There are 13 MLB games taking place across today’s August 18th slate. With fewer than 40 games left in the regular season, the playoff hunt is in full swing across the league. Four of the six divisions hold leads of five games are fewer, and the Wild Card is also shaping up to be interesting. Each remaining game carries some significant weight, and there are some notable series kicking off today. One of the more unique ways to get involved in the action is with one of the newest features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Baseball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for today’s action. You simply choose whether each set statistic will be more or less than the set number. With the stage set, here are my favorite picks on tonight’s MLB slate.
Trea Turner More Than 1.5 Hits, Runs, & RBIs
The Philadelphia Phillies’ playoff outlook took a hit this weekend with the news that Cy Young candidate Zack Wheeler will be shut down for the foreseeable future due to a blood clot issue. Nonetheless, the MLB waits for no one, and it is up to the Phillies’ bats to step up if this team is to reach its desired heights. Trea Turner has pulled his weight in this side of things and has been especially hot at the plate of late.
On the season, Turner is slashing .291/.348/.432 with a .780 OPS. He is coming off a four-game series with the Nationals in which Turner tallied 10 hits across 18 at-bats. He also scored five runs in the series. It is not an easy matchup with Logan Gilbert on the mound tonight. The Mariners’ standout is posting a 3.31 ERA with 124 strikeouts across his first 89.2 innings pitched. Turner has faced Gilbert six times and has yet to record a hit, but did generate contact in five of these six at-bats. Turner leads the National League in hits and has tallied more than 1.5 hits, runs, and RBIs in four straight games and seven of his past 11. Look for the three-time All-Star to remain hot at the plate and extend this streak tonight.
Julio Rodriguez More Than 1.5 Total Bases
On the other side of the matchup, Julio Rodriguez has also been red-hot at the plate. Over the past 14 days, the two-time Silver Slugger is hitting .320 at the plate with a 1.030 OPS and four home runs launched. He has at least one hit in seven of his last eight games, including five multi-hit games across this stretch. On the season overall, Rodriguez is slashing .259/.314/.457. These figures are lower than expectations for the Mariners’ star, but he is trending in the right direction of late and has a chance to keep building off it.
Ranger Suarez will be on the mound for the Phillies tonight. The former All-Star is posting a 3.28 ERA and 1.202 WHIP, but has seen his velocity dip of late. He is a crafty pitcher where control has always mattered much more than how hard he throws it. But Rodriguez is 3-for-3 against Suarez in his career with a double notched. This production comes while Suarez has been in better form in the past. With the Phillies star looking a bit vulnerable and Rodriguez on such a hot streak, look for him to tally more than 1.5 total bases just as he has in six of his past eight games.
Michael Harris II More Than 1.5 Total Bases
It has been a nightmare season for the Atlanta Braves, but Michael Harris II has found his footing. On the season, he is slashing .253/.274/.414 with a .688 OPS. These each mark career lows, but the 24-year-old is inching toward his statistical norm. Over the last 28 days, he is slashing .389/.400/.713 with a 1.113 and 77 total bases tallied. He has 12 hits across his past six games.
This is a great chance to continue adding to this with Yoendrys Gomez on the mound for the White Sox. This will mark just his second start of the season after serving as a reliever and spending most of the season in Triple-A. It is a small sample size, but Gomez has struggled more against left-handed hitters, and Harris has been the Braves’ hottest hitter from this side of the plate. There are some favorable conditions expected tonight with 90-degree temperatures and a breeze blowing out to left-center field. A home run feels in play for Harris II, but I am opting to be a bit safer and taking the outfielder to tally more than 1.5 total bases just as he has in eight of the last nine games.
Teoscar Hernandez More Than 0.5 Home Runs
The Los Angeles Dodgers are traveling to Coors Field and will be licking their chops at the offensive potential. This is especially the case with Kyle Freeland on the mound for the Rockies tonight. The 32-year-old enters with a 5.18 ERA with just a 15.6% strikeout rate. Freeland has given up 16 home runs this season, with 15 of these coming against right-handed hitters.
Teoscar Hernandez has one home run in three at-bats against Freeland already in his career. He has the best splits against lefties among the Dodgers’ regular staters with a .615 slugging and .308 ISO when facing left-handers this year. Winds are blowing out to right-center field and are expected to be as high as 15 miles per hour tonight. Hernandez has 20 home runs so far this season, including two in his past three games. This is as favorable a matchup and situation as he could ask for, and look for the former Home Run Derby champion to put one over the fence again tonight.
Shohei Ohtani More Than 0.5 Runs Batted In
You can’t get far when talking about the Dodgers’ production without bringing up Shohei Ohtani. The MVP-favorite is slashing .283/.391/.622 with an NL-best 1.014 OPS on the year. Ohtani has an NL-best 43 home runs, 118 runs scored, and 80 RBIs tallied. Even while he is in a bit of a rut by his sky-high standards, Ohtani has seven RBIs over his past 10 games.
He will also benefit from the friendly Coors Field dimensions and facing Freeland on the mound. Ohtani has faced Freeland six times in his career, with four hits and two home runs in this limited sample size. Freeland has fared better against right-handed hitters this season, but Ohtani deserves to be thrown into his own category. A home run feels entirely in play, but I am opting to be a bit safer and backing the Dodgers’ star to record an RBI. Expect there to be quite a few runs put up by Los Angeles tonight and for Ohtani to be right in the mix as usual.
Victor Mederos More Than 2.5 Earned Runs Allowed
The Angels will host the Reds tonight in their hitter-friendly ballpark. Victor Mederos will be on the mound and is set to make his second start of the season with just 16 innings of MLB experience under his belt. Across the 8.0 innings he has pitched this season, Mederos has allowed five hits and five earned runs. He relies heavily on his sinker and slider and profiles as a ground-ball hitter, which could lead to some heavy contact tonight.
The Reds’ offense has been in prime form of late and is averaging 5.6 runs per game across their past seven games. On the season overall, they rank 16th in batting average, 16th in hits, and 10th in runs. The Angels are pretty much out of the playoff mix and will be content with seeing what they have with Mederos. Winds will be blowing out up to nine miles per hour out to center field with temperatures around 80 degrees. Expect the 24-year-old to take his lumps tonight and allow more than 2.5 earned runs in his second straight MLB start.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of 2+ players and select whether you believe each will outperform their listed stat projection. Enter your Pick Set in Pick6 contests to compete against other users. Get enough picks correct and win a share of cash prizes.
How to Play
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing 2+ players from the same sport and Pick Group (a set of picks available from a group of set competitions). For each player, simply select if you think they’ll have more or less than their listed stat projection. In each Pick Set, you can not pick the same player twice and you must pick players from at least two different teams.
Enter an Amount
Once you finalize your Pick Set, choose your entry fee amount. Your entries will be automatically distributed into available contests, subject to your confirmation.
Sweat Your Picks
When the games go live, use the My Picks tab to follow your picks in real time to track how your players are performing against their projections and how they stack up against other users.
Compete for Prizes
Make enough correct picks and win a share of the contests’ guaranteed prizes. Any prizes won will be credited to your DraftKings account after contests are finalized.
Play at DraftKings Pick6 or by downloading the DraftKings Pick6 app on Apple or Google!
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be at least 18 years or older. Higher age limits may apply in some states. Eligibility restrictions apply. Valid only in states where DraftKings Pick6 operates. Void where prohibited. For entertainment purposes only. Winning a contest on DraftKings depends on knowledge and exercise of skill. See terms at pick6.draftkings.com.
