On Friday, August 23rd, we have a massive 14-game MLB DFS main slate kicking off at 7:05 pm ET. There is a great mixture of aces, back-end starting pitching, and elite offensive options to choose from. There are elite names littered throughout the slate considering how many teams are playing but Chris Sale, Carlos Rodon, and Luis Castillo take the mound while Bobby Witt, Aaron Judge.

 

 

 

That said, let's take a look at the MLB DFS projections while we bust into our favorite MLB DFS picks today!

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, August 23

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MLB DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator Today

This Playbook serves as your essential resource for crafting high-quality MLB DFS picks. Explore our expert advice and recommendations, and don’t forget to review today’s MLB DFS projections, MLB DFS ownership projections and our specialized MLB lineups page! 

You can seamlessly integrate all this information with the MLB DFS Lineup Generator, allowing you to lock in your Core Plays and create successful lineups quickly! Here’s a glimpse of today’s sample lineup:

 

 

 

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

Top Options For Strikeouts

Best Odds For A Win

 

 

 

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves

We have a massive slate with endless options on the mound and at the dish and if you can afford Chris Sale, he’s an elite option. He’s struck out at least 10 batters in three straight outings and has done so six times this season. Sale has the best odds of winning today and the second-best odds for strikeouts.

Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners

There are two different Luis Castillo’s. The one that pitches on the road and the one that pitches at home. The one that pitches at home has a 2.85 ERA, 27% K-rate, and averages 21 DKP/game. The one that pitches on the road has a 4.35 ERA, 20.8% K-rate, and averages 14.1 DKP/game. We get the home version here and he faces the Giants who rank 20th in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ against right-handed pitching.

Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees

There are few MLB DFS projections we like to target more than when the Rockies are facing a lefty. If Patrick Corbin can mow them down, well anybody can. On the year, they rank 23rd in OPS against lefties but that’s factoring in their numbers in Coors Field too. They’re 27th when they’re on the road and lead the league in K-rate at 30.1%. 

Rodon’s strikeout line is set at 8.5, which is a slate high, and is -120 to win thanks to the Yankees' slate-high 5.5 implied run total. Rodon had been pitching very well heading into his last start and has consistently flashed a great floor/ceiling combination, making a solid case to be a part of our MLB DFS picks today.

Aaron Civale, Milwaukee Brewers

I’ve thought highly of Aaron Civale all year long, but he was sure making things hard for a while. He’s been really good in each of his last two starts spanning at least six innings while allowing two or fewer runs and 20+ DKP. He draws an appealing matchup in an elite pitching environment against an average offense against righties. Oakland’s been a team striking out a lot against righties this year too posting a 25.2% K-rate.

Hayden Birdsong, San Francisco Giants

Vegas lines aren’t the end all be all but they’re very favorable to Hayden Birdsong today. He’s one of four pitchers on the slate that have their strikeout line set at least 6.5 and there is heavy juice on the under 2.5 earned runs for him. 

He has a massive ceiling due to the strikeouts, which he’s flashed this year striking out 12 and eight opponents in back-to-back starts. Nobody strikes out more than the Mariners do against righties this year as they’re sitting at a 28% clip 2.3% higher than anyone else. There is serious upside here.

Keider Montero, Detroit Tigers

I do think there is a pretty low floor here, but the ceiling Montero brings into this matchup intrigues me. He’s missed a lot of bats at every level and although that hasn’t always translated in the majors, we’ve seen a solid ceiling there. He’s hit or topped five strikeouts in three of his last five games with eight being his high. He draws the White Sox here who not only strike out 24% of the time against righties, but they rank last in OPS, wOBA, wRC+, and ISO.

 

 

 

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters

Aaron Judge & Juan Soto, New York Yankees

I mean, yeah. Judge has a .750 SLG%, 1.244 OPS, .433 ISO, and .501 wOBA against lefties while Soto sits at a .617 SLG%, 1.050 OPS, .319 ISO, and .441 wOBA. One guy has seven home runs in his last 10 games and the other has eight. Yeah, they're obviously elite.

Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez, Will Smith, Shohei Ohtani & Tommy Edman, Los Angeles Dodgers

I think the Dodgers may be my favorite stack of the day for MLB DFS picks. Anytime we start talking about the Dodgers lineup against a guy with a near 50% flyball rate there are highbeams flashing. Smith, Betts, and Hernandez all have OPS' up over .890 and wOBA's of .388+. 

Ohtani has a .202 ISO and .470 SLG% against southpaws. When you look through Edman's career, he has excelled against lefties. He's posted an .807 OPS, .208 ISO, and .342 wOBA and is a cheap piece of this stack.

Bobby Witt, MJ Melendez & Paul DeJong, Kansas City Royals

Nobody should be scared of Taijuan Walker as he's looked bad all year and has looked bad since returning from the IL. Walker's allowed 2.19 HR/9 this season and lefties have a .372 wOBA while righties have a .369 wOBA. Witt is obviously elite as it comes and has a 1.000+ OPS against righties, but MJ Melendez has hit righties for a LOT of power this year posting a .247 ISO. 

Paul DeJong has been incredible against righties for the Royals posting a 1.200 OPS with a .407 ISO and .504 wOBA. DeJong's numbers this year (pre & post trade) have been all against righties, as he has 18-of-21 homers, .788 OPS, .237 ISO, and .338 wOBA against them.

Spencer Horwitz, Ernie Clement & Will Wagner, Toronto Blue Jays

Update - Vladmir Guerrero Jr. is NOT in the Blue Jays lineup.

Another really solid stack for MLB DFS picks are the Toronto Blue Jays. Their prices are hard to ignore because after Guerrero, all three listed are under 4K and Wagner's at 2.3K. All four guys have something going for them here. Wagner's posted a 1.174 in his short time at the ML level against righties. Guerrero has been one of the league's best players over the last two months. 

Horwitz has a .871 OPS, .201 ISO, and .374 wOBA against righties. Ernie Clement has homered in three straight games and in August, has a .292 AVG, .514 SLG%, .222 ISO, and .356 wOBA. Jack Kochanowicz has allowed lefties to hit .3666 and righties .316. He doesn't care who mashes but everyone's allowed!

Alex Bregman & Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros

Update - Shay Whitcomb is not in the Astros Lineup. Yordan Alvarez has been scratched.

The Astros as a team haven't been great against the lefties, but over the last month Alex Bregman has a .800+ OPS and a .300+ ISO against them. Yanier Diaz is also hitting them at an elite rate posting an OPS north of 1.000 over that span. 

Detroit Tigers Value

I really like the Tigers MLB DFS projections today, presenting value with Chris Flexen taking the mound for the White Sox. The Tigers have a BOATLOAD of lefty bats and Flexen really stinks against southpaws. Not to mention the White Sox have the third highest bullpen ERA in the league. Lefties have a .374 wOBA, 2.06 HR/9, and a 50.6% FB rate against Flexen.

Here are some cheap Tigers' lefties we should be looking at:

 

 

 

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