Adam Strangis MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: Friday 8.21
Welcome back to MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: Friday 8.21! I’m Adam Strangis and I’m covering for Brian while he’s on vacation the next couple weeks. Tonight, we have another solid slate on DraftKings with big prizes to take down so let’s get started with our top MLB DFS picks for today’s slate!
For those of you new to Picks and Pivots, the goal of this MLB DFS article each and every day is to provide you a “First Look” overview of the slate where we use DraftKings pricing as a baseline to help us get started. Rather than simply write out the “top plays,” this article will focus on slate strategy and roster construction with a GPP mindset to help you get started on your initial builds. Without further ado, let’s dive into today’s slate!
MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: Starting Pitchers:
Pitching was a lot more fun yesterday, let’s just say that. There’s some decent options but many feel a little overpriced as opposed to yesterday. Most of the attention should justifiably go to Phillies starter Aaron Nola. He’s on a three start streak of over 30 DK points and draws a Braves lineup that is really beat up.
Over the past two weeks, the Braves are sixth in the league in K rate to RHP at 26.2%. They do still the fifth best average and 11th best OPS, so there is some danger. With no slam dunk options, Nola is going to fit the bill with his 39.8% K rate and easily career-best 14.8% swinging strike rate. Even if he gives up a couple runs, the K upside is certainly there.
In the same time period that we looked at the Braves offense, guess which offense is dead last in average, OBP, slugging, OPS, wOBA and wRC+ vs RHP? It’s the Milwaukee Brewers. After Jose Berrios helped our own StixPicks to a takedown yesterday, we’re going right back to the well. Is Pirates starter Chad Kuhl anything special? Not particularly. He does have a 33.3% K rate through his 14 IP so far and his swinging strike rate has jumped to 12.8% this year. His best strikeout pitch has been his slider, getting whiffs 24% of the time. Milwaukee is 25th vs that pitch this season. The Brewers are a flow chart offense until they prove otherwise.
MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: Stacks and Bats:
In the words of Bruce Buffer – IT’S..TIMMMMEEEEE!!
We here at Picks and Pivots attack Jon Lester every fifth day regardless of offense against him. It just so happens today he faces the Chicago White Sox offense, who have no less than five hitters with an ISO over .210 and seven with wOBA’s over .320. That doesn’t even count rookie sensation Luis Robert. Any mix of Tim Anderson, Jose Abreu, Eloy Jimenez, James McCann, and Edwin Encarnacion is on the table today. Don’t be afraid to use Adam Engel as a wraparound option either to differentiate even further.
My secondary stack to work with the White Sox is the other color Sox, Boston. They’ve had their share of issues this year but the offense can still hit. With players like JD Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, Christian Vazquez, Michael Chavis and maybe even Kevin Pillar if he leads off, they can hang a crooked number here. Orioles starter John Means is giving up a 48% hard hit rate to go with his 44% fly ball rate and that’s a terrible mix. Furthermore, RHH have rocked him to a .350 wOBA and a .825 OPS through 32 hitters so far. Mixing and matching these two offenses unlocks loads of potential.
MLB DFS Picks and Pivots: Wrap up
It’s a Sox kind of day for me as Boston and Chicago definitely stand out. With 13 games on this slate, it’s wise to not get too focused on any one team no matter how great they look if you play multiple lineups. Pitching is certainly much trickier than yesterday and we might need to take a couple more risks than we’re accustomed to.
Stick around in Discord today and let’s talk some baseball!
Let’s get it tonight my friends!
Make sure you follow me on Twitter at @bucn4life and be sure to sign up for an ALL ACCESS GOLD ACCOUNT account here at Win Daily Sports. Gain access to our Projection Models and jump into our Discord where we will have our experts talking plays across every sport and slate as sports FINALLY return.
