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This article outlines the best daily fantasy MLB plays of the day at every position. We take a comprehensive look to uncover these core recommendations, factoring respective salaries into the analysis.
Please note, these player picks were organized early in the day. For MLB contests, always check lineups and weather closer to game time. Rain, wind, or unexpected managerial decisions could open up additional sources of value. Be sure to keep an eye on the MLB Headlines and Injuries desk.
We’ll focus our attention on the nine-game main slate starting at 7:05 ET.
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PITCHER
Top Play: Robbie Ray - Toronto (vs. Baltimore)
Robbie Ray has been on fire. The Toronto lefty has allowed just two earned runs over his last two starts. He has piled up 25 strikeouts (!) through 15 innings over that span. Ray has an excellent chance to keep that momentum against a mediocre Baltimore offense that has a top ten strikeout rate (23.7%). He should see plenty of run support as well - more on that later.
Also Consider: Corbin Burnes, German Marquez (GPP)
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CATCHER
Top Play: Will Smith - LA Dodgers (vs. Atlanta)
Will Smith has definitely been gettin’ jiggy with it. Bad jokes aside, the LAD catcher has racked up seven hits, three homers, and five RBI over his last four starts. Tonight’s matchup is good enough to keep him going. Smith will hold the platoon advantage over Atlanta LHP Drew Smyly, who has allowed three or more earned runs in six of his last eight games.
Also Consider: Mike Zunino, Alejandro Kirk
FIRST BASE
Top Play: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - Toronto (vs. Baltimore)
Vlad Jr. continues to push his numbers into triple-crown contention. A plum matchup against the Orioles should help the cause. Toronto has the highest run-scoring projection of the night, and it’s not even close. The Jays will square off against Baltimore RHP Chris Ellis, who held a 6.32 ERA in Triple-A this season. Guerrero is the best lift for the Jays’ offense, but you can build a full-fledged Toronto stack with confidence.
GPP Pivot: Christian Walker - Arizona (vs. San Diego)
Walker is a sneaky-good tournament pivot with some upside. He’s super cheap as well. San Diego RHP Chris Paddack has allowed three or more earned runs in five of his last seven starts. He’s taking the bump for the first time since July 26 due to an oblique injury. Paddack also carries a vulnerable .383 wOBA split to right-handed bats this season, and Walker could take advantage.
Also Consider: Anthony Rizzo, Josh Bell
SECOND BASE
Top Play: Jean Segura - Philadelphia (at Washington)
Segura is swinging a hot bat at the moment, and I really like the matchup against Washington RHP Josiah Gray - who owns a .376 wOBA split to right-handed bats. You could look towards higher-end second basemen like LeMahieu or Semien, but Segura is a mid-range option with a decent chance to provide similar DFS output.
Also Consider: DJ LeMahieu, Marcus Semien, Nick Solak (GPP)
THIRD BASE
Top Play: Yandy Diaz - Tampa Bay (vs. Boston)
I’m liking a few Tampa Bay right-handed bats against Boston RHP Nick Pivetta. The Red Sox righty holds a .343 wOBA split to that side of the plate, and Pivetta has coughed up eight earned runs over 5.2 innings across his last two starts. Diaz, Arozarena, Cruz, and Zunino profile well in this matchup.
Also Consider: Rafael Devers, Kyle Seager
SHORTSTOP
Top Play: Alcides Escobar - Washington (vs. Philadelphia)
Escobar isn’t necessarily a “top play”, but he could be a top value on this slate. In other words, he’s an excellent lift if you need some savings to make the rest of your lineup work. Escobar is heating up with multiple hits in four of his last six games. He’ll hold a premium lineup spot for the Nationals while facing a struggling pitcher. Philadelphia RHP Zack Wheeler has allowed 15 earned runs through 20.2 innings over his last three starts.
GPP Pivot: Nick Ahmed - Arizona (vs. San Diego)
Ahmed follows in the footsteps of teammate Christian Walker, who was outlined above. Ahmed is another right-handed bat who could jump on Paddack’s .383 wOBA split to that side of the plate. Don’t sleep on the Diamondbacks tonight!
Also Consider: Bo Bichette
OUTFIELD
Top Play: Aaron Judge - NY Yankees (at LA Angels)
Judge seems to be in peak form at the moment, and he’ll have an excellent opportunity to keep that pace. The matchup looks good against Angels’ RHP Kyle Tucker, who has a 5.14 ERA in Triple-A this season. Starting against this dangerous Yankees’ lineup could be a shock to his system.
Top Play: Corey Dickerson - Toronto (vs. Baltimore)
George Springer is one of the best plays on this slate, so go ahead and roster him with confidence if you have the funds to make that happen. However, teammate Corey Dickerson is much cheaper on all DFS sites. Dickerson has racked up multiple hits in two of his last three starts, and he has a great chance to jump on the worst pitching staff in baseball.
GPP Pivot: Adolis Garcia - Texas (vs. Colorado)
Adolis Garcia and teammate DJ Peters are two boom-or-bust tournament picks tonight. We all know that Garcia has extreme power upside, and he’s seeing the ball well with multiple hits in three straight games. He also has two homers over that span. Peters will likely hit down in the Rangers’ lineup, but he has come into his own with three homers in his last six games.
Also Consider: George Springer, Giancarlo Stanton, Tommy Pham, AJ Pollock, Nelson Cruz, Randy Arozarena, Kyle Schwarber, DJ Peters (GPP)
