Thursday, Aug. 12, brings the first-ever MLB game played at the famed “Field of Dreams” location in Iowa. As such, the league has created a window in today’s schedule where this is the lone game beginning in the 7 o’clock hour. The DFS sites are handling the expansive schedule differently, so be aware of the different start times and teams on a day of sub-slates. Let’s get into the top MLB DFS picks for pitchers and stacks for Yahoo, DraftKings and FanDuel daily fantasy baseball lineups.
MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers and Top Stacks, Thursday, Aug. 12
Yahoo Stack of the Day: San Francisco Giants vs. RHP German Marquez — 4.3 implied runs
Tonight there will only be only three games on the Yahoo main slate, but they are still featuring a full set of tournaments with the 4:05 p.m. ET games as well. Despite only six teams in the player pool, this game set is loaded with top-end pitchers. The initial inclination for most gamers will be to look to the Padres against Taylor Widener, and while that is a fine spot, there is some differentiation to be had by targeting against German Marquez in San Francisco.
Marquez is a fine pitcher and typically someone to utilize when he is away from Coors Field. To that end, he will be picking up a fair amount of traction on the two-pitcher sites. However, it is important to understand how the Oracle Park renovations prior to the 2020 season have impacted the overall offensive environment in San Francisco. Including the abbreviated 2020 season and the games played in 2021, the average MLB game features 9.09 runs scored. Games in Coors Field have averaged 11.66 runs in this timeframe, while games in Oracle Park are at 9.44 runs. This is enough of a sample size to indicate that the Giants are no longer in a true pitcher’s haven, as most DFS gamers still believe.
Brandon Belt ($23) rejoining the lineup and the acquisition of Kris Bryant ($16) have given quite a boost to the Giants offense. LaMonte Wade Jr. has found success as the leadoff hitter, Buster Posey is producing at a high rate, and Brandon Crawford ($15) is locked into the cleanup spot. Mike Yastrzemski ($13) and Alex Dickerson ($11) will provide some salary cap relief. While it is unlikely that Marquez will completely combust tonight, rolling with three or four Giants will provide some tournament differentiation on the short slate.
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Oakland Athletics at RHP Eli Morgan — 5.4 implied runs
It is going to be a hot and muggy day in Cleveland, with both the game-time temperature and humidity projected to be in the mid-80s. On the mound is Eli Morgan, and while his full-season 6.09 ERA makes him look like a gas can, it should be noted that he has not allowed more than four runs in his last eight starts. He has decent command and solid strikeout stuff, but he still allows a fair amount of power on his mistakes, which are hard to avoid for rookies.
Going against a left-hander makes Matt Olson one of the best plays on the slate. In his last 464 lefty/righty matchups, he has an impressive .357 wOBA /.245 ISO combination. Fellow first baseman Mitch Moreland is not far behind, with a .353 wOBA and .230 ISO in the same period. Most sites will only allow for one of this duo, so Moreland provides differentiation in Oakland stacks.
Mark Canha, Starling Marte and Jed Lowrie are all above average against right-handed pitchers. There is a good chance that Seth Brown will be in the lineup for the recently suspended Ramon Laureano, and he is a fine play at the bottom of the order.
Afternoon Slate
Baltimore Orioles vs. RHP Matt Manning — 5.7 implied runs
It is not often that the Orioles have such a lofty run total, so gamers will likely be flocking in this direction. Matt Manning has had a rough go, allowing constant contact and posting marginal strikeouts. In his last 14.2 innings, though he has ceded only a pair of home runs, he has allowed 15 total runs to cross the plate.
Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and D.J. Stewart all have ISOs over .200 in their last 300 lefty/righty matchups. Austin Hays and Trey Mancini will both be at the top of the order, and they could see five plate appearances in Camden Yards. Maikel Franco can always run into one, and whoever is behind the dish can fill out the catcher requirement as appropriate.
Spotlight Pitchers
Early Slate: RHP Brandon Woodruff at Chicago Cubs — 3.5 implied runs
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $52 | FanDuel $11,000 | DraftKings $10,200
While it will be approaching 90 degrees this afternoon in Wrigley Field with a 10 mph breeze out to centerfield, Brandon Woodruff can still be the primary pitcher. He leads MLB with his 0.89 WHIP, and he is second with a 2.23 ERA. This is accompanied by 10.5 strikeouts per nine, which is also a top-10 mark among qualified starters. The Cubs traded away most of their credible hitters, so the favorable hitting environment does not prevent them from being targetable for opposing pitchers.
Afternoon Slate: LHP Marco Gonzales vs. Texas Rangers — 3.5 implied runs
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $38 | FanDuel $7,400 | DraftKings $6,700
While Marco Gonzales is not a lights-out pitcher, he has allowed more than three runs only twice in his last 13 starts. Similar to the Cubs, Texas dealt away most of its offensive talent. Today’s projected Ranger’s lineup has barely a .100 ISO and just over a 33% strikeout rate against lefties. While Gonzales will be popular, there is no reason to shy away from him in this matchup.
Late Slate: RHP Logan Webb vs. Colorado Rockies — 3.2 implied runs
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $39 | FanDuel $7,600 | DraftKings $7,400
Outside of Widener, Logan Webb is the least sexy option of the six late-slate starters. Most gamers will be running a combination of Yu Darvish against Arizona, Jose Berrios against Anaheim and Marquez against the Giants before getting to Webb. Shohei Ohtani against the Blue Jays is even likely to garner more interest among the masses.
The Rockies are producing some of the worst offensive numbers in the last decade on the road and against right-handed pitchers. While Webb has only league-average strikeouts, he is elite with a 50% ground-ball rate and does a phenomenal job of suppressing power.
Final Thoughts for the Thursday, Aug. 12 MLB DFS Picks Slate
Each of the main DFS sites is handling today a little differently. Keep an eye on the weather, though most games are dealing with heat and humidity today instead of sustained precipitation.
