DFS Hitting and Prop Picks for 7/17: Braun, Cron and More

176

Our Monday DFS article was titled “Don’t Fade the Tribe”. That was alluding to the fact that we loved the Indians and Dodgers and we’re going to look to build off that momentum here. Those two offenses combined for 24 runs and we absolutely obliterated our MKF pick that had Bellinger, Muncy and Seager combining for more than 3.5 hits.

Sign up NOW for WIN DAILY Premium Gold right here! Projections, weather reports, wagering info, 24/7 expert chats and more!

Catcher  

Wilson Ramos, NYM at MIN 

DK ($3,700)   FD ($2,600)  

Ramos has seen his price drop on these DFS sites throughout the year but this is a spot where we definitely want to use him. Aside from the price, facing a lefty is what makes him such an attractive option on this slate. In fact, Ramos is providing a .438 OBP, .556 SLG and .994 OPS against southpaws this season. That’s actually not far off of his three-year averages, with Ramos generating a .912 OPS dating back to 2017. That’s huge for a player this cheap and Martin Perez is certainly not a guy we need to worry about. Over his last seven starts, Perez is pitching to a 6.32 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. 

First Base  

C.J. Cron, MIN vs. NYM 

DK ($3,700)   FD ($3,300)  

I initially had Pete Alonso in here but I think we have similar upside with Cron at $1,000 cheaper. Not only does Cron have an ISO approaching .250 since the beginning of last season, he’s absolutely obliterated left-handed pitching. So far this year, Cron is posting a .404 OBP and .679 SLG en route to a ridiculous 1.084 OPS against southpaws. That makes these DFS prices hard to figure out, as he should have success against a pitcher with a 5.17 xFIP.  

Second Base  

Keston Hiura, MIL vs. ATL 

DK ($4,600)   FD ($3,400) 

These DFS sites need to take notice of this kid, as he looks like a star in the making. Let’s start with his absurd Triple-A numbers, with Hiura tallying a .330 AVG and 1.089 OPS at that level this season. That fantastic form has appeared to carry over to the Majors, with Hiura accruing a .915 OPS with the Brewers in 117 at-bats, which doesn’t even include a 3-for-3 game with a dinger on Tuesday. Getting to face a lefty is simply the icing on the cake, as that puts the platoon advantage in Hiura’s favor.  

Third Base  

Jose Ramirez, CLE vs. DET 

DK ($4,400)   FD ($3,600) 

Don’t look now but Ramirez is starting to get hot. This dude was simply one of the best players in fantasy last season and it was really hard to understand why he had such terrible numbers over the first three months. All the hard-hit stats were there and positive regression finally appears to be turning around. Over his last 16 games, Ramirez is hitting .333 while generating a .988 OPS. That’s the guy that we’ve become accustomed to and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him do this for the rest of the season. Spencer Turnbull is not really a guy we need to fade either, with the Tigers righty pitching to a 7.80 ERA and 1.93 WHIP over his last four starts.  

Outfield 

Charlie Blackmon, COL vs. SF 

DK ($5,800)   FD ($4,700) 

If you’re unfamiliar with Blackmon’s splits, let me reinforce these ridiculous numbers. So far this season, Blackmon is providing a .426 AVG and .826 SLG en route to a 1.357 OPS. Those are Barry Bonds-like numbers and it’s really no surprise that he’s one of the highest-priced players. What we like here is that he gets the platoon advantage against Shaun Anderson, with Blackmon tallying a 1.028 OPS against righties this season while Anderson is posting a 4.48 ERA and 1.44 WHIP.  

Ryan Braun, MIL vs. ATL 

DK ($4,200)   FD ($3,000) 

I liked Braun a lot more a few years ago for DFS purposes but he’s still always in consideration against left-handers. For his career, Braun has a .389 OBP and .596 SLG agaimst southpaws en route to a .985 OPS. Even those numbers made me shake my head, as he’s truly put together a fantastic career. That alone makes these prices mind-boggling and the fact that he’s gotten on base in seven of his 11 plate appearances against Dallas Keuchel only adds to his intrigue.  

Khris Davis, OAK vs. SEA 

DK ($3,600)   FD ($3,100) 

Davis is mired in a nightmarish slump but these DFS prices are getting kind of insane. The simple fact is, Davis still leads the league in home runs since 2016 while generating an ISO approaching .300 in that span. That sort of power potential isn’t matched by many $4,500 players, let alone a guy who’s on the low $3,000’s. This matchup is fantastic for Davis too, as Leake’s 16 percent career K rate is perfect for a swing-and-miss guy like Davis. That doesn’t even take into consideration that Leake is pitching to a 6.86 ERA and 1.73 WHIP over his last four starts.   

Monkey Knife Fight Pick of the Day 

Play MLB Player Prop Games and Get 100 Percent Bonus!

Cody Bellinger Over 1.5 Total Bases

So, you’re telling me that all we need is two singles or an extra-base hit from Bellinger to cash this prop? That seems downright silly to me, as Bellinger has been the best hitter in the game. I couldn’t write him up in the article because of his price but we absolutely love him against Nick Pivetta, who’s pitching to a 5.81 ERA and 1.49 WHIP.

Robbie Ray Under 7.5 Strikeouts

Trust me, I get the strikeout projection but its way too high. Ray is one of the best strikeout-pitchers in the league facing a K-heavy offense but I’m not even sure Ray will get through the fifth inning in a stadium like Globe Life Park. The Rangers are projected for more than five runs here and that means it will be tough for Ray to navigate through this lineup in such a hitter-friendly ballpark. That means he needs to get his Ks quickly and it will be tough to reach 8 Ks in just five innings.