DFS MLB Baseball Picks for August 19, 2021

We have four games today with the first pitch at 7:05 PM EST. Today’s slate of games is highlighted by Eduardo Escobar and the Milwaukee Brewers, taking Nolan Aranado and the St. Louis Cardinals in St.Louis. The highest implied run totals tonight sit with the New York Yankees (6.2), Los Angeles Dodgers (5.2), and the Cincinnati Reds (5.0).

There is a less than 10 percent chance of rain for all of the games tonight so we shouldn’t see any games delayed or postponed.

Here is a selection of today’s Core Players 50-50 MLB DFS lineup for 8/19/21 (using DraftKings Values)

Brandon Woodruff –  P  ($9,200) – Woodruff continues to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. He hasn’t given up more than three runs since the middle of June, and he strikes out nearly 30 percent of the batters he faces.

Luke Voit– 1B  ($3,500) – Voit has hits in four straight games, and home runs in two of his last four games. You’re getting him at a great price tonight, especially when you consider the Yankees are expected to score the most runs tonight.

Corey Seager–SS ($5,100) – Seager has back-to-back multi-hit games, and he has three of them in his last four games. In those four games, he has two doubles and a home run as well.

AJ Pollock – OF ($4,400) After a few bad games from Pollock, he has bounced back with five hits a home run, and a double in his last two games. He is priced well and has had a good place in the Dodgers order.

Avisaíl Garcia  – OF ($4,300)  Garcia, like Seager, has three multi-hit games in these last four, and he has hit three home runs in those four games as well.

—— Paywall ——

The Pitchers

Luis Castillo ($7,600) Outside of one bad start, Castillo has produced very good numbers in his last five starts. He has struck out no less than seven batters in those other four starts, and with the Reds facing the Marlins today, I would look for a good result from him again.

Jameson Taillon ($6,300) – We don’t have a lot of options tonight, but Taillon has pitched as well recently. He has two games where he didn’t give up a run in his last four starts, which includes a ten-strikeout game.

The Value Players

Tucker Barnhart- C ($2,600) – Catchers can be hard to predict, but Barnhart has hits in five of his last seven games which includes three multi-hit games, two doubles, and a home run. With the Reds at home today, in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the league, getting a piece of their offense at a discount can really pay off.

Jorge Polanco –2B ($3,200) – There is a lot to like about Polanco at this price. He has three straight two-hit games, and he has a double and a steal in those three. He will also be hitting at Yankee Stadium where routine fly balls can turn into home runs.

Jonathan Villar – 3B  ($3,900) – Villar is another strong option at his price point. He is always a threat to hit a home run or a steal(he has a home run and two steals in his last five games), and with the Dodgers using an opener today, there could be a lot of variables that could lead to good outcomes for Mets hitters.

The Stacks

New York Yankees – Voit has been hot, as has Giancarlo Stanton, and Tyler Wade, which will help you add a fourth expensive Yankees hitter like Aaron Judge if you like.

Cincinnati Reds – We talked about the value of Barnhart, but you will also be able to get Tyler Naquin at a reasonable price, and Joey Votto continues to crush the ball for the Reds.

Los Angeles Dodgers – We discussed Seager and Pollock, but Max Muncy has been white-hot for the Dodgers, and there should be enough value available on today’s slate

Go win your lineup and tell us how you did. Twitter (@FantasyDFSX) is a good place for that