MLB

3 Daily Fantasy Baseball Players to Avoid on 8/20/19

Gabriel Billig Aug 20th, 2019
Aristides Aquino has been on fire at the plate, but are his matchup and price too much tonight? Who else should we avoid on this slate?

While we have plenty of pieces geared towards guys you should target in your DFS contests, it's also important to narrow down your short list of plays and avoid the suboptimal ones who are overpriced and/or in tough spots.

Let's check out three guys to consider fading on tonight's FanDuel main slate.

Shane Bieber, P, Cleveland Indians

FanDuel Price: $11,000

Righty Shane Bieber has been one of the American League's best pitchers this season, accumulating 4.3 WAR and a 3.31 FIP to go along with a 30.9% strikeout rate. However, tonight's matchup against the New York Mets should limit his upside at such a high price point. The Mets have a 100 wRC+ against righties this season which is the 11th best mark in the league as hitters like Pete Alonso and J.D. Davis do not see in a dip in production against righties.

Opt for Stephen Strasburg ($10,000) in his favorable matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Josh Donaldson, 3B, Atlanta Braves

FanDuel Price: $3,700

In a slate filled with quality alternatives at third base, it is best to leave Josh Donaldson on the bench. Although his opponent, Elieser Hernandez, has been far from perfect in his first taste of the big leagues, he has held righties to a .300 wOBA compared to .416 against lefties. The Miami Marlins also rank as an above-average defensive team which should limit Donaldson's extra-base hit potential.

Consider starting Jose Ramirez ($3,600) who has been a tough out in recent weeks.

Aristides Aquino, OF, Cincinnati Reds

FanDuel Price: $4,400

Aristides Aquino has pretty much set the world on fire in his first few weeks in the big leagues, hitting 11 home runs in 18 games. However, a difficult matchup and expected regression suggest steering clear of Aquino for tonight's slate. Opposing pitcher, Cal Quantrill, has held righties to a .229 wOBA and a 0.79 WHIP.

Aquino figures to return to earth in the coming weeks, so going with a safer option like Michael Brantley is a better option for tonight's slate.

Gabriel Billig is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Gabriel Billig also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username gpbbsb. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.