Tonight’s MLB DFS main slate is tiny. It has three games and starts at 7:10 pm ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. The picks in this piece are reduced to fit the size of the slate and include two pitchers, one stack, three studs and three values/punts.
Tonight’s MLB DFS main slate is tiny. It has three games and starts at 7:10 pm ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. The picks in this piece are reduced to fit the size of the slate and include two pitchers, one stack, three studs and three values/punts.
Thursday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
The pitching is quite good, despite the limited number of games. But the two most-appealing hurlers are facing each other. The opposing pitchers are in excellent form.
Pitcher Recommendations:
Dylan Cease (CWS) vs. CLE
Cease is rolling, entering tonight's start. According to FanGraphs, in his previous five starts totaling 28.1 innings, he's had a 3.49 ERA, 3.32 xFIP, 1.27 WHIP, 6.7 BB%, 31.7 K%, 31.8 CSW%, 114 Stuff+, 98 Location+ and 106 Pitching+.
Cease has also pitched well at home. In 248.0 innings at home since 2021, he's had a 3.01 ERA, 3.79 xFIP, 1.16 WHIP, 9.8 BB% and 30.2 K%.
The matchup and the betting info also enhance Cease's case for DFS use. The Guardians are 20th in wRC+ (94) versus righties in 2023. They're also tied for 21st in wRC+ (92) on the road. And per Betting Pros, the White Sox are -115, and the game's total is 8.5 runs.
Tanner Bibee (CLE) at CWS
Bibee has been a monster lately. In his previous four starts spanning 23.2 innings, he's had a 1.14 ERA, 3.71 xFIP, 0.93 WHIP, 31.8 CSW%, 96 Stuff+, 105 Location+ and 103 Pitching+. Bibee has also had quality starts in his previous two turns.
The rookie righty can stay hot in an excellent matchup tonight. The White Sox are tied for 27th in wRC+ (84) and have a 23.6 K% versus righties in 2023. Chicago is also 28th in wRC+ (87) and has a 22.9 K% at home. Finally, the Guardians are only slight underdogs (-105), and the game's total (8.5 runs) isn't intimidating.
Top Lineup Stacks
The Cardinals have an above-average offense against lefties, ranking tied for 12th in wRC+ (107) this year. However, they shine their brightest at home. St. Louis is fifth in wRC+ (121) at home this season. Justin Steele is a challenging matchup. But the Red Birds are good enough to get the better of him tonight.
- In 380 plate appearances against lefties since 2021, Paul Goldschmidt has had a .427 OBP, .273 ISO and 187 wRC+.
- Nolan Arenado has produced a .332 OBP, .312 ISO and 148 wRC+ in 334 plate appearances against lefties since 2021. He's also on fire. In 101 plate appearances in the previous 30 days, Arenado has had seven homers, a .396 OBP, a .337 ISO and a 185 wRC+.
- In 181 plate appearances against righties this year, Christopher Morel has 13 homers, three stolen bases, a .356 OBP, .290 ISO and 151 wRC+.
- In 335 plate appearances against lefties since 2021, Willson Contreras has had a .337 OBP, .279 ISO and 136 wRC+.
- Tyler O'Neill has had a .361 OBP, .243 ISO and 140 wRC+ in 216 plate appearances against lefties since 2021.
- Seiya Suzuki isn't an exciting punt. However, he's approximately an average hitter and has a good lineup spot. So, Suzuki is a decent punt tonight.
Thursday's Hitter Strategy
The Cardinals are the primary source of hitters on tonight's tiny slate. In fact, gamers should add Dylan Carlson to the featured hitters at DK to complete a five-player stack.
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Whether you're new to fantasy baseball or a seasoned pro, our Fantasy Baseball 101: Strategy Tips & Advice page is for you. You can get started with our Sabermetrics Glossary or head to a more advanced strategy - like Maximizing Your Potential in Multi-Lineup Contests - to learn more.
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
