MLB DFS Picks & Player Prop Bets: Sunday (9/15)

Two Sundays from now will be the last Sunday of the regular season. That’s horrifying news, but it’s been an amazing season up to this point. Grinding away MLB DFS is a delightful hobby, and we’re looking to finish the final two weeks strong.

With that said, let’s dive into this Sunday slate!

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Sunday’s MLB DFS & Player Props Picks

Sunday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

George Kirby (SEA) vs. TEX
This is one of the most challenging slates to navigate, but Kirby is the best option on the board. There aren’t many options as reliable as Kirby, who has compiled a 3.51 ERA and 1.11 WHIP since his call-up. He’s struggled the last few weeks, but we’re talking about a guy who had a 2.37 ERA and 0.92 WHIP between May and August. Texas is far from terrifying without Corey Seager, which was evident when Kirby threw six scoreless innings in their one matchup this season!

Brady Singer (KC) at PIT
Singer is at the back end of the Royals rotation, but he’s been an underrated arm for them. The righty has a 3.42 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, which are fantastic averages against a pitiful offense like Pittsburgh. The Pirates rank 24th in K rate, 26th in OBP, and 27th in wOBA. His road splits have really hurt Singer at times this season, but that shouldn’t be an issue since PNC Park is one of the best pitchers’ parks in baseball!

JP Sears (OAK) at CWS
Sears has a handful of duds against some of the best offenses in baseball, but he’s been a stud outside of that. If you remove those stinkers against the Twins, Yankees, Orioles, Brewers, and Guardians, Sears has a 2.57 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across his other 24 starts. He’s also allowed one run or fewer in three of his last five outings and shouldn’t have any issues against the worst lineup in baseball. The White Sox rank last in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA and xwOBA.

MacKenzie Gore (WAS) vs. MIA
Gore got off to an incredible start when he had a 3.26 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 11.0 K/9 rate through his first 14 starts. A midseason swoon killed those numbers, but Gore has a 2.49 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 9.1 K/9 rate across his last four starts. That resurgence is an enticing proposition in a home matchup with the Marlins because Miami ranks 29th in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA, and xwOBA.

MLB DFS Picks: Suggested Lineup Stacks

Houston Astros (vs. Caden Dana)

• Road (Angel Stadium)
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/HOU -215

The Astros have been a Top 5 offense since the All-Star break, and we don’t anticipate this Angels rookie slowing them down. Dana has a 9.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP through two starts and has never pitched above Double-A before those stinkers.

Arizona Diamondbacks (vs. Aaron Civale)

• Home (Chase Field)
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/ARI -150

The Diamondbacks are the highest-scoring team in baseball, lapping the field in nearly every offensive statistic. That makes them a sexy stack against anyone, but we adore them against a struggling Civale. The Brewers righty has a 4.57 ERA and 1.32 WHIP and had a 5.07 ERA and 1.38 WHIP before the trade.

MLB DFS Picks: Core Studs

• Alvarez has been one of the best all-around hitters since his call-up six years ago, never fishing below a .800 OPS. He’s added to those numbers recently, registering a .432 OBP and 1.139 OPS across his last 33 games. That won’t bode well for a rookie like Dana, especially since it also gives Alvarez the platoon advantage.
• Vlad has been a different player since he got his haircut two months ago. The slugger has a .463 OBP, .746 SLG, and 1.209 OPS across his last 49 outings. We’d use him against anyone with averages like those, but he faces Miles Mikolas‘ 5.55 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.
• O’Neill is having one of the best seasons of his career, and this week has been the cherry on top. The beefy outfielder has five homers and two doubles over his last six games, posting a 1.510 OPS in that stretch. He also faces a lefty here, which is incredible since O’Neill has a .440 OBP and 1.194 OPS against them this season.
• De La Cruz is one of the streakiest hitters in baseball, but we always want to use him against weak righties. The speedster has 17 homers and 41 steals against righties, thanks to his .361 OBP and .886 OPS. David Festa is not an arm we’re worried about, with a 5.08 ERA.

MLB DFS Picks: Value Plays/Punts

• Chapman inked a long-term deal in San Fran earlier in the week and earned it. The third baseman has a .363 OBP and .898 OPS across his last 71 outings. His splits are the most impactful variable here, with Chapman compiling a .847 OPS against lefties since the start of last season. That’s bad news for Martin Perez‘s 4.46 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.
• Garcia has been an underrated fantasy asset for Washington this season, collecting 15 homers and 21 steals. Almost all that damage has happened against right-handers, accruing a .288 AVG and .795 OPS against them. We love the matchup with Adam Oller, who’s got a 5.40 ERA and 1.39 WHIP.
• Not enough people talk about how incredible Joc Jams has been this season. Pederson has been at the heart of Arizona’s lineup every time they face a righty, posting a .401 OBP and .953 OPS against them.
• Thomas was terrible in his first month with Cleveland, but he’s starting to find it. The speedster has a hit in 11 of his last 13 outings, producing a .367 AVG and 1.115 OPS in that span. That doesn’t even consider his speed, recording 52 steals since the start of last year. Facing a struggling Taj Bradley only adds to his intrigue, with the Tampa pitcher providing an 8.27 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across his last eight starts.

Sunday’s Top 3 Underdog Fantasy and PrizePicks Player Props

Cade Povich: 4.5 Strikeouts – Higher

Povich has been inconsistent this season, but he could have an upside game against Detroit. The Motor City Kitties rank 21st in K rate and 28th in OBP. We also saw Povich record 10 Ks across 7.1 scoreless innings two starts ago, and he only needs half of that to clear this total!

Carlos Rodon: 8.5 Strikeouts – Lower

Rodon getting nine strikeouts against a Top 5 Boston lineup sounds like a great game, so we’ll bet against that. He’s only cleared this prop in four of his 29 starts all year!

MacKenzie Gore: 16.5 Outs Recorded- Higher

Gore has been much better recently, and we expect him to cruise to a quality start against the second-worst offense in baseball.

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