MLB DFS Picks, Sleeper & Underdog Player Props: Tuesday (8/20)

Tonight’s MLB DFS main slate at DraftKings and FanDuel has 13 games starting at 7:05 p.m. ET. The suggested player props from Sleeper and Underdog are also from the 13-game slate.

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Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet

Today’s MLB DFS & Player Props Picks

Tuesday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

Cole Ragans (KC) vs. LAA
Cole Ragans has been sharp lately. According to FanGraphs, in his previous five starts spanning 30.2 innings, he's had a 3.23 ERA, 3.72 xFIP, 3.67 SIERA, 1.17 WHIP, 7.1 BB%, 26.0 K%, 26.7 CSW%, 105 Stuff+, 100 Location+, 104 Pitching+ and three quality starts.

Ragans has a favorable matchup and outstanding betting info tonight. The Angels are tied for 17th in wRC+ (99) with a 20.5 K% versus lefties and tied for 24th in wRC+ (90) with a 20.9 K% on the road this year. They were also tied for 21st in wRC+ (92) with a 24.2 K% in the previous 14 days. Thus, the Royals are -205, and the game's total is 8.5 runs.

Robbie Ray (SF) vs. CWS
Robbie Ray is enigmatic, and he bottomed out in his last start, recording only two outs before he was chased from the game. Fortunately, he has a bounce-back matchup tonight. The White Sox are 30th in wRC+ (74) with a 24.6 K% versus lefties and 30th in wRC+ (72) with a 25.8 K% on the road this year. Chicago was also 28th in wRC+ (83) with a 22.9 K% in the previous 14 days.

Ray can make a mess, even in a dreamy matchup. Still, in five starts this year, the veteran lefty has had a 32.6 K%, 29.5 CSW% and 104 Stuff+. Ray has the bat-missing stuff for a dominant start, but his lousy control can rear its ugly head and undermine his whiff-generating ability. Nevertheless, the Giants are -250, and the game's total is 8.0 runs.

Nick Pivetta (BOS) at HOU

The Rockies lit up Nick Pivetta for eight runs (seven earned) on July 24. The veteran righty has bounced back in three subsequent turns, though. In his past three starts spanning 16.1 innings, Pivetta has had a 4.41 ERA, 3.37 xFIP, 2.90 SIERA, 0.86 WHIP, 4.7 BB%, 32.8 K%, 27.9 CSW%, 140 Stuff+, 103 Location+ and 105 Pitching+.

Additionally, Pivetta has pitched well on the road. In 30 appearances (19 starts) on the road since last year, Pivetta has had a 3.71 ERA, 3.41 xFIP, 1.01 WHIP, 5.4 BB% and 31.1 K%. The Astros are a challenging matchup. Regardless, Pivetta's strikeout upside is tailor-made for GPPs.

Suggested Lineup Stacks

• Road (Dodger Stadium)
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/SEA +130

The Mariners have roughly an average offense, ranking 15th in wRC+ (99) versus righties and tied for 14th in wRC+ (97) on the road this season. Average is good enough to get the better of Walker Buehler. LA's righty has struggled mightily after returning from a one-year absence recovering from Tommy John surgery. In nine starts this season, Buehler has had a 5.58 ERA, 5.07 xERA and 4.52 SIERA. He's also yielded a .339 wOBA to righties and a .424 wOBA to lefties.

• Road (Oakland Coliseum)
• Game Total/Moneyline: 7.5 Runs/TB -120

Joey Estes has outkicked his ERA estimators lately. In his last five appearances (four starts), he's had a 3.28 ERA, 5.52 xFIP and 5.18 SIERA. The 22-year-old righty has allowed a .325 wOBA to righties and a .330 wOBA to lefties this season. Will the other shoe drop against the Rays? It's worth gambling on regression striking tonight and stacking the Rays in GPPs.

Core Studs

• In Brandon Lowe's previous 108 plate appearances, he's hit six homers and stolen four bases with a .333 OBP, .278 ISO and 145 wRC+.
• Josh Lowe has had a .330 OBP, .194 ISO and 125 wRC+ against righties since 2022.
• In 126 career plate appearances against lefties, Royce Lewis has hit five homers with a .397 OBP, .200 ISO and 155 wRC+.

Value Plays/Punts

• Jorge Polanco is hot, launching seven homers with a .337 OBP, .298 ISO and 154 wRC+ in his last 95 plate appearances.
• Luke Raley has had a .326 OBP, .220 ISO and 124 wRC+ against right-handed pitching since 2022.
• Dylan Carlson has benefited immensely from his change of scenery. In 51 plate appearances for the Rays, he's hit three homers and stolen two bases with a .353 OBP, .222 ISO and 144 wRC+.

Tuesday's Top 3 Sleeper and Underdog Player Props

Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet

Corey Seager: 1.5 Total Bases - Higher (Sleeper) (1.88x)

Corey Seager: 1.5 Total Bases - Higher (Underdog) (Scorcher 1.07x)

Corey Seager drilled two homers last night, extending a white-hot heater. In his last 118 plate appearances, he's hit four doubles and 10 homers with a .299 batting average, .617 slugging and .318 ISO. The left-handed-hitting shortstop should stay hot in a plus matchup tonight. Mitch Keller has coughed up 12 doubles, five triples, eight homers, a .263 batting average and .550 slugging to 168 lefties on the road.

Josh Lowe: 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs - Higher (Sleeper) (1.65x)

Josh Lowe: 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs - Higher (Underdog) (0.92x)

In addition to Lowe's stellar numbers against righties, he's in a groove. In his last 23 games and 79 plate appearances, he's had a .297 batting average, .342 OBP, .486 slugging, .189 ISO, two homers, 10 runs and 12 RBIs. Lowe has also exceeded 1.5 hits plus runs and RBIs in five of his previous nine starts.

Royce Lewis: 1.5 Total Bases - Higher (Sleeper) (1.98x)

Royce Lewis: 1.5 Total Bases - Higher (Underdog) (Scorcher 1.13x)

Lewis's lefty-killing exploits were highlighted with the core studs, but he's also rolling into tonight's game. In his last 88 plate appearances, he's hit five doubles and five homers with a .237 batting average, .500 slugging and .263 ISO. Lewis has a mouthwatering matchup tonight. Martin Perez has allowed 22 doubles, 14 homers, a .288 batting average and .494 slugging to 345 righties this year.

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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.