MLB DFS 7/2: Saturday Afternoon Sparklers

As long as the rain holds off on the east coast, we have a nine-game slate in MLB DFS beginning at 4:05 p.m. EDT on DraftKings. With the holiday weekend underway, let’s look for some sparklers for our lineups. We will be looking for some studs as well as value plays for the slate.

On the Bump

Dylan Cease ($9,500) vs. San Francisco Giants

The right-hander has been on a roll of late, not surrendering more than one earned run over his last six starts. Cease also struck out 13 and 11 in his last two starts, respectively, while walking just three total. Over those previous six starts, the White Sox righty holds a 50/18 strikeout-to-walk rate in 34 1/3 innings and has lowered his ERA from 4.24 to 2.56. Overall on the season, he has struck out 121 to 37 walks in 81 innings with a 1.24 WHIP, and a .209 batting average against. The Giants also rank 19th in the majors with a 22.9 percent strikeout rate on the season.

Spencer Strider ($8,200) vs. Cincinnati Reds

The Braves rookie has been pitching very well this season and is in the running for the NL Rookie of the Year. In 17 games, six of them starts, the right-hander holds a 3.02 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings. Strider went six innings in his longest start of the year last time out against one of the league’s best offenses in the Dodgers. He held a shutout for the second time in six starts since he joined the rotation, throwing 64 of 95 pitches for strikes. The Reds have been one of the worst teams in baseball this season and are towards the bottom third in the league in offensive categories.

*Other options:* [Logan Webb](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/webblo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral) ($8,800), [George Kirby](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kirbyge01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral) ($7,800)

On the Dirt

Jose Altuve ($5,400)

Although he has hit a bit of a slide, Altuve has been one of the best hitters this season. He is slashing .271/.363/.524 with 15 homers, 13 doubles, 26 RBI, and 39 runs. Against left-handers, he has a 190 wRC+, 1.024 OPS, and six homers this season. He should be able to get it going again versus a division rival in the Angels, facing southpaw Patrick Sandoval. Sandoval has pitched well of late but can get hit hard, and Altuve makes consistent contact.

Jose Abreu ($3,800)

The White Sox first baseman is cheaper than he was on yesterday’s slate even after going 4-for-4 last night to extend his hit streak to five games. Abreu also has six multi-hit games over his last ten games, over which he has hit .410 with a .978 OPS. He is in the middle of a hot streak and getting him at a cheap price is an easy pick for our lineups, and let’s keep riding it.

*Other options:* [Bobby Witt](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=wittbo02,wittbo01&search=Bobby+Witt&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral) Jr. ($5,600), [Dansby Swanson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/swansda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral) ($5,400), [Austin Riley](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rileyau01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral) ($4,700), [Jeremy Pena](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/penaje02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral) ($4,500)

On the Grass

Julio Rodriguez ($5,700)

The rookie Mariner has smashed a homer in back-to-back games as he now has 13 on the season. That ties him with Jack Suwinski for the top mark among MLB rookies and he is slashing .272/.333/.466 with 43 runs, 39 RBI, and 19 stolen bases. Rodriguez is by far the leading candidate for AL Rookie of the Year right now. Although a small sample size, he has gone 2-for-4 with a double, walk, and RBI against Paul Blackburn in his career as well as hitting righties pretty well.

Jesse Winker ($3,900)

Sticking with the Mariners, Winker has had two straight multi-hit games to raise his season slashline to .235/.353/.351. The left-handed hitter went on a tear in the month of June, hitting .277/.424/.468 with six doubles, four homers (six on the season), and 14 RBI. Winker now has 12 extra-base hits over his last 10 games and looks to get on a hot streak.


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