We have a seven-game MLB DFS main slate on Thursday, September 21st, on DraftKings and FanDuel. There are elite pitching options everywhere you look as Gerrit Cole, Tarik Skubal, and Max Fried. Be sure to check out all of our tools including the MLB Lineups page, MLB DFS Projections – powered by FanJections –, MLB DFS Ownership, and all of the rest of our tools HERE! Let's dive into today's playbook, core plays, and top stacks of the day!

MLB DFS Weather Center

Pittsburgh Pirates @ Chicago Cubs

There is definitely enough rain in the forecast that could stop and delay play. It doesn’t seem like it’ll be an issue that will cause a postponement.

Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics: 6.5 Ks (-160)

Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays: 6.5 Ks (-155)

Jose Berrios, Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees: 6.5 Ks (+105)

Best Odds for a Win

Max Fried, Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals: -262

Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles vs. Cleveland Guardians: -183

Emmet Sheehan, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants: -183

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Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups

Max Fried, Atlanta Braves

I think Fried has a very lovely floor/ceiling combination on Thursday’s slate. He’s fired three quality starts over his last four outings and has shown a ceiling of 37 DKP during that span. His team has the best odds to win today and Fried is the only pitcher on the slate that has minus odds to pick up a win. He’s not my favorite spend-up, but I like his floor for cash games.

Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

I mentioned Fried wasn’t my favorite spend-up at pitcher because Tarik Skubal is. This isn’t a very big surprise because he’s going to be a popular selection, but Skubal’s been incredible lately. He’s notched 7+ strikeouts in six consecutive starts, has 23+ DKP in five of his last six games, and has limited essentially every opponent he’s faced of late. Oakland has the second-highest K-rate against left-handed pitchers in the month of September at 27.6%. I’m using him as my SP1 in all formats.

Jose Berrios, Toronto Blue Jays

Even after all the September call-ups and wins the Yankees had at the beginning of the month, they still can’t hit right-handed pitching. In September they have a 26.8% K-rate, the second-highest mark in the league, and a .639 OPS as a team, which ranks 29th. Berrios has had a very nice stretch of starts firing three straight quality outings in which he’s had 7+ K’s, allowed 2 or fewer runs, and 20+ DKP. Solid mid-tier option.

Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles

Rodriguez is coming off the best start of his career against a really good Tampa Bay team and the Rays are NOT that. He’s been great overall outside one start against the Red Sox notching quality starts in six of his last seven and has topped 22 DKP in three of four. Cleveland ranks 19th in OPS against RHP during the month of September. He’s a really nice price tag for how well he’s pitching.

Ryan Yarbrough, Los Angeles Dodgers

Sometimes it’s tricky using a long man, especially when he’s following a guy that has been used as a traditional starter, but that doesn’t seem to be the case today. Yarbrough has tossed at least four innings in three of his last four appearances including 4.2 and 89 pitches last time out, the most he’s thrown since becoming a Dodger. The Giants offense has been pretty bad ranking 19th in OPS vs. LHP since Sep. 1 while striking out 24.8% of the time. He’s the only pure punt I’d play in GPPs.

Recommended DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

Atlanta Braves - 5.04

Philadelphia Phillies - 4.98

Los Angeles Dodgers - 4.98

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Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups

Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves

I mean, the guy has 52 bombs and a team record. He has 131 RBI and 119 runs scored too. He faces a guy in Jake Irvin that has a glaring hole against left-handed bats. Lefties have a .221 ISO and .371 wOBA against him. Olson has a team-leading .357 ISO and .450 wOBA vs. RHP. If you have the salary, get to Olson.

Nick Castellanos, Philadelphia Phillies

It’s been a really good season for Castellanos against left-handed pitching this year and he’s in the middle of a power surge right now. He homered twice on Wednesday and has belted five over his last eight games. Against lefties this season, Castellanos has a .234 ISO and .401 wOBA. He faces David Peterson who has allowing a .169 ISO and .368 wOBA to righties.

Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates

Hayes has been quite good for an extended period of time and has a pretty juicy match-up against Kyle Hendricks here. Hendricks has been worse against right-handed bats and guess what? Hayes is righty! He has four multi-hit games over his last five and is hitting .357 over his last 10 games. Since the All-Star break, Hayes has a .317 AVG and a .925 OPS.

Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles

One of the league’s biggest surprises this year has to be the productivity of Ryan O’Hearn. He hasn’t taken his foot off the gas since the start of the year. He’s hitting .307 through 102 games with 14 home runs and 59 RBI. He’s riding a five-game hitting streak in which he has 5 R, 3 XBH, 1 HR, and 5 RBI. He has a .194 ISO and .368 wOBA against right-handed pitching this year and faces Hunter Gaddis who has struggled through his time at the big league level pitching to a 4.85 ERA.

Mark Vientos, New York Mets

Would ya look at that. Consistent playing time results in consistent results. Who woulda thunk it? Vientos is playing every day and has been great at the dish lately notching hits in five straight and eight of nine. He had a two-homer game on Wednesday and has hit three in this recent fiery stretch. Over the last 30 days, he has a .227 ISO and .425 wOBA against southpaws.

Come watch Jon Impemba & James Grande go LIVE on the Bettor Sports Network & Fantasy Alarm YouTube channels breaking down today's 7-game MLB DFS main slate at 5:00 pm ET! Give the video a thumbs up & subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Player Pool

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Stacks

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