Draftkings Best MLB Showdown Picks: Guardians vs. Twins 8/9/24

Major League Baseball presents a matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and the Minnesota Twins. Let’s take a look at this MLB game from a Draftkings perspective.

Before we dive into the Cleveland Guardians vs. Minnesota Twins 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 this afternoon’s Cleveland Guardians vs. Minnesota Twins matchup.

Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks

Captain-Bailey Ober, Pitcher, Minnesota Twins $11,800

On Friday afternoon, Major League Baseball presents the opening game of a four game American League series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Minnesota Twins.

How are these two teams playing entering tonight’s game? The Cleveland Guardians arrive at this afternoon’s first game of this four game American League series with the Minnesota Twins playing below average baseball. Let me be more specific. The Guardians have lost five of the team’s last six games played in the 2024 MLB regular season, including a 9-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles five days ago.

In direct contrast to the Cleveland Guardians, the Minnesota Twins have been playing quality baseball entering this afternoon’s contest. Let’s review the Twins recent Game data to better shed light on my previous statement. The Minnesota Twins have won five of the team’s last seven Games played this season, including a dominating 10-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox last week.

Now that we have determined how both of these American League teams are currently playing let’s turn our attention to this afternoon’s contest. Talented Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober has quickly established himself as one of the best strikeout pitchers in the American League. Having stated that, how has Ober been playing from a statistical standpoint in 2024?

In the 21 Games that Bailey Ober has pitched for the Minnesota Twins in the 2024 MLB regular season, Ober has posted a respectable 3.69 ERA (Earned Run Average), 0.98 WHIP (walks, hits, inning pitched) and added a robust 128 strikeouts while allowing 29 walks.

More recently, in the Minnesota Twins 6-2 win over the Chicago White Sox five days ago, Minnesota pitcher Bailey Ober pitched rather well. In the Twins win over the White Sox just mentioned, Twins hurler Bailey Ober pitched seven quality innings, striking out seven Chicago batters while allowing two hits, two earned runs, and two walks.

Flex Plays

Jose Ramirez, Third Baseman, Cleveland Guardians $9,600

Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez continues to be an essential part of the Cleveland Guardians lineup in 2024. In his last four Games played for the Guardians in the 2024 MLB regular season, Ramirez accumulated seven hits (one home run), four runs scored, and two walks in only 16 plate appearances.

I fully expect Ramirez to continue posting good fantasy numbers in this afternoon’s matchup with the Twins.

Additional flex plays I like (Draftkings price noted): Andres Gimenez, Second Baseman (Cleveland Guardians) $6,200: Jose Miranda, First Baseman (Minnesota Twins) $6,600.