Thursday's MLB DFS slate features just four games which will make for some interesting roster construction today both on DraftKings and FanDuel given the reduced player pool size and what will likely be extremely popular lineup builds.

With the elite pitching on such a small slate, the options for hitting are limited and likely to be fairly popular and chalky so figuring out where to be different will be what we work towards here this evening.

 

 

 

Before building your DFS lineups here today, make sure you check out the MLB DFS Preview Show with myself and James Grande as we give you a first look at today's DraftKings main slate and break down our top plays, values and fades before building an example lineup at the end of the show.

There are lots of great players to talk about, so let’s just dive right into today’s playbook and some of my favorite MLB DFS picks for the day!

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Thursday, June 27th

MLB Weather Today, 6/27

Cleveland Guardians vs Kansas City Royals

  • This game will have some rain showers in the area but nothing that is expected to impact the game in any major way.

MLB DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

With just four games on the slate, I will say there is a very clear option for the top pitcher and that is Jack Flaherty against the Los Angeles Angels. Flaherty is having a tremendous season for the Tigers, ranking among the leaders in strikeout percentage and K/9. On a small slate, that strikeout upside is a must play.

On DraftKings we need to find an SP2, and I think you could go with either pitcher in the Cardinals vs Reds matchup. Both Andrew Abbott and Miles Mikolas have had their moments and both offenses are less than stellar.

When it comes to lineup construction, I really like the Tigers today against Angels rookie Davis Daniels and the Guardians in their matchup against Royals starter Michael Wacha.

 

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options For Strikeouts

Best Odds For A Win

 

 

 

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies (FD Only)

FanDuel included the 6pm games on their main slate which makes Wheeler the top pitcher on the board. He has dominated this season, going deep into games and getting the crucial quality start bonus point that FanDuel offers having pitched at least seven innings on six of his last nine starts.

Jack Flaherty, Detroit Tigers

Top pitcher on the slate in both price tag and matchup. The Angels are bottom 10 offense against right-handed pitching while Flaherty has been an elite fantasy producer this season, shutting down opponents and racking up strikeouts.

He will be the highest rostered starter on the slate.

Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees

Yankees are favorites here today against the Blue Jays, so you get some win equity built into this play. Yes, Rodon has hit another rough patch, getting knocked around in each of his last two starts but the Blue Jays are not a strong offense and not very good against left-handed pitching.

The only real downside to this matchup for Rodon is the fact that the Blue Jays are a team that just does not strikeout all that much which could limit his ceiling.

Ben Lively, Cleveland Guardians

If you aren't feeling Rodon, Lively makes some sense here as well. The Guardians are favorites over the Royals today and Lively has looked good of late, posting an ERA of 3.17 over his last 10 starts.

Given his recent run and if he can pull off the win, I see somewhere in the range of 17-20 fantasy points being his ceiling.

Miles Mikolas, St. Louis Cardinals

If you had to pick a pitcher in this matchup between the Cardinals and Reds, I am leaning Mikolas. The Reds offense is among the worst in baseball against right-handed pitching when it comes to wOBA, average and strikeout rate and it is even worse when they are away from their home ballpark.

The Cardinals are also -140 favorites here today, one of the biggest on the board which gives Mikolas some win equity.

 

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

Core MLB DFS Hitters

*Note: Will Be Updated As Official Starting Lineups Are Released

Gunnar Henderson, SS Baltimore Orioles (FD Only)

Henderson is on one of those runs right now and today he faces a righty on Jon Gray that is due for some regression which we saw against the Mets when he got tagged for nine runs on 11 hits over three innings two starts ago.

Yes, he bounced back against the Royals with six shutout innings but I'd be betting on the Orioles offense here today.

Jose Ramirez, 3B Cleveland Guardians

Lefties have been getting the better of Wacha this season and while Ramirez performs better as a hitter from the right-side of the plate than the left-side of the plate, the Guardians top hitters in their lineup are left-handed. Expecting Ramirez to be put in favorable position in this matchup with the likes of Kwan, Gimenez and Naylor all being productive around him in the lineup as well.

Aaron Judge, OF New York Yankees

Judge is the hottest hitter in the league right now, homering 10 times in the month of June over 21 games and five times over the last 10. He also has great BvP numbers against Jose Berrios who has had issues against right-handed bats this season.

Will Brennan, OF Cleveland Guardians

Lefty bats against Wacha is the sack here for the Guardians and Brennan is on a bit of a heater right now, hitting .382 with an OPS of 1.123 over the last 10 games.

On a small slate we need to find value and a $3,500 outfielder is certainly helpful in that department.

Colt Keith, 2B Detroit Tigers

Keith, like most of the prospects this season, got off to a slow start to the 2024 season but he is enjoying the month of June and over the last 10 games he is hitting .333 with two homers and an OPS of .930.

His under $3,000 price is very appealing on this small slate.

 

 

 

Player Pool

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Stacks

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