MLB DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Saturday (9/23)

We’re going to approach this slate a bit differently. We’re only going to key in on the day games because that’s where the big prize pools are at. We still have plenty of games to discuss, so let’s go ahead and get into it!

Starting Pitcher Rankings

Starting Pitcher Strategy

The pitching pool was stacked yesterday, so we were due for a letdown here. It’s not even that bad, though, because we have two great cash game options and two GPP pitchers in excellent spots. It can be tough to get a read on how long pitchers will last in the final week of the season, but all of these guys should be in for a full workload!

Cash Game Recommendations:

Brandon Woodruff (MIL) at MIA

If Woodruff threw 200 innings this season, he’d be the frontrunner for NL Cy Young. The Brewers righty has made 10 starts this year, totaling a 1.89 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 9.9 K/9 rate. He’s also allowed two runs or fewer in all but one start, which should happen against a 26th-ranked Miami offense. When he faced them on September 11, Woodruff threw a complete game shutout en route to 58 FanDuel points!

Sonny Gray (MIN) vs. LAA

Not enough people have been talking about how special Sonny has been this season! Gray has a 2.84 ERA and 1.17 WHIP this year, allowing three runs or fewer in 27 of 30 starts. That consistency makes him an excellent option against Los Angeles, ranked last in K rate while playing without their three best players! In addition, Gray is a -220 favorite!

GPP Recommendations:

Nick Pivetta (BOS) vs. CWS

Pivetta has been pitiful at times throughout his career, but something has changed this season. Since May 28, Pivetta has a 3.56 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 12.7 K/9 rate. That’s some of the best strikeout stuff in baseball, and it’s hard to understand why he’s not $1,000 more on each site. It’s more baffling when examining this matchup, with the White Sox posting the worst OBP in the league!

Jordan Wicks (CHC) vs. COL

We’ve been using pitchers against the Rockies all season, and it’s easy to understand why. Colorado is last in runs scored, OBP, OPS, and xWOBA on the road in each of the previous three years. We love that for a talented rookie like Wicks, amassing a 2.67 ERA and 1.19 WHIP this year. That’s why Wicks enters this matchup as a -230 favorite! It’s possible that Marcus Stroman starts this game but Wicks should have the bulk innings!

Top Lineup Stacks

Chicago Cubs (vs. Chris Flexen)

• Home (Wrigley Field)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/CHC -230

We need to stack Chicago this weekend. This team is fighting for their playoff lives, and this is the perfect opportunity to pick up a sweep. They get a matchup against the Rockies, who rank 29th in ERA and WHIP. Chris Flexen hasn’t helped those subpar averages, accruing a 7.19 ERA and 1.71 WHIP.

Minnesota Twins (vs. Kenny Rosenberg)

• Home (Target Field)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Medium
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8 Runs/MIN -210

The Angels have been freefalling down the standings, continuing to mess with their rotation. That’s why Rosenberg is pitching today, totaling a 5.48 ERA and 1.78 WHIP this year. That’s terrifying against a team like Minnesota, playing their best baseball over the last two months. They haven’t been as good against lefties, but it doesn’t matter against a guy like this!

Core Studs

• Bellinger is having the ultimate bounceback season in Chicago. The former MVP has 26 homers and 20 steals en route to a .311 AVG and .897 OPS. That looks even better since he’s rolled right-handers throughout his career and gets a remarkable matchup against this rubbish Rockies pitching staff.
• It’s been a terrible season for the Yanks, but Judge continues to perform. He’s got a .396 OBP and .972 OPS this season after posting a 1.111 OPS in a 2022 MVP campaign. He’s simply one of the best bats in baseball and shouldn’t be avoided against a soft-tossing pitcher with a 6.81 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. That doesn’t even consider that he had three bombs on Friday!
• Olson is close to winning the home run crown, knocking out 54 dingers this season! That has him as the highest-scoring first baseman, and it’s scary that he’s in the heart of the best lineup in baseball. He’s also been much better against righties, posting an ISO above .250 against them throughout his career.
• Devers got off to a disastrous start this season, but he’s been playing like an All-Star since the break. The third baseman has a .408 OBP, .554 SLG, and .961 OPS across his last 73 outings. He’s also got a .929 OPS against right-handers over the last three years, which is fantastic since he faces Nick Cease’s 4.85 ERA and 1.45 WHIP.
• The Phillies have been crushing recently, and Bohm is a significant reason why. He’s been moving up in their order and is always in the middle of it against left-handers. That’s far from shocking when looking at his splits, sporting a .934 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor this season. Jose Quintana has quietly been solid, but his 4.83 xFIP indicates some negative regression right around the corner.

Value Plays/Punts

• If we stack the Cubbies, Happ is the best value of the bunch. This guy typically bats third for them against right-handers, registering a .382 OBP and .821 OPS against them this year. That makes him an easy play against Colorado, especially since he has a 1.155 OPS in a seven-game hitting streak.
• The Rays always have great platoon players, and Ramirez is one of them. This guy typically bats fourth or fifth against left-handers, accumulating a .384 OBP and .912 OPS against them this year. That makes him way too cheap, and we’re not really worried about 4.84 xERA over the last two years.
• Mark Canha was a sneaky acquisition for the Brewers because he’s been bludgeoning atop their lineup. Finding someone this cheap who’s a leadoff hitter is a massive boost, but it looks even better since Canha has compiled a .415 OBP and .940 OPS across his last 35 games. He also has the platoon advantage against Jesus Luzardo, who’s got a 5.23 ERA and 1.45 WHIP across his last eight starts.
• Taylor is one of the cheapest players on the slate, but he’s the best per-dollar play in a Twins stack. The splits and form are what really intrigues us, with Taylor totaling a 1.118 OPS across his last 14 outings. He’s also got a .828 OPS against southpaws this season and should never be this cheap against a guy like Rosenberg.

Hitter Strategy

We love some of the value hitters on this slate. Guys like Taylor, Canha, and Happ are way too cheap and fit beautifully into the stacks we mentioned above. Stacking the Twins and Cubs should be easy because there’s plenty of value between those two lineups. We also love teams like the Phillies and Yankees as well!

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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.