MLB

FanDuel Pitching Primer: Friday 8/19/22

Josh Shepardson  —  @BChad50 Aug 19th, 2022
Blake Snell has been on a roll lately and gets a fantastic matchup against the Nationals tonight. Which other pitchers should we consider on the main slate?

Pitchers lay the foundation for daily fantasy baseball teams. So it's not coincidental they have the highest salaries in FanDuel contests. Of course, it's possible to overcome a bad outing from a starter, but it's markedly easier to cash in contests with a good or excellent start.

Simply nailing your pitcher can cover up for a miss or two among your hitter selections. Thankfully, pitchers are less volatile to project than their hitting counterparts. First, pitcher skills such as walk rate and strikeout rate help separate the genuinely talented pitchers from their lesser peers. In addition, park factors and the offensive strength of the opponent are integral considerations for picking your FanDuel pitchers.

Weighing the importance of a pitcher's skill, park factors, opponent, and accounting for their salary is the game within the game on FanDuel. This piece is your home for my favorite pitcher picks for FanDuel's main slate every day. So, let's get to today's top hurlers.

High-Salaried Play
Blake Snell, San Diego Padres

Vs. Washington Nationals
FanDuel Salary: $10,500

Blake Snell has been in a groove. He's allowed no more than one run in five straight starts and seven of his last eight.

Snell has also been outstanding at home. In 44 2/3 innings at home this year, he's had a 3.43 ERA, 3.09 xFIP, 1.19 WHIP, 7.4 percent walk rate, and 30.3 percent strikeout rate.

He has a cupcake to feast on tonight. The Washington Nationals are tied for 23rd in wRC+ (93) against southpaws this year. Moreover, Snell just carved them up in his most recent start, holding Washington scoreless on 3 hits, no walks, and 10 strikeouts in six innings.

As a result, the San Diego Padres are commanding favorites. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Friars are -350, and the game's total is a pitcher-friendly 7.5 runs.

Snell is a high-upside pitcher selection who profiles perfectly for GPPs. However, he isn't a must-use option in cash games, with an upcoming pitcher offering valuable salary relief that can be passed along to the hitters.

High-Salaried Alternative
Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Dodgers

Vs. Miami Marlins
FanDuel Salary: $9,600

A $900 salary discount for using Tyler Anderson in cash games is appealing with a game at Coors Field on the docket. Anderson has pitched well and gets a dreamy matchup.

In 128 1/3 innings this year, Anderson has had a sparkling 2.81 ERA, 3.18 Expected ERA (xERA), 1.01 WHIP, 4.9 percent walk rate, and 19.9 percent strikeout rate. In addition, he's done his best work at home, spinning a 2.30 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 21.3 percent strikeout rate.

Yet, the goodness doesn't end there. The Miami Marlins are pathetic against lefties. In fact, they're dead last in wRC+ (71) with the highest strikeout rate (28.4 percent) against them.

Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers are -245 favorites. Anderson is my favorite selection in cash games and is a stellar GPP selection, too.

GPP Dart
Brady Singer, Kansas City Royals

At Tampa Bay Rays
FanDuel Salary: $8,600

Brady Singer is my favorite GPP choice. Full stop.

It's enticing to load up on star hitters tonight, and Singer allows gamers to do so without sacrificing pitching upside. The 26-year-old righty has found his footing in The Show this year. In 104 innings (16 starts and 3 relief appearances), he's had a 3.29 ERA, 3.34 xFIP, 1.13 WHIP, 6.0 percent walk rate, and 25.5 percent strikeout rate.

Sadly, his matchup isn't ideal. The Tampa Bay Rays are tied for 13th in wRC+ (100) against righties. Still, they're a nifty GPP matchup, striking out at a 24.7 percent clip against right-handed pitchers. Additionally, they're not terrifying at home, ranking 25th in wOBA (.302) in home games.

Even a cursory glance at Singer's game log can generate excitement for using him in FanDuel lineups. He's scored at least 43 FanDuel points in five of his previous six starts, cresting at 55 points in back-to-back starts on July 23 and July 28. Further, one of his 55-point efforts was against the Rays. Singer is an excellent tournament pick tonight.


Joshua Shepardson is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Joshua Shepardson also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username bchad50. 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.