MLB DFS Playbook

Benintendi set the tone here with a 425 foot home run off Spencer Turnbull as the second batter of the game. The White Sox then poured it on with seven runs over the first three innings. Considered an afterthought, Benintendi now has eight home runs and a .771 OPS on the season. He could be an attractive piece at the trade deadline for a contending team if not for the two full seasons after this one and $31 million left on his contract.

Alexander followed flame-throwing opener Grant Taylor and seemed to catch the Blue Jays hitters off-balance with heaps of sweepers, cutters, and changeups. The soft-tossing lefty had the privilege of pitching with a big lead and just let the Blue Jays hit their way into easy outs. He’s likely to get another shot working in bulk or even possibly as a regular starter next week against the Diamondbacks.

Bichette was the only Blue Jay who came to hit in this one as they were shutout until the eighth inning. He had their only extra-base hit and only run batted in with his run-scoring double in that eighth inning. It’s been a great bounce-back season for Bichette with 10 home runs, four stolen bases, and a .762 OPS.

The White Sox jumped all over Turnbull here. Andrew Benintendi took him on a first-pitch fastball right down the middle in the first then they put up two more in the second. Turnbull then walked Miguel Vargas to start the third inning and was immediately pulled from the game. This was Turnbull’s first start of the season after making a few appearances out of the bullpen. He could get another turn in the rotation given the Blue Jays’ lack of starting options at the moment. If so, his next start would likely come against the Guardians in Cleveland, but that’s not guaranteed.

DeGrom improved to 7-2 with a 2.24 ERA and an 87/18 K/BB through 15 starts, which should have the Rangers and everyone who drafted him ecstatic. It’s still kind of amazing to compare that line to what he was a few years back, though. In 2021, he also went 7-2 over 15 starts for the Mets, but he had a 1.08 ERA and an insane 146/11 K/BB in 92 innings that season. He’s due to take on the Orioles next, though the Rangers could push him back to the Seattle series next weekend if they don’t want him pitching on four days’ rest.

Burrows couldn’t locate either of his breaking balls tonight, and the Rangers swung at just one of the 17 he threw, fouling it off. The remaining 16 produced three called strikes and 13 balls. Burrows’ changeup is his best secondary pitch, but it’s not so good that he can just rely on that and fastballs. He’s 1-2 with a 4.82 ERA through six big-league starts, and as a result of the Pirates needing an extra starter next week because of Thursday’s doubleheader, he probably won’t pitch again before next Friday’s game against the Mets.