The 2023 MLB season is finally here and with it comes the return of MLB DFS. For those who have been Fantasy Alarm subscribers in previous MLB seasons, you will notice a much different look to the MLB DFS Playbook, but, in our opinion the 2023 version is going to help everyone take their game to the next level. We asked many of you how we could best improve our DFS coverage and took several of your comments and suggestions to create this brand-new all-in-one sheet. You should still surf around the website and continue to utilize all of our fantastic MLB DFS tools, but our new Playbook will be a one-stop shop that includes everything from easy-to-read player write-ups and suggestions to MLB Weather Reports to lineup construction tips to our best value plays for DraftKings and FanDuel. You will be given core plays around which to build your lineups, DFS stacks to consider for GPP tournaments and key statistics to help you in your DFS research. You will also notice that our core plays are tied to the DFS Lineup Generator as well, which should prove to be a dynamic feature this season. Our 2023 MLB DFS Playbook does remain a work-in-progress, so if you have other suggestions, please feel free to email me at howard@fantasyalarm.com and I will bring your thoughts to the team. In the meantime, lets get to some 2023 Opening Day MLB DFS action.

2023 MLB DFS Playbook

MLB Weather Updates

  • Cold temperatures throughout the northeast and in Chicago (Cubs)
  • Winds could help carry the ball out in St. Louis and Kansas City
  • Highest chance of rain in the COL @ SD game 

DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

It’s the first day of the 2023 MLB season, so looking at lineup construction for DFS may not be too far off from setting your season-long teams. We have an array of aces on the mound, so paying up for pitching on FanDuel and for at least one of your starters on DraftKings would be wise. We’re obviously looking for high strikeouts, low ratios and strong chance for a win. Thankfully, with so many great starters available, we’ll have a few pricing avenues to take. As for hitters, we are looking for stud players coming off strong World Baseball Classic and spring training performances as they seem to be the ones most dialed in. And to get those guys in there, we’ll need some solid value options. Definitely check out Henry Wilson’s MLB Opening Day Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Value Plays. There are definitely a few names there which will help us along the way.

Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

Best Odds for a Win

Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups

Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers

He didn't have the strongest spring training, but we are very familiar with what Burnes can do on the field. He posted a 10.83 K/9 with a 2.94 ERA last season and will get his first start against a Cubs team that had the eighth-highest strikeout rate against righties last year and didn't exactly bring in too many world-beaters to fix their offensive woes. There might be some wind, but the cold weather should help suppress the long ball.

Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers

Don't expect more than five innings in his debut as he didn't throw that many innings during the spring. But, we are all well-aware that deGrom is capable of a dominant strikeout performance against the Phillies or any other team he faces. He's the best pitcher in baseball when he's healthy and for the time being, he is just that.

Max Scherzer, New York Mets

Not only does Scherzer have strong numbers against the Marlins, no one in this lineup has had a whole lot of success against him. He looked fantastic in his final tune-up start this spring, striking out 11 Rays over six innings and limiting them to just two runs. Not having Edwin Diaz there to close things out could make it interesting for the Mets in the end, especially if the Mets struggle to give him proper run support.

Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays

He is my pick for the AL Cy Young award this year, so of course I'm coming out strong with McClanahan. He's got the second-best odds to earn the win, the Rays are a heavy favorite and given the lack of true firepower in the Tigers lineup, he should be able to provide you with at least six stellar innings.

Max Fried, Atlanta Braves

Fried is not a big strikeout guy, posting just an 8.26 K/9 last season, but his command and control have wildly improved over the past couple of seasons. The Nationals are one of the weakest lineups in all of baseball, so expect a strong effort overall and bank on the W as his run support should be incredible. 

Pablo Lopez, Minnesota Twins

Lopez had a solid spring, posting a strikeout per inning, though he only threw nine in total. The Twins will be mindful of his early-season workload given the shoulder issues he's experienced in the past, but he should toss at least five innings against a soft-hitting Royals team, outduel Zack Greinke and escape with the win.

Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds

He's a high-strikeout guy with the upside of eventually becoming an elite hurler. The home ballpark is a bummer, but with the exception of Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds, there's not much on this Pirates team to worry about. He makes for an outstanding choice as a second pitcher on DraftKings given the price tag.

Recommended DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups

William Contreras, C Milwaukee Brewers

While Marcus Stroman has, at times, been a formidable pitcher, he's also had his command issues and doesn't always attack hitters with strikes. Contreras can be patient at the plate when he needs to be so should Stroman fall behind in the count, you can expect for the Brewers backstop to wait for his pitch and tee off on it when he gets it.

Darick Hall, 1B Philadelphia Phillies

Not only did Hall have an outstanding spring, batting .316 with five home runs and 13 RBI, but he now steps in as the starting first baseman with Rhys Hoskins on the shelf with a torn ACL. Can't say I love him facing deGrom, but once he leaves after five innings, Hall should have no problem beating up a mediocre Texas bullpen. The price is right here, as well, on both sites.

Triston Casas, 1B Boston Red Sox

Casas enjoyed a strong spring, posting a 333 average with four home runs and 10 RBI, but best of all is that most of that production came in recent Grapefruit League games which means he had been heating up at just the right time. Left-handed hitters posted a .335 wOBA against Kyle Gibson last season and they should pick up this season right where they left off.

Ozzie Albies, 2B Atlanta Braves

We are all aware that BvP data has it's flaws, but the switch-hitting Albies has three home runs and 11 RBI with a .429 average and .522 wOBA over 28 at-bats against Patrick Corbin. The Braves are going to be pretty chalky on this slate but that doesn't mean we shouldn't use them. Lock him and a couple of other Braves into your lineups today and build around them.

Jonathan India, 2B Cincinnati Reds

The fact that the game is being played at Great American Smallpark will entice some, but overall, the Reds are not considered a very strong team this season. Hopefully that, plus India's weak numbers from last year, can keep the ownership down. He won the Rookie of the Year award for a reason. Don't let an injury-plagued sophomore campaign deter you from utilizing him. Mitch Keller may have had a nice spring, but he's not someone to fear in this match-up.

Austin Riley, 3B Atlanta Braves

Not a whole lot of analysis needed for the cover-boy of today's Playbook, but if you need to know more than the fact that he's facing Corbin, how about his .449 wOBA against southpaws last season? I never like to speak of guarantees in baseball, but it would definitely shock me if Riley doesn't go yard in this game.

Gunnar Henderson, 3B Baltimore Orioles

He didn't have a strong spring as he dealt with a wrist issue early on, but Henderson remains a very strong talent and our expectations of him this season are still pretty high. Corey Kluber is a savvy veteran, but he also allowed a .325 wOBA to left-handed hitters last season. The rookie may press in his first at-bat, but once he gets a good look at who he is facing, you can expect him to dig in and open the season in style.

Anthony Volpe, SS New York Yankees

There will be a ton of pressure on this kid as he takes the field as the youngest New York Yankee in an Opening Day lineup since Derek Jeter in 1996. Volpe wasn't supposed to crack the lineup this quickly, but he played solid enough defense to give manager Aaron Boone the confidence to keep him on the big-league roster and he batted .309 this spring with five stolen bases and zero caught-stealing. Logan Webb will be a tough opponent, but there's just something magical about this moment for the potential AL Rookie of the Year.

Corey Seager, SS Texas Rangers

After batting .400 with four home runs this spring, Seager looks as dialed-in as anyone on a Major League roster. Perhaps you've head Jim Bowden singing his praises on the Fantasy Alarm Show, but if you haven't, just know that, even after a 33-homer season in 2022, Bowden truly believes that Seager is about to have the best season of his career. Aaron Nola is a tough opponent, but Seager enjoyed a solid .334 wOBA against righties last season. Also factor in the potential struggles of the back-end of the Phillies bullpen. 

Masataka Yoshida, OF Boston Red Sox

Yoshida is coming off an outstanding performance in the World Baseball Classic and he really turned the heads of those questioning how he would fare outside of Japan. His power likely won't translate to the States, but his on-base skills will shine bright as he adds a little bit of pop and a splash of speed as well. Let's also not forget how much Kyle Gibson struggles against left-handed hitting.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Jr, OF Miami Marlins

The late-spring arm fatigue is not something to worry about as we have high expectations for Chisholm this spring. Scherzer is definitely a formidable opponent, but Chisholm was sporting a .392 wOBA against right-handed pitching and we've also seen Scherzer give up the long ball at times. He's striving for a 30-30 season this year and has been very outspoken of the new MLB rules and how aggressive he wants to be on the bases this year. He's a little pricey, but should be a sound addition to the lineup.

Michael Conforto, OF San Francisco Giants

After missing all of last season, Conforto has been the forgotten man DFS players are going to love. He's completely under the radar even after having a solid power performance this spring and most won't even look his way with Gerrit Cole on the mound. But that short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium is going to look very tasty, especially when the wind starts to blow out.

Player Pool

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Stacks

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