11,100 |
| P | Matt Moore | Philadelphia | $7,200 |
| C | John Jaso | Philadelphia | $3,700 |
| 1B | Anthony Rizzo | Cincinnati | $5,100 |
| 2B | Logan Forsythe | Philadelphia | $3,900 |
| 3B | Kris Bryant | Cincinnati | $4,800 |
| SS | Hanley Ramirez | Los Angeles | $4,000 |
| OF | Chris Coghlan | Cincinnati | $3,200 |
| OF | Kyle Schwarber | Cincinnati | $3,400 |
| OF | Jorge Soler | Cincinnati | $3,400 |
Salaries per DraftKings, picks by Mazique
Keep Calm and Trust Harvey
Bill Kostroun/Associated Press
There’s not a ton of great pitchers on the mound on Monday, but the New York Mets are starting Matt Harvey. Taking the highest-priced pitcher is normally a major gamble. However, in this case, taking Harvey for $11,100 is justifiable.
Harvey will be facing the Washington Nationals on Monday, and he’s been rock-solid against them this season. In two previous starts, he hasn’t allowed a run in 13 innings pitched, striking out 12 and walking just two.
He’ll again be sharp in his first start since the All-Star break.
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