Yankees right-hander Luis Gil is one of the organization's top prospects and after throwing six scoreless innings in his debut against the Orioles last week, he's being called back up for another spot start against the Mariners on Sunday. The 23-year-old has swing-and-miss stuff but control has been an issue at times, so can he be a solid value option for your MLB DFS lineups? The main slate for Sunday lacks upper-echelon pitching depth, with Hyun-Jin Ryu and Lance McCullers priced as the two of the most expensive options in the MLB DFS market, so Gil's pricing ($7,100 on FanDuel and $6,500 on DraftKings) could be alluring.
Meanwhile, new Giants 3B/OF Kris Bryant has gotten hot of late, going 8-for-14 in his last four contests. But with a loaded MLB DFS player pool for Sunday, it's all about finding out which stars have the most upside based on the matchups. Before locking in any MLB DFS picks for Sunday, be sure to check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Scott Engel.
Engel is a prime source to consult for DFS success. Engel is an inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hall of Fame and has been a premier analyst and Fantasy personality for 25 years. He is a four-time FSWA award winner and 10-time nominee, including winning a FSWA award for Best Fantasy Baseball Series.
On Saturday, Engel included Reds outfielder Jesse Winker as one of his top MLB DFS picks on both FanDuel and DraftKings. The result: Winker went 3-for-5 with a home run and six RBIs to return 48.4 points on FanDuel and 34 points on DraftKings. Anybody who followed that pick was well on their way to a profitable day.
Now, with the 2021 MLB season rolling on, Engel has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for Sunday. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Engel's top MLB DFS picks for August 8, 2021
One of Engel's top MLB DFS picks for Sunday is Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler at $10,400 on DraftKings and $10,700 on FanDuel. With Jacob deGrom on the injured list, Wheeler has emerged as a serious NL Cy Young contender with the Phillies having recently overtaken the Mets atop the NL East standings.
Wheeler has ridden an electrifying fastball and a curveball that generates a 42.6 percent whiff rate to a 9-6 record with a 2.57 ERA. He leads the National League with 170 strikeouts over a National League-leading 147 innings. The former Mets starter is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA against his former team in his career and went seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in his most recent start against them on June 27, so he's a strong choice for your MLB daily Fantasy lineups against the Mets on Sunday.
Part of Engel's optimal MLB DFS strategy includes rostering Rays designated hitter Nelson Cruz at $5,200 on DraftKings and $3,500 on FanDuel. The 41-year-old continues to be one of the best professional hitters in the game and he'll enter Sunday's contest against the Orioles with 23 home runs and 60 RBIs to go along with a slash line of .284/.357/.533.
Cruz got off to a hot start with two home runs in his first three games with Tampa Bay before going on a 5-for-26 slump. However, he's broken out again in the last couple days. The seven-time All-Star is 4-for-11 with two home runs and seven RBIs and he's 3-for-9 with two home runs lifetime against scheduled Orioles starter Jorge Lopez.
How to set your MLB DFS lineups for August 8, 2021
Engel is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Sunday. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value and he comes at a price that won't break the bank. You can only see who it is here.
So what are the top MLB DFS picks for Sunday? Visit SportsLine now to see Scott Engel's complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, and cash in big on MLB DFS.
