MLB DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups & Stacks Today: Saturday Playbook

Welcome to another day of MLB DFS here at Fantasy Alarm. We have a big 8-game main slate on DraftKings kicking off at 7:10 PM EST.

We have everything on this slate. The Cubs and Rockies continue their series in Coors Field and we have an elite pitcher showdown between Jack Flaherty and Chris Sale in Atlanta.

Make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Alarm YouTube channel so you never miss a show! Also, join the Fantasy Alarm Discord to get your DFS lineup questions answered by our MLB DFS team! Plus, as always, be sure to check in with our MLB DFS Tools, with the Daily MLB Projections, MLB DFS Rostership Projections, and our MLB DFS Lineup Generator when building those lineups today to help you decide which players you should be targeting!

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook 

MLB Weather: Today, 9/14

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves

There will be problematic weather in the area this entire series. Friday’s game went off without a problem but check the weather closer to game time for updates on the rain.

MLB DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

We have a big showdown between Chris Sale and Jack Flaherty at the top for pitching. I prefer Flaherty but either side makes a lot of sense. My favorite arm on the board is Logan Gilbert at home against the Rangers, avoiding the possible weather issues in Atlanta entirely.

With Coors Field and Kyle Freeland on the slate, the Cubs are my favorite stack. They are followed by the Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, and San Diego Padres.

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

• Logan Gilbert (7.5 Ks +105) vs Texas Rangers
• Chris Sale (6.5 Ks -160) vs Los Angeles Dodgers
• Jack Flaherty (6.5 Ks +110) vs Atlanta Braves
• Brandon Pfaadt (6.5 Ks +130) vs Milwaukee Brewers

Best Odds for a Win

• Logan Gilbert vs Texas Rangers
• Jameson Taillon vs Colorado Rockies
• Joe Musgrove vs San Francisco Giants

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Jack Flaherty, Los Angeles Dodgers

If you want to pay for Cy Young favorite Chris Sale, I won’t argue with you, but I’d rather save money and use Flaherty. Atlanta’s offense has been underwhelming all season and ranks near the bottom of the league over the last 30 days against righties. They have a 21.7% strikeout rate and a .677 team OPS. Flaherty has a 30.8% strikeout rate on the season and has put up at least 20 DK points in eight of his last 10 starts. He’s giving up some win equity with Sale on the other side, but I’m far less worried about the Braves offense than the Dodgers.

Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners

This should be a smash spot for Logan Gilbert at home against the Rangers. He has a 3.15 ERA and .88 WHIP this season, but an even better 2.35 ERA and .81 WHIP at home. He has dominated Texas in two meetings this season, allowing four hits through 14.2 innings of shutout baseball on 15 strikeouts. The Rangers rank in the middle of the league over the last 30 days while holding a 21.7% strikeout rate and with Corey Seager out for the season, we can confidently roster Gilbert here.

Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres

I’m a little hesitant to go back to Musgrove after his last start, but it’s still a great spot. He was cruising in their meeting on 9/8 until he imploded in the fourth inning, giving up three home runs and six runs before being removed. He still had seven strikeouts, a number he has hit in three of his last four starts. The Giants rank in the bottom half of the league against righties and have led the league over the last 30 days with a 28.7% strikeout rate. He had not allowed a home run across the seven starts previously and should find success if he keeps the ball in the yard.

J.T. Ginn, Oakland Athletics

“Anyone against the White Sox” has been the strategy all season, and today that anyone is J.T. Ginn. His 5.72 ERA in AAA and 4.58 ERA in the MLB are less than desirable, but the White Sox are a dreadful baseball team. They rank 30th in nearly every offensive category and hold a 22.9% strikeout rate over the last 30 days. Ginn has had a strikeout rate above 21% at every stop in 2024 and his seven strikeouts on 88 pitches against the Mariners is what we are looking for in this matchup.  

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals  

• Chicago Cubs (6.1)
• Colorado Rockies (5.1)
• Houston Astros (4.9) 
• Oakland Athletics (4.9)
• Minnesota Twins (4.8)

Core MLB DFS Hitters

Note: Will Be Updated as Official Starting Lineups Are Released

Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros

Over his last 10 games, Altuve is batting .375 with a .994 OPS and has recorded 15 hits. He only found one home run but has four multi-hit games over his last six. I do not believe in Tyler Anderson as a pitcher so almost anyone on the Astros roster is in play here. Altuve should be in a great spot to get on base and score runs with Houston’s 4.9 implied team total and Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez hitting behind him. The Astros are largely expensive and may be difficult to stack but I don’t have a ton of interest in most of the other 2B on this slate, so Altuve fits well. 

Ian Happ, Isaac Paredes, Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs

With Kyle Freeland on the mound and this game in Coors Field, you can play any Cubs that fit your build. Freeland has better stats at home this season but the Cubs have an implied run total of 6.1 and we want exposure to that environment. Paredes has not been great but he has hits now in five straight games and found three hits in Friday’s series opener. On the year he holds a .909 OPS and .227 ISO against lefties while Happ comes with a .776 OPS and .210 ISO, and Swanson a .893 OPS and .213 ISO.

Lawrence Butler, JJ Bleday, Oakland Athletics

Oakland has one of the highest implied run totals on the board against Chris Flexen and the White Sox. Flexen has been terrible against both splits, but against lefties, he is giving up a .517 SLG and 1.89 HR/9. Both Bleday and Butler have 20+ home runs on the season and cheap price tags. Butler has a .834 OPS and .247 ISO while Bleday has a .778 OPS and .193 ISO.

Fernando Tatis, OF, San Diego Padres

It took him a few games to settle in, but Fernando Tatis is back. He’s now homered in three straight games, making up for all that lost time on the IL. Mason Black is starting for the Giants and has allowed a home run in all six appearances this season. It’s a small sample but he’s been crushed by both splits and allows a .566 SLG and 2.13 HR/9 to righties. Tatis has a .873 OPS and .245 ISO against righties, and 16 of his 17 home runs have come off right-handed pitchers.

Player Pool

• DraftKings
• FanDuel

$ Tier	SP	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
High	Chris Sale $11,000	Yainer Diaz $3,100	Christian Walker $3,300	Jose Altuve $3,600	Isaac Paredes $3,600	Elly De La Cruz $4,000	Yordan Alvarez $4,200
	Jack Flaherty $10,600		Michael Toglia $3,600	Nico Hoerner $3,300	Manny Machado $3,500		Kyle Tucker $4,100
	Logan Gilbert $10,300						Seiya Suzuki $3,800
							Cody Bellinger $3,700
							Ian Happ $3,900
							Brent Rooker $3,900
							Fernando Tatis $3,600
Medium	Joe Musgrove $9,400	Miguel Amaya $2,900	Jake Cronenworth $3,000	Brice Turang $2,900	Alex Bregman $3,100	Ezequiel Tovar $3,500	Charlie Blackmon $3,200
	Max Scherzer $9,700	Cal Raleigh $3,300	Luis Arraez $2,900	Brendan Rodgers $3,100	Ryan McMahon $3,300	Dansby Swanson $3,400	Byron Buxton $3,100
							Jackson Merrill $3,300
							Jurickson Profar $3,400
							Matt Wallner $3,200
Low	J.T. Ginn $7,400	Shea Langeliers $2,700	Rhys Hoskins $2,800	Xander Bogaerts $2,900	Jose Miranda $2,600	Tommy Edman $3,100	Joc Pederson $3,200
		Christian Vázquez $2,400		Zack Gelof $2,800		Jeremy Peña $3,000	Lawrence Butler $3,000
							JJ Bleday $2,800
							Hunter Goodman $3,000
							Luke Raley $3,000

Stacks

Cubs	Dansby Swanson	Seiya Suzuki	Isaac Paredes	Ian Happ
DraftKings	4700	5700	4800	5200
Fanduel	3400	3800	3600	3900

Astros	Jose Altuve	Alex Bregman	Jeremy Peña
DraftKings	5200	5200	4300
Fanduel	3600	3100	3000

Padres	Manny Machado	Jake Cronenworth	Fernando Tatis
DraftKings	4700	4100	5100
Fanduel	3500	3000	3600

Athletics	JJ Bleday	Lawrence Butler	Zack Gelof	Brent Rooker
DraftKings	3800	4100	3200	5500
Fanduel	2800	3000	2800	3900