This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
It's the final day of August, and also a light slate for MLB. There are a mere three games starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT or later. However, don't skip the DFS contests. You could still find success, and maybe these lineup recommendations will help.
Pitching
Braxton Garrett, MIA at WAS ($8,700): Garrett is the only starting pitcher I have any interest in Thursday. He may have a 3.96 ERA, but he has a 2.86 ERA on the road. The lefty's issue at home is allowing home runs, but that's not an issue against the Nationals in most venues. Washington ranks 29th in runs scored.
Top Target
He's got some competition, but Matt Olson ($4,400) is currently the front-runner to finish atop the National League in home runs (and with Shohei Ohtani's elbow issue, possibly MLB in general). The southpaw has slugged a whopping .590, and versus righties he has an 1.000 OPS in 2023. Lance Lynn is the projected starter for the Dodgers. While he's been much better with Los Angeles, on the season lefties have hit .313 against Lynn. Even if somebody else gets the start, like lefty Julio Urias, Olson has an .891 OPS against southpaws as well.
Bargain Bat
Building on his first full MLB campaign in 2022, Thairo Estrada ($3,100) has hit .273 with 10 homers, 19 stolen bases, and a personal high of 24 doubles, only in 92 games at that. The righty's .756 OPS against his fellow right handers is also better than his performance against lefties. Pedro Avila mostly has pitched out of the bullpen, but he started his last outing. He also allowed five runs to the Brewers in 4.1 innings.
Stack to Consider
Marlins at Nationals (Joan Adon): Jazz Chisholm ($3,000), Jake Burger ($3,000), Josh Bell ($2,800)
In his MLB career, Adon has a 6.41 ERA. Now, his ERA has dropped from 7.10 last year to 5.25 this year, but his HR/9 rate has risen up to 1.50. Also, for what it's worth, in his career Adon has a 4.50 ERA at Triple-A as well. In his career, lefties have hit .269 against Adon, while righties have hit .267, so I have a mixed-use stack here.
Injuries have hampered the burgeoning stardom of Chisholm, not to mention his numbers, but this season he has 13 homers and 17 stolen bases in only 69 games. He's struggled more than ever against lefties, but has an .839 OPS against righties. Burger was hot at the end of his time with the White Sox, and that has continued into his time with the Marlins. Over the last three weeks he's posted a .929 OPS. Bell has been scorching in him time with Miami, having hit eight homers in 25 games. The switch hitter has split those homers evenly between home games and away games, so it's not owing entirely to his new park either.
