MLB DFS Playbook September 29: Top Plays for DraftKings and FanDuel
Published: Sep 29, 2023
We have a 12-game MLB DFS main slate on Friday, September 29th, on DraftKings and FanDuel. It was 13 games before the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets game was postponed due to rain. 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
Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets
Postponed.
Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers
Top Options for Strikeouts
Dylan Cease, Chicago White Sox vs. San Diego Padres: 6.5 Ks (-115)
Nick Pivetta, Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles: 5.5 Ks (-165)
Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins vs. Colorado Rockies: 5.5 Ks (-115)
Yusei Kikuchi, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays: 5.5 Ks (+110)
Best Odds for a Win
Allan Winans, Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals: -300
Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins vs. Colorado Rockies: -193
Chase Silseth, Los Angeles Angels vs. Oakland Athletics: -148
Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups
Allan Winans, Atlanta Braves
Winans has had a mixed bag of results through his five starts at the big league level because he’s struck out 32 batters across 27 innings but also has pitched to a 4.33 ERA. He and his Braves team are the biggest favorites on the board and he did have a decent start against the Nationals last time out. Winans is probably the most expensive pitching option I’d look toward on this slate.
Nick Pivetta, Boston Red Sox
We’ve seen a couple of examples this week with teams clinching and then resting starters the following day. I expect that to happen with the Orioles here and Pivetta could really face the B-team. Pivetta has ended this campaign incredibly well allowing 3 ER or less in five straight games. He’s been missing a lot of bats over that span, especially 3 straight starts notching 6+ K’s. He has 19+ DKP in each of them.
John Means, Baltimore Orioles
He came back and John Means business on the mound. Dad jokes aside, Means returned from injury and has looked very sharp. He fired 7.1 IP with just 1 ER and 4 Ks against the Guardians last time out. He’s allowed just 2 ER over his previous two starts and has worked his pitch count up to 96 pitches. There’s no reason to think Means won’t continue to be stretched out to make sure he’s ready for the postseason. In September, Boston has a 27.2% K-rate, the third-highest mark in the league, and they have a .641 team OPS as well. Means has some appeal at his price.
Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees
It’s been a rough season for Rodon that includes injuries, struggles, and kisses towards disgruntled fans, but he has turned things around as he heads towards the finish line. Outside of his blow-up against the Tigers, he’s tossed back-to-back quality starts and has allowed 3 ER or less in six of seven starts. He’s put up 12.7+ DKP in five of six games and 16+ in four of those. He faces a Royals offense that has struck out 27% against left-handed pitching in September. Rodon has a ceiling in this spot against the Royals and I expect him to garner some attention in Ownership land as well.
Recommended DFS Hitters
Highest Expected Run Totals
Minnesota Twins: 6.24
Atlanta Braves: 5.56
Colorado Rockies: 5.46
Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups
Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
It’s surprising to see the Rangers team total so low, but that will depress his and the team's ownership. What people are missing is how bad Bryan Woo against left-handed hitters have been. Lefties have a .269 ISO and a .412 wOBA against him. Seager has been one of the league’s best players from start to finish and against righties he’s mashing, posting a .345 ISO and a .454 wOBA
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
There are only two pitchers in baseball that have allowed more home runs this year than Jordan Lyles. Lyles has allowed 38 bombs and that’s significant in this case because he faces the guy that holds the American League record for home runs in a season. That same guy has 37 bombs in just 104 games this season. This spot is tied up for Judge to deposit one into the fountains (or over them) in Kansas City.
Nolan Jones, Colorado Rockies
There have been few players hotter than Nolan Jones this month. In September, he’s hit .330 with a 1.086 OPS, .309 ISO, and .453 wOBA. The Rockies get more at-bats at home, which is a great thing for us, and Jones faces Joe Ryan who has been good, but struggled mightily lately. Over the last 30 days, Ryan allowed a .213 ISO to left-handed bats. Jones has a .262 ISO and a .404 wOBA vs. RHP this season.
Brandon Drury, Los Angeles Angels
There have been some BIG games from Drury lately as he’s twice topped 26+ DKP over his last seven games. He faces Ken Waldichuk who allows a LOT of home runs. Righties have a .196 ISO and a .361 wOBA against Waldichuk this year. Drury has mashed left-handed pitching of late notching a .269 ISO and .364 wOBA over the last 30 days.
Michael A. Taylor, Minnesota Twins
I know Taylor has struggled but one thing he’s done well from the outset of the season is hit lefties. Now you take that and place it in Coors Field and we’re cookin’ with gas. He leads the Twins with a .307 ISO and is third in wOBA at .355. Taylor and the Twins face Ty Blach, who has allowed a .192 ISO and a .405 wOBA to right-handed bats and he’s CHEAP.
Player Pool
| $ Tier | SP | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High |  Lance Lynn  $9,500 |  Matt Olson $4,300 | Ozzie Albies $4,000 |  Corey Seager $4,300 |  Aaron Judge $4,500 | |
 Nolan Jones $4,200 | ||||||
 Juan Soto $4,200 | ||||||
| Medium | Carlos Rodón $8,700 |  Nathaniel Lowe $3,000 |  Donovan Solano $3,100 |  Willi Castro $3,300 |  TJ Friedl $3,500 | |
 Nick Pivetta $8,800 |  Elehuris Montero $2,900 |  Brendan Rodgers $3,000 | Isaac Paredes $3,100 | Evan Carter $3,400 | ||
| Elly De La Cruz $3,100 | Charlie Blackmon $3,300 | |||||
 Michael A. Taylor $3,200 | ||||||
| Low | John Means $7,400 | Christian Encarnacion-Strand $2,900 |  Zach Neto $2,800 |  Daulton Varsho $2,700 | ||
| Allan Winans $6,500 |  Harold RamÃrez $2,800 | |||||
| Will Benson $2,700 |
Stacks
| Rockies | Elehuris Montero | Brendan Rodgers | Charlie Blackmon | Nolan Jones |
 DraftKings | 3400 | 3800 | 4500 | 4800 |
| Fanduel | 2900 | 3000 | 3300 | 4200 |
| Twins | Ryan Jeffers | Jorge Polanco | Willi Castro | Donovan Solano |
| DraftKings | 4200 | 5300 | 4000 | 3400 |
| Fanduel | 3400 | 3800 | 3300 | 3100 |
| Reds | Will Benson | Elly De La Cruz | TJ Friedl | Nick Martini | Christian Encarnacion-Strand |
| DraftKings | 3400 | 5800 | 4800 | 3000 | 4300 |
| Fanduel | 2700 | 3100 | 3500 | 2800 | 2900 |
| Braves | Ozzie Albies | Eddie Rosario | Austin Riley | Matt Olson | Ronald Acuña |
| DraftKings | 5600 | 3800 | 5400 | 6400 | 6800 |
| Fanduel | 4000 | 2700 | 4000 | 4300 | 5000 |
| Yankees | Gleyber Torres | Aaron Judge | Estevan Florial | Austin Wells |
| DraftKings | 4200 | 6300 | 2500 | 2900 |
| Fanduel | 3000 | 4500 | 2500 | 2400 |
Player News
JJ Bleday blasted a two-run homer on Thursday, helping to power the Athletics to victory over the White Sox in Chicago.
The 27-year-old outfielder victimized White Sox’ right-hander Davis Martin with his 372-foot (104.2 mph EV) two-run shot in the sixth inning that pushed the A’s advantage to 4-0. That would be his only hit in four at-bats on the afternoon. For the season, Bleday is slashing just .227/.325/.364 with a pair of homers, 10 RBI, one stolen base and a 14/10 K/BB ratio through his first 77 plate appearances.
Lawrence Butler went 2-for-4 with a double and swatted his second home run of the season on Thursday as the Athletics shut out the White Sox in Chicago.
Butler led off the game with a double off of Davis Martin and raced around to score the game’s first run on an RBI double off the bat of Jacob Wilson. The dynamic 24-year-old outfielder then clobbered a first-pitch cutter from Martin for a 414-foot (107.0 mph EV) solo shot in the fifth inning that extended the A’s lead to 2-0. With his 2-for-5 afternoon, Butler is now slashing .296/.390/.451 to go along with a pair of homers, five RBI and four stolen bases.
JP Sears was brilliant in Thursday afternoon’s victory over the White Sox, scattering three hits over six innings of shutout baseball.
The 29-year-old southpaw struck out two and issued a pair of walks in the ballgame. All three of the hits that he allowed in the contest were singles. Only once did the White Sox have a player reach third base against him — on a two-out single by Lenyn Sosa in the sixth inning — but Sears got Michael A. Taylor to pop out to the catcher to end the threat. He generated just one swing and miss on 100 pitches in the ballgame, posting an underwhelming CSW of only 20 percent. He’ll see if he can keep the good times rolling as he carries a 3.13 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and an 18/5 K/BB ratio (23 innings) into Wednesday’s showdown against the Rangers.
Edgar Quero went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his big league debut against the Athletics on Thursday.
The 22-year-old rookie backstop started behind the dish and batted seventh for the White Sox on Thursday afternoon against the Athletics. As a whole, the White Sox couldn’t muster a single run and scratched out just four total hits in the game, so Quero wasn’t the only one at fault. Ultimately, his fantasy utility in deeper leagues will depend on how much playing time he sees for the White Sox.
Davis Martin struggled in a losing effort against the Athletics on Thursday afternoon, surrendering four runs on eight hits over his 5 1/3 innings of work.
The 28-year-old right-hander walked one and struck out three batters in the ballgame. Nearly all of the damage done against him came via the long ball as Lawrence Butler swatted a solo shot in the fifth inning and JJ Bleday added a two-run blast in the sixth inning. Martin got seven swings and misses on 90 pitches on the day while posting a CSW of 27 percent. Now 1-2 on the season, he’ll carry a 4.84 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and a 13/6 K/BB ratio (22 1/3 innings) into Tuesday’s matchup against the Twins in Minneapolis.
Masyn Winn (back) is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis on Friday.
He’ll play there through the weekend and assuming everything goes well he would then be cleared to rejoin the Cardinals on Tuesday when he’s first eligible. Prior to landing on the injured list, the 23-year-old shortstop had been hitting .222/.314/.289 with one homer and three RBI through his first 13 ballgames.