MLB DFS Playbook September 20: Top Plays for DraftKings and FanDuel
Published: Sep 20, 2023
We have 9 games on this afternoon's MLB DFS main slate with some interesting pitching matchups and great spots for offenses to put up some nice run totals. 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 Playbook: September 20
MLB Weather Updates
No weather concerns for this slate!
DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts
Some pretty interesting pitching spots with only one starter priced above $10,000 on DraftKings. I think we see George Kirby and Merrill Kelly be the top spend up options with Seth Lugo popping as a mid-tier play. When it comes to bats we should look at the Orioles and potentially Royals as contrarian plays.
Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers
Top Options for Strikeouts
- George Kirby vs Oakland Athletics
- Hunter Greene vs Minnesota Twins
- Seth Lugo vs Colorado Rockies
- Lucas Giolito vs Kansas City Royals
Best Odds for a Win
- George Kirby vs Oakland Athletics
- Seth Lugo vs Colorado Rockies
- Lucas Giolito vs Kansas City Royals
- Jon Gray vs Boston Red Sox
- See More
Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups
George Kirby, Seattle Mariners
Kirby hasn't been great lately but as is the case with every slate, he figures to be the highest rostered pitcher as he draws the coveted Oakland Athletics matchups. In his one start against Oakland this season he was good, not great, going seven innings while allowing three runs and striking out just two. He did get the win in that start and the win equity is why so many will be on him today.
Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
This is a pure GPP play here. We know Greene is incredibly inconsistent but he, more than anyone else, has the highest strikeout potential on this slate and today he faces the team with the highest strikeout rate in baseball against right-handed pitching. The issue, of course, is the home run ball. Greene gives up a lot of them and the Twins hit a lot of home runs as well. We are hoping Greene can miss bats today while not getting to banged up when the inevitable home run is hit.
Seth Lugo, San Diego Padres
Some more win equity here with the Padres big favorites tonight against the Rockies. Lugo has had a pretty good season and while he got roughed up by the Astros a few starts ago that shouldn't be the case today against a bad Rockies lineup. In two starts this season against Colorado, Lugo is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA while striking out 16 over 14 innings.
Recommended DFS Hitters
Highest Expected Run Totals
- Atlanta Braves vs Aaron Nola
- San Diego Padres vs Chase Anderson
- Cleveland Guardians vs Zack Greinke
- Washington Nationals vs Michael Kopech
- Baltimore Orioles vs Cristian Javier
- See More
Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups
Gunnar Henderson, 3B Baltimore Orioles
Love me some Orioles hitters today with Cristian Javier on the mound. Lefties own a .362 wOBA with a .497 ISO off of Javier this season and Henderson is on another one of his hot streaks, hitting .333 with an OPS of .992 over the last 10 games.
Michael Harris, OF Atlanta Braves
The Braves are set to beat up on Aaron Nola today so why not get some exposure with the reigning NL Rookie of the Year at a pretty nice price tag across the platforms. Harris is hitting .300 with an OPS of .967 over the last 10 games.
Ryan O'Hearn, 1B Baltimore Orioles
O'Hearn just continues to hit the baseball. We loved him last night against Hunter Brown and he delivered with a home run for us. I'm going right back to the well here today against Cristian Javier that has really struggled against left-handed hitters.
Player Pool
| $ Tier | SP | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High |  Justin Steele  $10,800 |  Cody Bellinger $3,900 |  Francisco Lindor $3,700 | Aaron Judge $3,900 | ||
 Kevin Gausman $10,900 |  Yandy DÃaz $3,600 | |||||
| Kodai Senga $10,600 | ||||||
| Medium |  Aaron Civale $8,300 |  Carlos Santana $3,000 |  Brandon Drury $2,900 |  Nolan Arenado $3,300 | Bo Bichette $3,000 |  Randy Arozarena $3,500 |
| Taylor Walls $2,800 |  Ke'Bryan Hayes $3,000 |  Willy Adames $3,000 |  Mark Canha $3,000 | |||
| Christopher Morel $3,200 | Ian Happ $3,200 | |||||
 Isaac Paredes $3,000 | Seiya Suzuki $3,100 | |||||
| Low |  Michael King $7,700 |  Nolan Schanuel $2,800 | Ronny Mauricio $2,800 | Masyn Winn $2,300 | DJ Stewart $2,800 | |
| Andruw Monasterio $2,400 |  Harold RamÃrez $2,800 | |||||
| Tyrone Taylor $2,600 |
Stacks
| Orioles | Gunnar Henderson | Ryan O'Hearn | Adley Rutschman | Cedric Mullins |
 DraftKings | 5300 | 3500 | 4900 | 4400 |
| Fanduel | - | - | - | - |
| Braves | Austin Riley | Matt Olson | Ronald Acuña | Michael Harris |
| DraftKings | 5600 | 6400 | 6800 | 4400 |
| Fanduel | 4000 | 4500 | 5000 | 3200 |
| Mariners | Teoscar Hernández | J.P. Crawford | Cal Raleigh | Julio RodrÃguez |
| DraftKings | 4600 | 4100 | 4500 | 6500 |
| Fanduel | - | - | - | - |
| Royals | Nick Loftin | Bobby Witt | MJ Melendez | Michael Massey |
| DraftKings | 3200 | 5900 | 3300 | 3200 |
| Fanduel | - | - | - | - |
| Padres | Luis Campusano | Juan Soto | Jurickson Profar | Fernando Tatis |
| DraftKings | 3400 | 5600 | 3500 | 5900 |
| Fanduel | - | - | - | - |
Player News
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.
José Soriano allowed three runs over five innings while not factoring in the decision Thursday against the Blue Jays.
Soriano left with a 4-3 lead, but it was erased quickly after his departure. The 26-year-old was not exactly dominant in his outing with eight hits allowed and four free passes, but he did strike out six to help balance things out a smidgen. Soriano takes an even ERA of 4.00 into a scheduled start against the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. There should be better options for that one.