Draftkings Best MLB Showdown Picks: Braves vs. Angels 8/17/24

Major League Baseball presents a matchup between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels. Let’s take a look at this MLB Game from a Draftkings perspective.

Prior to discussing the Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Angels game let’s review the rules for the Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tonight’s Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Angels matchup.

Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks

Captain-Chris Sale, Pitcher, Atlanta Braves $12,600

On Saturday night, Major League Baseball presents the second game of a three game interleague series between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels.

How are these two teams playing entering tonight’s MLB Game? The Atlanta Braves arrive at this evening’s second Game of this three Game interleague series with the Los Angeles Angels playing subpar baseball. Let me be more specific. The Atlanta Braves have lost nine of the team’s last 13 Games played in the 2024 MLB regular season, including a including a 6-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants two days ago.

Similar to the Atlanta Braves, the Los Angeles Angels arrive at tonight’s game playing below average baseball. The Los Angeles Angels have lost five of the team’s last seven games played this season, including an embarrassing 9-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays earlier in the week.

It should be noted that the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in last night’s opening game of this three game interleague series.

Talented Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale has quickly ascended to be one of the best starting pitchers in the National League. Having stated that, how has Sale been playing from a statistical standpoint in 2024? Let’s review Chris Sale’s recent game data to answer that question.

In the 22 games that Chris Sale has pitched for the Atlanta Braves in the 2024 MLB regular season, Sale has posted a robust 2.61 ERA (Earned Run Average), 0.98 WHIP (walks, hits, inning pitched) and added a whopping 177 strikeouts while allowing only 30 walks. It has to be said, those are the type of DFS numbers I need to see from a player that I select for the captain position of a Draftkings MLB showdown contest.

For the reasons just noted, I am backing Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale as my captain for this one game DFS MLB contest.

Flex Plays

Marcel Ozuna, Outfielder, Atlanta Braves $9,800

Atlanta outfielder Marcel Ozuna certainly brings a quality bat to this Atlanta Braves lineup. Let me provide Ozuna’s recent Game data to better shed light on my previous statement. In his last seven Games played for the Atlanta Braves in the 2024 MLB regular season, Braves outfielder Marcel Ozuna has accumulated an impressive 11 hits, four runs scored, and two walks in 26 plate appearances.

Additional flex plays I like (Draftkings price noted): Griffin Canning, Starting Pitcher (Los Angeles Angels) $10,600: Austin Riley, Third Baseman (Atlanta Braves) $9,400: Zach Neto, Shortstop (Los Angeles Angels) $7,200.