Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: MLB DraftKings Strategy, Primer for July 28

Most of Major League Baseball is worried about the trade deadline, but all you need to do as a daily fantasy baseball competitor is focus on one day at a time. As long as you make sure your players are in their lineups, you will have plenty of options for Tuesday's contests.

Players to Draft

Noah Syndergaard, SP, New York Mets ($10,700)

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The cost has jumped quickly for Noah Syndergaard, but that is thanks to his excellent play in recent weeks. The rookie has now gone five starts in a row while allowing two runs or fewer and is averaging 6.8 strikeouts per game in that stretch.

Even with control problems in his last start, he has been consistent enough to trust in daily fantasy while allowing you to pass on more expensive options like David Price ($12,800) and Jose Fernandez ($12,700).

With the San Diego Padres coming in with three or fewer runs scored in six straight games, Syndergaard could be set for a big performance.

Jordan Zimmermann, SP, Washington Nationals ($7,700)

Although Jordan Zimmermann hasn't quite matched his production from the past two seasons, the 29-year-old pitcher could be on his way toward a breakthrough. With 38 strikeouts and just three walks in his last seven starts, all he needs is some better luck with the balls hit in play.

There is a good bet for this to happen Tuesday against the struggling Miami Marlins in a ballpark that ranks near the bottom of the league in home runs.

Jason Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland Indians ($4,900)

Despite a disappointing series against the Chicago White Sox, Jason Kipnis has hit extremely well at home this year. He is also much better against righties than lefties, which should help him against inconsistent starter Chris Young of the Kansas City Royals.

Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals ($3,900)

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

Cleveland Indians starter Trevor Bauer has struggled lately, allowing 11 runs (five home runs) in 10 innings over his past two starts. It will be hard for him to turn things around against the Kansas City Royals, especially Mike Moustakas and his knack for crushing right-handed hitters.

After displaying extra power over the past couple of weeks, Moustakas could provide fantasy owners with a lot of points.

Ian Desmond, SS, Washington Nationals ($3,400)

Despite a tough matchup against Jose Fernandez, Ian Desmond has been red-hot over the past week. The shortstop has hit .478 (11-for-23) with four home runs during a current seven-game hitting streak.

For this price, it's worth the bet this continues.

Team to Stack

Toronto Blue Jays

Ben Margot/Associated Press

As the top offense in baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays are always a great bet to score a lot of runs. However, they are an even better option when facing left-handed pitchers, such as Philadelphia Phillies starter Adam Morgan.

Toronto is batting .290 against southpaws this year with Josh Donaldson, Devon Travis and Chris Colabello especially standing out from the crowd.

Players to Avoid

Sonny Gray, SP, Oakland Athletics ($10,400)

Ben Margot/Associated Press

While he is still one of the top pitchers in baseball, a lack of strikeouts has limited the fantasy upside for Sonny Gray. In his last six starts, the pitcher has only one game of more than 20 points on DraftKings.

Gray always has a chance to come through with a gem, but the odds of a huge outing are not worth the cost.

Jose Bautista, OF, Toronto Blue Jays ($5,600)

While the rest of his teammates are good bets, Jose Bautista hasn't been quite as dominant against lefties. In fact, his slugging percentage is significantly worse against southpaws (.437 vs. LHP and .516 vs. RHP).

You need more of a sure thing for this price.

Note: All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

---

DraftKings is hosting one-day MLB contests! Claim your free entry by clicking on the link and making a first-time deposit!

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for daily fantasy advice and nonstop sports.