FanDuel MLB DFS Picks and Helper: Wednesday 7/31/24

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

Dylan Cease ($11,000) has been tremendous for the San Diego Padres, scoring 61-plus FanDuel points in each of his last three starts. While the Los Angeles Dodgers can be a stiff matchup for most pitchers, they have the fourth-highest strikeout rate (25.8%) against right-handed pitching in the last 30 days. Cease is much more enticing at his salary with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman inactive for the Dodgers.

Framber Valdez ($9,500) has seen an uptick in strikeouts in recent starts, tallying six-plus Ks in three consecutive outings, which has led to him posting 58-plus FanDuel points in two of those three starts. Even though the Pittsburgh Pirates have the eighth-best wOBA (.349) and wRC+ (125) against lefties in the last 30 days, they also have the sixth-highest groundball rate (47.8%) during that span. That could be a positive for Valdez, who leads all of baseball with a fantastic 59.9% groundball rate.

Nick Lodolo ($9,200) and Logan Webb ($9,000) are the other pitchers to consider, but they both have reasons for concern. While Lodolo provides some strikeout upside, he is sporting a 4.50 xFIP, 1.39 WHIP, and just a 21.1% strikeout rate at home, compared to a 3.16 xFIP, 0.81 WHIP, and 28.7% strikeout rate on the road. Meanwhile, Webb faces a red-hot Oakland Athletics team, and he's surrendered four-plus earned runs in three consecutive starts.

Stacks to Target

• Cincinnati Reds (5.10 implied total) -- Kyle Hendricks is set to start for the Chicago Cubs, and he ranks in the 10th percentile in xERA (5.14), 4th percentile in xBA (.289), and 7th percentile in strikeout rate (15.9%). Assuming weather cooperates for Wednesday's Cubs-Reds game, Cincinnati could do plenty of damage versus Hendricks -- who has allowed nine combined earned runs in his last two starts -- at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.
• Houston Astros (4.93) -- The Astros are looking to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who will be trotting out Jake Woodford to begin Wednesday's contest. Woodford has accrued a dismal 5.28 xFIP, 1.74 WHIP, and 2.1 HR/9 in the last two seasons.
• Los Angeles Angels (4.55) -- Kyle Freeland is expected to be on the bump for the Colorado Rockies, and he sits in the 8th percentile in xERA (5.25), 4th percentile in xBA (.291), 16th percentile in strikeout rate (17.9%), and 12th percentile in barrel rate (10.2%). Stacking the Angels-Rockies clash could be a fruitful strategy again on Wednesday with winds blowing out at Angel Stadium.
• Colorado Rockies (3.95) -- We saw 17 runs scored between the Rockies and Angels on Tuesday, and Davis Daniel isn't a pitcher we should be afraid of. Although it's a small sample size of three starts, Daniel is permitting a .397 wOBA and 2.45 HR/9 to righties, compared to a .266 wOBA and 0.93 HR/9 to lefties. Daniel has also given up a combined 11 earned runs in his last two starts.

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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.