We nudge toward the end of July with a Thursday evening that features a bit of MLB action, if not a robust slate. There are six games on the docket, with the first pitch at 7:00 p.m. ET. And now, onto the DFS lineup recommendations. Good luck!
Pitching
Eury Perez, MIA at NYM ($8,300): In six starts since returning from a month-long injury absence, Perez has an 1.75 ERA. Now, when you look at the teams faced, it's not a robust selection of offenses, but the Mets fit right into that category. They find themselves in the bottom 10 in runs scored and team OPS, and Juan Soto is currently injured.
Robbie Ray, SFG at SDP ($7,800): The oft-erratic Ray has been locked in for quite some time. Over his last seven outings Ray has an 1.04 ERA. Ray has been much better at home this year in the Giants' pitcher-friendly ballpark, but the Padres' ballpark is just as kind to pitchers. Plus, the Padres, like the Mets, are in the bottom 10 in both runs scored and team OPS.
Top Targets
Though he may not get to 30 stolen bases, he's at 19 through 105 games, but CJ Abrams ($6,300) seems primed to have 30 homers and 30 doubles, which has probably played a role in his base stealing dropping off a bit. Grant Holmes has a 4.13 ERA at home, and Abrams has an 1.042 OPS on the road.
With an OPS over .900 against both righties and lefties, Willson Contreras ($5,400) appeals to me Thursday. The Athletics' rotation is banged up, and this will likely be a game featuring several pitchers, and possibly a bulk reliever or two. J.T. Ginn and/or Gage Jump won't be pitching, though, so I have no real concern, especially with this game at the Athletics' ballpark. I figured, though, with the high possibility that most Red Sox face a few different pitchers, I'd go with a guy like Contreras who has produced regardless of the handedness of the pitchers involved.
Bargain Bats
Though Jung Hoo Lee ($3,600) isn't really a home-run hitter, in addition to hitting .302 he has 23 doubles and four triples in 98 games. He does have an .825 OPS on the road, but Petco Park isn't likely to be the kind of road park that bolsters his power. Then again, somehow German Marquez has a 7.36 ERA and 3.7 HR/9 rate at home. On top of that, since 2024 southpaws have hit .304 against him.
The 24-year-old Jacob Gonzalez ($3,200) was crushing Triple-A with the White Sox organization, posting an 1.049 OPS. In MLB, first with the ChiSox and now with the Pirates, he hasn't been quite as productive, but he's a shortstop with a low salary, and he's a lefty about to face a righty in Rhett Lowder. Lowder has a 5.61 ERA this season, and while both lefties and righties have hit against him for average, lefties have hit eight of the nine homers he's allowed.
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Stack to Consider
Atlanta vs. Washington (Jake Irvin): Matt Olson ($5,000), Michael Harris ($4,600), Austin Riley ($4,000)
Irvin will make his first start since May, but prior to that he had a 5.23 ERA. Yes, that is in a sample size of 11 games, but last year he had a 5.70 ERA. In his career Irvin has a 7.28 K/9 rate and 1.57 HR/9 rate. All that is to say even if Irvin was at full strength and not in need of shaking off any rust, I'd look to stack against him.
Olson is on the verge of having 30 homers and 30 doubles on the campaign, and he should slug .500 for the first time since 2023. Most of the southpaw's damage has come against righties, like Irvin, as he has a .916 OPS in those matchups. Harris is running less, but he's hit .293 with 19 homers and 21 doubles, so it's all worked out for him and for Atlanta. He's hit .305 against righties, and while he's been better on the road, he's still slugged .480 at home. Riley has had a rough season, but he has an .857 OPS over the last two weeks. Though Irvin is right-handed, righties have hit .276 against him this year. Riley isn't the hitter he was for a few years there, but since 2024 he has a .787 OPS at home, which is where he still is able to deliver some value for his team.
