FanDuel MLB DFS Picks and Helper: Friday 8/16/24

Our daily fantasy helper is available every day to analyze FanDuel's main slate and give you a starting point when you're building lineups.

Be sure to incorporate our MLB DFS projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- into your research process. numberFire also has the latest starting lineups and weather as well as heat maps to help you find the best matchups.

Let's check out the top options on today's main slate.

Note: All MLB odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook. All stats come from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant unless noted otherwise.

MLB DFS Picks

Pitcher Breakdown

Paul Skenes ($11,200) comes in with the highest salary at pitcher on Friday's massive 13-game main slate ahead of a favorable matchup against the team (Seattle Mariners) with the highest strikeout rate (28.3%) against righties. While Skenes has posted 37 or fewer FanDuel points in three straight starts, those outputs came against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Houston Astros.

On the other side of that game, Logan Gilbert ($10,500) is an enticing option with the Pittsburgh Pirates logging the third-worst wOBA (.281), second-worst wRC+ (78), worst ISO (.101), and seventh-highest strikeout rate versus right-handed pitching in the last month. Gilbert has scored 40-plus FanDuel points in five of his last six outings.

Gerrit Cole ($9,800), Spencer Schwellenbach ($9,700), and Spencer Arrighetti ($9,500) appear to be the best options in the $9,000 range. Of the trio, Schwellenbach and Arrighetti interest me the most in fantastic matchups. Schwellenbach has seven-plus Ks in four straight contests while Arrighetti has 12-plus Ks in back-to-back starts ahead of a home meeting with a Chicago White Sox squad that has the worst wOBA (.275), worst wRC+ (75), and sixth-highest strikeout rate (25.4%) versus right-handed pitching in the last 30 days.

If you're looking to save even more salary at pitcher, Ryne Nelson ($8,300) will take the mound against a Tampa Bay Rays team that has the fourth-worst wOBA (.284), fifth-worst ISO (.136), and fourth-highest strikeout rate (25.6%) over the last 30 days when taking on right-handed pitchers. In the last month, Nelson is registering a formidable 3.33 xFIP, 1.03 WHIP, and 29.8% strikeout rate.

Stacks to Target

• San Diego Padres (6.39 implied total) -- Cal Quantrill has given up three-plus earned runs in his last seven outings while ranking in the 22nd percentile in xERA (4.69), 19th percentile in xBA (.268), and 13th percentile in strikeout rate (17.4%). The Padres are heating up with the sixth-best wOBA (.345) and fourth-best wRC+ (126) against righties in the last month, and they'll be playing at Coors Field on Friday. With Quantrill producing reverse splits, don't forget about players like Ha-Seong Kim ($3,300) and Kyle Higashioka ($3,400) at the bottom of the order if they are confirmed in the lineup.
• Philadelphia Phillies (5.46) -- Get to face Patrick Corbin, who is in the third percentile in xERA (5.90), first percentile in xBA (.308), and third percentile in hard-hit rate (47.4%). Just in the last month, Philly has the best wOBA (.406) and wRC+ (163) against southpaws. With the Phillies likely being a somewhat popular team to stack on a 13-game slate, don't be afraid to mix in Nick Castellanos ($3,200), J.T. Realmuto ($3,100), Weston Wilson ($2,400), and Johan Rojas ($2,600) to be a bit different.
• New York Mets (5.03) -- The Mets are taking on Roddery Munoz for the third time this season, and they've combined for only one earned run against him in the previous two meetings. I'd give the edge to New York in the third matchup as Munoz has been roughed up for 15 combined runs in his last four starts. Lefties are teeing off to the tune of a .434 wOBA and 3.66 HR/9 against Munoz, making Francisco Lindor ($3,800) and Jesse Winker ($2,800) perfect options to stack alongside Pete Alonso ($3,400), J.D. Martinez ($2,900), and Mark Vientos ($3,000).
• Cincinnati Reds (4.95) -- Michael Lorenzen is in the 39th percentile or worse in xERA (4.75), strikeout rate (17.9%), walk rate (11.2%), barrel rate (8.3%), and hard-hit rate (40.1%) before he faces the Reds at Great American Ball Park. Lorenzen is permitting a .368 wOBA and 1.74 HR/9 to righties, which provides boosts for Jonathan India ($3,000), Spencer Steer ($3,400), and Tyler Stephenson ($2,900).
• Houston Astros (4.40) -- Garrett Crochet hasn't pitched more than five innings in six consecutive starts, and the White Sox's bullpen has the worst xFIP (5.08) and WHIP (1.75) in the last 30 days. Houston is on an eight-game winning streak, scoring five-plus runs in five of their last seven. All Astros stacks should start with Alex Bregman ($3,400) as he's accrued 12-plus FanDuel points in eight of his last nine contests.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.