Sunday's MLB slate offers a blend of ace‑level arms and surprisingly affordable bats, making it a fertile ground for DraftKings DFS strategists. The day’s matchups span the East Coast to the heart of Texas, providing a diverse set of environments in which to stack high‑upside players.
Pitching Standouts
Among the most reliable options is Sonny Gray, who sits at 11‑1 with a 2.54 ERA and has been especially sharp of late, limiting opponents to one run or fewer in six of his last eight starts. Complementing Gray, Nolan McLean has strung together five consecutive starts of at least six innings, three of which were shutouts, and he has fanned four or more batters in each outing. For those seeking value, Grant Holmes offers a solid floor by consistently delivering four to five innings while steering clear of big innings against Texas' potent lineup.
Hitters to Exploit
At the plate, Xavier Edwards rides a nine‑game hitting streak and occupies the middle of a Miami lineup that has been firing on all cylinders. Otto Lopez, the current leader in the NL batting race, adds RBI upside and run‑scoring versatility that can swing DFS scoring in a single swing. Meanwhile, Francisco Alvarez returned from the All‑Star break with a vengeance, homering twice in his first game and maintaining a batting average above .300 for the month of July.
Josh Bell continues to rack up counting stats, positioning himself on track for a 100‑RBI season, while Nick Gonzales combines a .300+ average with a dash of power and speed to boost run production in Pittsburgh's hot offense. Wilyer Abreu has been on fire, launching four homers over two days and delivering back‑to‑back games with 30 or more DraftKings points, making him a must‑have in any lineup.
Esmerlyn Valdez has turned consistency into a weapon, homering in each of his last five games and driving in 12 runs while scoring seven times. Griffin Conine, meanwhile, has logged three consecutive homers, pushing his OPS to a robust .947 and adding a reliable source of power to the mix.
Late‑Game Gems
The later slate features additional value plays such as Nick Gonzales, who brings a blend of contact and speed to Pittsburgh's surge, and Wilyer Abreu, whose recent power surge makes him a high‑risk, high‑reward option. Both players can provide the late‑inning spark that separates a good lineup from a championship‑caliber one.