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FantasyDraft MLB Lineup Advice: Friday (8/9)

FantasyDraft MLB Lineup Advice: Friday (8/9)

FantasyDraft, the only site offering 100% rake-free contests, allows for a lot more freedom when it comes to MLB lineup construction. Two pitchers, three infielders, three outfielders, and two utility players makes building your lineups a lot of fun.

Time to get ready for a jam-packed 14-game MLB slate on FantasyDraft for Friday night. Making a determination on your second starting pitcher will dictate how your roster construction looks on this slate. You can either pay up for a second hurler and find some strong value bats to round out your lineup or you can go cheap at SP2 and load up on big-time hitters in good spots. I have attempted to provide a list of hitters that can give you the flexibility to go whichever way you choose along with a core group of mid-priced bats to use either way.

As always, be sure to pay close attention to the lineups when they are released and monitor the weather leading up to game time. For reference throughout the season, be sure to bookmark our overview of MLB Park Factors and how to Use Weather to Your Advantage in MLB DFS.

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Pitchers

Stephen Strasburg (WAS): $21,400 @ NYM
Strasburg got roughed up in his last start yielding nine runs to the Diamondbacks. However, prior to his last start, he had only allowed a total of four runs over his previous five outings. He’ll look to get back on track against the Mets who have been winning a lot of games against weak teams recently. Strasburg has owned Mets hitters over his career allowing a meager .230 wOBA with a 31.5% strikeout rate in 149 plate appearances. Look for a reverse of recent trends with a stellar outing by Strasburg versus the Mets.

Drew Smyly (PHI): $11,000 @ SF
My SP2 decision on Friday night comes down to Smyly (cheap) and Walker Buehler (expensive). While both are viable options due to the wide range of hitting options, I’m leaning toward going cheap with my SP2 by using Smyly against the Giants in San Francisco. He shut down the Giants in Philly last week with seven shutout innings while posting five strikeouts in a win. Now he will get a positive park adjustment for pitchers in a favorable matchup as the Giants have posted a .293 wOBA (27th), 82 wRC+ (25th), and 24.2% strikeout rate (9th) versus southpaws over the last 30 days. Use Smyly and load up on bats or use Buehler and find value at the plate, the choice is yours.

Other Notables

Hitters

Manny Machado (IF – SDP): $8,400 vs. COL
It feels like I have been writing up Machado a lot lately as the Padres have faced numerous lefties this week. He has actually disappointed more often than not, but I’m going back to him again on Friday at home against lefty Kyle Freeland. Machado is 3-for-8 with a pair of doubles off Freeland in his career and has posted a .497 wOBA and .405 ISO versus lefties this season. Give Machado another chance.

Hunter Dozier (1B – KCR): $8,000 @ DET
Dozier is swinging a hot bat right now with three multi-hit games over his last four outings including smacking a pair of long balls on Thursday in Detroit. He’ll get another chance to beat up on Tigers pitching with Edwin Jackson taking the mound on Friday. Jackson has been torched by right-handed hitting this year allowing a .566 wOBA and 5.79 HR/9. This plays right into Dozier’s ability to hit righties with a .379 wOBA and .256 ISO this season.

Didi Gregorius (IF – NYY): $7,300 @ TOR
Gregorius has recorded at least one hit in five straight games for the red-hot Yankees offense. He has put up a .420 wOBA and .279 ISO on the road versus right-handed pitching this season. Gregorius will face Blue Jays righty Sean Reid-Foley who should be in line for some serious regression from his current 2.49 ERA with a 6.37 xFIP and a low 6.7% HR/FB rate. It could be bombs away for Gregorius and the Yankees again on Friday.

A.J. Pollock (OF – LAD): $7,300 vs. ARI
Pollock will get another crack at his former club when the Diamondbacks visit Los Angeles this weekend. He will face lefty Robbie Ray who he went 2-for-2 with a homer and a walk against earlier this season. Pollock has collected six hits including a pair of homers over his last three starts and has a .450 wOBA and .188 ISO versus southpaws this season. Meanwhile, Ray has allowed a .341 wOBA and 1.77 HR/9 to righties on the road this year. I actually like Ray a little bit for GPPs but not his matchup with Pollock.

Other Notables

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Brad Richter is a Featured Writer and correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.

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