I’ve got five hitters for you to consider for the early 7/26 MLB DFS 11-game slate in DK GPPs, where it pays to be fearless and swing for the fences!
7/26 MLB DFS – C Robinson Chirinos (DK $3,900) TEX vs. COL
The Rangers offense has been a bit slow out of the gate, but RHBsin that lineup have a favorable matchup vs. LHP Kyle Freeland. One fearless leftymasher who comes at a considerable discount is Chirinos – an ample power sourceat catcher and a guy who often flies under the radar in DFS. If you’re notpaying up for J.T. Realmuto (DK $4,800), Mitch Garver ($4,900) or ChristianVazquez (DK $4,300), Chirinos makes sense as part of a stack or as a one-off tosave a few bucks and get similar upside. *Note: Chirinos battled an ankleinjury near the close of camp and sat out Saturday but looks to be good to gofor today.
7/26 MLB DFS – 1B Joey Votto (DK $3,800) CIN vs. DET
Speaking of discounts, Votto is a relatively inexpensive veteran slugger off to an uncharacteristically hot start, with a couple HRs in his first two games. I’m intrigued by the Reds stack against eminently hittable Spencer Turnbull, who’s been known to issue the occasional free pass and give up the long ball. Spend-up options include Anthony Rizzo (DK $5,000) and one-off Josh Bell (DK $4,900), and the punt-worthy Michael Chavis (DK $2,900) is available at both 1B and 2B – but I’m putting about half my GPP eggs in the Votto basket on the early slate.
7/26 MLB DFS – SS Alex Bregman (DK $4,900) HOU vs. SEA
Thankfully, Bregman is available at both SS and 3B on DK, where there’s a few other guys I’d like to play at the hot corner. The Astros have the second-highest projected total after the Red Sox, and it’s a GPP priority to lock in Bregman and his eye-popping .417 career wOBA vs. LHP against Yusei Kikuchi, a southpaw with a home run problem. Xander Bogaerts (DK $4,600) got the day off Saturday but returns to the BoSox lineup this afternoon, so he’s a viable option as pivot from Bregman, in Boston stacks or alongside Bregman if you plug the latter in at 3B. Red-hot Didi Gregorius (DK $3,500) sticks out as a value option for the Phillies.
7/26 MLB DFS – 3B Mike Moustakas (DK $4,000) CIN vs. DET
I’d like to play both Reds 3B Eugenio Suarez (DK $4,500) and Moustakas on DK, but you have to take your pick since each player is limited to a singular position at the hot corner. While Suarez might see lower ownership, we can probably get our variance elsewhere, as the man who sounds like a delicious Mediterranean casserole comes in with the highest daily simulated projections in the Cincy lineup. He’s the anchor of a 1-2-4-5-6 Reds stack that won’t cost you a bundle, and his upside is similar to more expensive options like Josh Donaldson (DK $4,200) and Rafael Devers (DK $5,200).
7/26 MLB DFS – OF Christian Yelich (DK $5,600) MIL at CHC
I’m on board with using potent Reds leadoff hitter Jesse Winker (DK $3,500) and value option Shogo Akiyama (DK $2,000) – easy-to-fit stack components who could make or break the slate – but my favorite spend-up at OF on DK is Yelich, who annihilated RHPs to the tune of a .473 wOBA and 195 wRC+ in 2019. The Brewers star went 1-for-5 with a dinger in yesterday’s game and we could see the wind blowing out in Wrigley this afternoon. I’m also interested in seeing Joey Gallo (DK $4,300) solve the new roofed park in Texas, so I’ll be mixing in shares of him as well. Yelich is expensive, but my first few builds include him and all of the aforementioned players with Trevor Bauer and Carlos Carrasco at my pitching spots – two of the highest projected starters in the slate.
ANOTHER NOTE: It’s also my 45th birthday today, so taking down one of the big GPPs on DraftKings would be the ultimate present! Good luck… and be fearless!
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Image of Christian Yelich courtesy of Erik Drost.