DFS MLB Lineups for September 21, 2017 at Draftkings.com & Fanduel.com
For this daily fantasy baseball season, each day there’s a good slate of DFS MLB games, we’ll be writing up a group of pitchers and hitters that we’re considering for our cash and GPP lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. As with any DFS sport, the advice below is relevant for fantasy purposes. A player or team might be better or worse from a fantasy perspective than they are in real life due to matchup, price, park factor, etc. This is important when constructing a roster. And if you’re looking for new ways to play DFS, be sure and give BOOM Fantasy and DRAFT a try!
A quick reminder while playing DFS MLB, don’t forget baseball is a game of variance. You can make a really solid lineup and still fall short of the cash line. Even Corey Kluber can get lit up, and Mike Trout can still go 0 for 4. Baseball is funny like that. Trust the process and know that if you’re playing quality lineups, you’ll be a winner in the long term.
Another thing to remember outside of making sure your player is in the lineup, is to always check the weather. Always. Make this something that is part of your basic routine. Baseball games can get postponed! Your players receive no points from postponed games!
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9/21/17 MAIN SLATE TOURNAMENT RUNDOWN
DraftKings Fastball: $33 buy-in, $140k guaranteed
DraftKings Knuckleball: $5 buy-in, $125k guaranteed
DraftKings Perfect Game: $333 buy-in, $120k guaranteed
FanDuel JUMBO Home Run: $222 buy-in, $100k guaranteed
FanDuel ENORMOUS Rally: $18 buy-in, $60k guaranteed
FanDuel Squeeze: $4 buy-in, $100k guaranteed
Best DFS MLB Pitchers for September 21, 2017
Dallas Keuchel vs. CWS ($11.3k DraftKings, $8.9k FanDuel)
While the White Sox have been far more effective against LHP this season, Keuchel is not your average lefty and their lineup has been somewhat weakened by trades and injuries. The fact that Keuchel was lit up in his sole appearance against the Northsiders this year may lower his ownership rate, but if he outperforms Carlos Martinez, he’ll pay off bigtime. He’s been quite effective for years at Minute Maid Park, where he’s rocking a 2.19 ERA and .183 BAA this season, while he’s getting back to his bread-and-butter with 81 ground ball outs over his last 7 outings.
Jake Arrieta @ MIL ($8.1k DraftKings, $9.6k FanDuel)
He comes with some injury risk, but the reward could also be great as Arrieta makes his first start since hitting the DL with a hamstring injury earlier this month. He’ll face a Brewers team that boasts the highest K-Rate (25.7%) in the Majors this year and Arrieta was on fire with a 1.21 ERA, .199 BAA and 8.92 K/9 ratio over 6 August starts before hurting his hamstring on Sep 4. He’s 2-0 with an 11.07 K/9 ratio over 3 meetings with the Brew Crew this season and is criminally cheap on DK.
J.A. Happ vs. KC ($7.8k DraftKings, $7.6k FanDuel)
Happ seems like an easy cash game option at this price tag on DK against a lefty-heavy Royals lineup. He’s been solid with a 2.84 ERA over his last 10 appearances and is home against a team that’s ranked 22nd in wOBA (.307) with the fourth-fewest runs (101) in the Majors over the last 30 days. He held KC to 1 ER over 6.2 IP in a start earlier this season and seems to be healthier after battling an elbow injury in April.
Other pitchers to consider: Carlos Martinez, Cole Hamels, James Paxton, Zach Davies
Best DFS MLB Hitters for September 21, 2017
Trea Turner @ ATL ($5.3k DraftKings, $4.2k FanDuel)
Braves RHP R.A. Dickey is slumping lately, as he’s coughed up 16 ER over his last 3 outings, and Turner obviously has elite upside in this matchup as a true dual threat. The Nats young star just broke the franchise record with his 41st and 42nd stolen bases last night and he’s added 2 HRs and 4 XBH over his last 10 appearances alone. Turner’s abused Braves pitchers and catchers with 5 SB over 10 meetings with Atlanta this season and the knuckleball obviously makes it difficult to throw out runners.
Eddie Rosario @ DET ($4.8k DraftKings, $4.0k FanDuel)
The Twins unsuspecting cleanup man could have a big night at the heart of a Minnesota stack with a playoff berth on the line. They’ll face struggling RHP Jordan Zimmerman, who has been generally abused with a 6.18 ERA and 1.58 WHIP on the year. Lefties are hitting .321 with a 1.82 HR/9 ratio and 42.3% Hard Contact Rate off the former all-star this season, while Rosario’s flashed tremendous power and is 4-for-11 with a HR and 2 doubles in his career against Zimmerman.
Nick Castellanos vs. MIN ($4.4k DraftKings, $4.1k FanDuel)
He’s finally priced appropriately on DK, but Castellanos is still definitely worth a look with the platoon advantage against young LHP Adalberto Mejia. The Twins southpaw is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA over his last 4 appearances and Castellanos is white-hot in the middle of the Tigers lineup with a .462 average and 1.360 OPS over his last 10 appearances. He’s hitting .291 with a .323 ISO Mark against the platoon this year and has homered off Mejia over 5 plate appearances this year.
Other hitters to consider: Josh Donaldson, Daniel Murphy, Mitch Haniger, Matt Carpenter, George Springer, Jose Martinez, Howie Kendrick, Alex Presley, Mikie Mahtook
9/21/17 DFS MLB STACKS
Cardinals vs Homer Bailey
The Cards have been all over Bailey with a.455 average and 1.198 OPS, as they’re a combined 46-for-101 with 11 XBH and 4 HRs in their careers against the veteran. Of course, Homer is one pitcher to really struggle since undergoing Tommy John surgery and while he’s been better lately, that only brings his ERA to 6.86 over 16 total outings this year. Jose Martinez remains a great value on FanDuel when the Cards give him a chance to bat cleanup. Paul DeJong and Kolten Wong has plenty of pop, which gives them appeal in GPP formats against a pitcher posting a 15.3% HR/FB ratio this season. Bailey’s one of the most pitchers that Matt Carpenter has owned (17-for-31 lifetime) and he’s another solid value play along with Yadier Molina at catcher.
Tigers vs Adalberto Mejia
Somehow, someway, the depleted Tigers lineup continues to keep pace with MLB contenders and they’ll have the chance to play spoiler at home against Minnesota tonight. Castellanos and Mikie Mahtook could form a mini-stack to use as platoon specialists, which is how Mahtook broke into the bigs while with the Rays organization in 2015. Jose Iglesias is a low-upside value at SS as a career .285 hitter against lefties and Ian Kinsler has also been historically good against the platoon. Jeimer Candelario is also worth a look as a good switch hitter that may crack the lineup and James McCann could be a value catcher if he starts.
Other Stacks to consider:
Twins vs. Jordan Zimmerman
Nationals vs. R.A. Dickey
Rockies vs. Clayton Richard
