Fantasy Baseball Picks: Top DraftKings MLB DFS Lineup Strategy for Yankees vs. Athletics Showdown on August 29

The Yankees were last featured on Sunday Night Baseball in a matchup with the Red Sox on July 18. Boston looked like they were on their way to the World Series and the Yankees seemed to be packing it up for the season. My how things have changed. On Sunday night, the Yankees will look to start another 13-game win streak.

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New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics

Captain’s Picks

Giancarlo Stanton ($14,400 CP) — When a team wins as much as the Yankees, any player on that team is worthy of being the Captain’s Pick. Every Yankee is hitting right-handed pitching, but Stanton is the hottest. His turnaround has been amazing. In July, he had .262 wOBA, .097 ISO and a 64 wRC+ against right-handed pitching. The Yankees’ season looked like it was over, and then it wasn’t. In August against right-handed pitching, Stanton has a .422 wOBA, .361 ISO and a 172 wRC+. Aaron Judge ($15,600; $10,400) has been just as brilliant and might be slightly hotter — Judge is on a two-game home run streak while Stanton’s four-game streak ended on Saturday and Judge has a .468 wOBA, .343 ISO and 203 wRC+ in August against right-handed pitching. Either are fine, and DFS player can fit both, then go for it.

Matt Chapman ($14,100 CP) — Jordan Montgomery ($16,200 CP; $10,800) is looking like the front end of the rotation pitcher that he was before his injury. His numbers are great, but he isn’t perfect. Against right-handed batters, the southpaw has allowed a 35% hard contact rate and a 40% fly ball rate. So far, those flaws have not hurt him too much (3.98 FIP), but they could against an A’s team that is crushing lefties this month (116 wRC+). Chapman has a .351 wOBA, .236 ISO and a 128 wRC+ against lefties. Most DFS players are going to play Yankees and put a Yankee in the Captain’s spot, so playing an expensive Athletic could be a great way to differentiate on a Showdown slate.

Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Sunday Night Showdown [$50K to 1st] (NYY vs OAK)

Value Plays

Brett Gardner ($6,300) — This isn’t a straight punt to fit Stanton into your lineups. Gardner is hitting — .353 wOBA, .191 ISO and a 125 wRC+ against right-handed pitching this month. The 37-year-old rested on Saturday afternoon, so he should return to the lineup on Sunday evening against the right-handed pitcher. Basically, it boils down to who would you rather take a value player against: Jordan Montgomery or Paul Blackburn? The contrarian might take an Oakland bat, but the matchup is tougher and the bats are weaker.

Editor’s Note: Yankees SS Andrew Velazquez in not in the tonight’s lineup vs. the Athletics.

Andrew Velazquez ($6,000) — Depending on Aaron Boone’s lineup, there will be several cheap, hot New York batters available and they will all be popular. Velazquez has been the Yankees every day shortstop since being called up on August 9. The 27-year-old Bronx native plays solid defense, switch hits and was playing well at Triple-A this season (.368 wOBA, .188 ISO and a 124 wRC+) before being promoted after Gleyber Torres was placed on the IL. In Velazquez's short time in the majors, he has not been a consistent producer against right-handed pitching (.302 wOBA), but he does have some pop (.242 ISO). He has hit safely in seven of the last 10 games, scoring seven runs and stealing three bases over that span.

Fades

Paul Blackburn ($15,000 CP; $10,000) — The A’s DFA’d Blackburn to begin the season. He cleared waivers and spent the entire season in the minors until two weeks ago. What else do DFS players need to know? At Triple-A, His 4.53 xFIP was better than his 4.97 ERA — highlighting his inability to strike batters out. In his two starts since his emergency call up, he’s been the same pitch-to-contact pitcher allowing an 87% contact rate. So far, he’s been lucky to only have allowed five earned runs through 11 innings (.265 BABIP). In the minors, he was unlucky with a .375 BABIP, but that happens when a pitcher does not miss bats. Pitching to contact against the Yankees is a recipe for disaster.

The Outcome

Is the magic gone or will the Yankees start a new streak? It’s hard to say if the Yankees are a team of destiny, but they’re starting a much better pitcher than the A’s and that that will make all of the difference on Sunday night.

Final Score: Yankees 5, Athletics 2

Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Sunday Night Showdown [$50K to 1st] (NYY vs OAK)

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