MLB DFS Picks & Player Prop Bets: Sunday (9/8)

If you’re looking for a big payout, this is not the slate for you. This is the opening weekend for the NFL, and the prize pools for MLB have been obliterated. That’s a frustrating development for baseball diehards, but we’re going to keep grinding away.

We only have two weeks remaining, so let’s dive into this Sunday slate!

• Weekly Trade Value Chart
• Weekly Waiver Wire Advice
• Weekly Fantasy Baseball Content
• Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Trade Value Chart
• MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Sunday’s MLB DFS & Player Props Picks

Sunday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

Chris Sale (ATL) vs. TOR
Sale is about to take down his first Cy Young, and it’s been well-earned. The lefty has a 2.46 ERA and 1.01 WHIP this season, allowing two runs or fewer in 20 of his last 21 starts. He’s also got a 2.03 ERA and 12.0 K/9 rate since June 1 and shouldn’t have any issues against Toronto’s 17th-ranked offense. That’s why he’s a -280 favorite!

Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs. COL
Peralta has been slightly disappointing this season, but we love anybody facing the Rockies on the road. Colorado is last in every offensive statistic on the road over the last five years and ranks 29th in K rate and 26th in xwOBA. That’s bad news against a pitcher like Peralta, providing a 1.61 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across his last four starts. We also don’t mind that he’s a -260 favorite!

Joe Musgrove (SD) vs. SF
Musgrove was one of the worst pitchers in baseball before landing on the IL, but he’s been crushing it since the activation. The righty has allowed three runs or fewer in eight straight starts, sporting a 1.71 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 9.4 K/9 rate in that span. That’s the stud we’ve become accustomed to, and facing a 20th-ranked San Fran offense in Petco Park should keep Musgrove rolling.

MLB DFS Picks: Suggested Lineup Stacks

Los Angeles Dodgers (vs. Tanner Bibee)

• Home (Dodger Stadium)
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/LAD -150

The Dodgers are always one of the most dangerous stacks on every slate, sitting third in OBP and fourth in runs scored. That’s terrifying since they’re finally healthy and face a pitcher with a 5.44 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across his last three starts.

Milwaukee Brewers (vs. Kyle Freeland)

• Home (Miller Park)
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8 Runs/MIL -260

We had the Brewers as one of our top stacks yesterday, and we’re going back to them for all the same reasons. The Brewers have a top-five offense in nearly every metric and are facing a Rockies team that ranks last in ERA and WHIP. Freeland has been one of the catalysts for those awful averages, amassing a 5.30 ERA and 1.46 WHIP.

MLB DFS Picks: Core Studs

• To say Shohei is having a historical season would be an understatement. He was the first player ever to have at least 42 homers and 42 steals, and he’s looking to reach 50 in each category. He also has a .401 OBP, .698 SLG, and 1.099 OPS against righties and shouldn’t be avoided against any righty.
• Witt has fallen out of the AL MVP race, but he’s still one of baseball’s scariest hitters. The shortstop has a .444 OBP and 1.186 OPS in his last 56 outings. Most importantly, Witt has a .442 OBP and 1.136 OPS at home this season. That won’t bode well for Simeon Woods Richardson, who has a 5.79 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in his last seven starts.
• Olson was terrible for most of the season, but the slugger is slowly returning to the stud we saw last season. The first baseman had 54 homers and 139 RBI last year and comes into this matchup with a .905 OPS across his last 38 outings. He’s also rocked righties throughout his career and faces one here with a 4.61 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.
• Chourio has been the best rookie in the NL over the last two months. The outfielder is one homer shy of a 20-20 season, providing a .393 OBP and 1.007 OPS across his last 42 outings. That makes him an easy stack against the worst pitching staff in baseball, especially since he has the platoon advantage against Freeland.

MLB DFS Picks: Value Plays/Punts

• Muncy is a volatile hitter, but he’s always an enticing part of a Dodgers stack when they face a right-hander. The slugger has a .362 OBP and .887 OPS against righties since the start of last season. That’s all you can ask for from an affordable player, and he’s one of the only LA bats you can pair with Shohei.
• Winker was horrid between 2022 and 2023, but he’s been a studly bat outside of that. The outfielder has a .381 OBP and .867 OPS in the other six years of his career and always bats in the heart of the Mets lineup against righties. That’s no surprise since Winker has a .378 OBP and .835 OPS against right-handers this year. Facing a rookie like Julian Aguiar only adds to his intrigue, registering a 6.48 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.
• Yoshi has been a great signing by Boston. Since then, he has posted a .378 OBP and .836 OPS against righties. He also comes into this matchup rolling, amassing a .380 OBP and .873 OPS across his last 38 games. That has him in the heart of the Red Sox lineup, and we love that he has a matchup against Chris Flexen‘s 5.36 ERA and 1.54 WHIP.
• We mentioned Hoskins in yesterday’s article and are returning to him for the same reasons. This slugger has slaughtered southpaws throughout his career, compiling a .387 career OBP and .894 OPS against them. Those splits are hard to overlook against a pitcher like Freeland, especially since Milwaukee is one of our favorite stacks of the day!

Sunday’s Top 3 Underdog Fantasy and PrizePicks Player Props

Luis Castillo: 5.0 Strikeouts – Higher

I was surprised to see this prop. Castillo has a 3.33 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over the last three years and faces a Cards team that ranks 24th in runs scored. He’s also cleared this prop in five of his last seven starts!

Triston Casas: 0.5 Total Bases – Higher

Flexen is taking the mound for Chicago and has a career ERA above 5.00. That’s terrifying against Casas, who has compiled a .364 OBP and .849 OPS against righties since his call-up.

Jesse Winker: 0.5 Total Bases – Higher

We already discussed how dominant Winker has been throughout his career, and he should have at least one hit with the platoon advantage in his favor!

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio

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