The Fourth of July and baseball often go hand-in-hand when enjoying a BBQ or just being around family and friends. With a full slate of options in the MLB DFS player pool and games going on throughout the afternoon and evening, what is the best way to form an MLB DFS strategy for the Fourth of July? It may just be one game over a 162-game schedule for the standings, but with some additional eyes on these games, could stars like Aaron Judge, Elly De La Cruz or Bobby Witt Jr. be worth including in MLB DFS lineups?
Games going on throughout the day allow for plenty of different options for games and contests on daily Fantasy sites like FanDuel and DraftKings. Who should you include in MLB DFS picks and how should you form an MLB DFS strategy for the Fourth of July? Before locking in any MLB DFS picks for Thursday, be sure to check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure.
McClure is a daily Fantasy pro who has won more than $2 million in his career. And when it comes to daily Fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Recognized in the book "Fantasy Football (and Baseball) for Smart People: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Fortune" as a top MLB DFS player, McClure's proprietary projection model simulates each game 10,000 times, taking factors such as matchups and recent results into account. This allows him to find the best values on every site.
On Wednesday, McClure identified Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale as his top-ranked starting pitcher in the MLB DFS player pool for his MLB DFS picks. The result: Sale allowed one run on three hits with two walks and nine strikeouts over six innings, returning 52 points on FanDuel and 30.5 points on DraftKings. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
Now, with the 2024 MLB season rolling, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for Thursday, July 4. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Thursday
One of McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Thursday is Yankees outfielder Juan Soto at $6,200 on DraftKings and $4,400 on FanDuel. Soto, who leads baseball with 74 walks, reached base safely three times in five plate appearances on Wednesday, including drawing two walks. He's second in the majors in on-base percentage (.437), just behind teammate Aaron Judge (.438). The 25-year-old has had an on-base percentage of at least .400 in all seven of his MLB seasons. He's hitting .300 with a .997 OPS with 20 home runs, 61 RBI and 69 runs scored in his first season in New York.
Soto is in a contract year with the chance to earn one of the richest deals in MLB history and he's proven that pressure isn't getting to him with the Yankees. Soto has four RBI and four runs scored over his last four games for a Yankees offense that ranks second in baseball in runs scored (443). His .997 OPS is third in baseball as Soto has one of the highest floors in the MLB DFS player pool on a daily basis with his ability to consistently reach base safely.
McClure is also rostering Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez ($5,500 on DraftKings and $4,300 on FanDuel). Alvarez has hit a home run in three straight games, including going 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI, and three runs scored with a walk on Wednesday. He has multiple hits in four of his last six games and he's reached base safely at least twice in seven straight contests.
Alvarez has a bevy of experience and success against Blue Jays probable starter Chris Bassitt. He is hitting .444 (8-for-18) with a 1.777 OPS against the right-handed pitcher. The 27-year-old has five home runs off Bassit over his career, including a home run and a double on April 3. Alvarez, a left-handed hitter, has 19 home runs and is hitting .303 with a .935 OPS this season, and given his history against Bassitt, McClure suggests using Alvarez in MLB DFS lineups on Thursday. See McClure's full MLB DFS player pool right here.
How to set your MLB DFS lineups for July 4, 2024
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Thursday. 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, and get the rest of McClure's MLB DFS picks, here.
So what are the top MLB DFS picks for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure's complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, all from the DFS expert who has won more than $2 million.
