It’s a new week in the baseball world and with teams fighting for playoff spots and positioning alike, DFS should be red hot today. Monday sees Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw take the mound, with few other top arms getting the ball today. Also, an unlikely New York Yankees bat finds himself as an attractive DFS option. That said, who should you pick today?
Best DFS MLB Pitchers for September 18, 2017
There aren’t many top pitching matchups today, and the ones to pick are quite expensive. That said, one must spend money to make money and DFS is no exception. If you want to win with pitching, look no further than these arms.
Clayton Kershaw @ Philadelphia Phillies: $13,700 DraftKings, FPPG- 26.6
Yes, Kershaw is expensive, but he is so for a reason. He is 2-1 with a 2.87 ERA since returning from the disabled list and is going up against a last-place Phillies team whose only purpose right now is to play spoiler.
Not only that, but the Dodgers have won four of five since snapping their recent 11-game losing streak. Kershaw should be locked in and cruise to victory on a warm night in the City of Brotherly Love and, knock on wood, improve his record to 18-3 on the year.
Ervin Santana @ New York Yankees: $10,500 DraftKings, FPPG- 18.4
Santana appears to have hit a wall in September, going 1-0 with a 4.08 ERA in three starts, but this matchup against the Bronx Bombers means more. His Minnesota Twins would face the Yankees in the AL Wild Card Game if the season ended today, so this game has major playoff implications and Santana should be locked in.
Not only that, but Santana tossed six shutout innings and allowed just three hits in his last start against the lowly San Diego Padres. That had to be a major confidence booster and with the underperforming Jaime Garcia on the mound for the Yankees, Santana could wind up being a great pick tonight despite seeming a bit pricey.
Patrick Corbin @ San Diego Padres: $9,600 DraftKings, FPPG- 14.9
It’s basically a rule in DFS now. If a pitcher is going up against the Padres, pick them. Granted, Corbin got shelled by the Padres two starts ago and allowed eight earned runs in 4.1 innings, but that start was sandwiched in between two dominant outings against the hot-hitting Colorado Rockies. In those two starts, Corbin was 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA.
It’s also worth noting that the Padres dominated Corbin at hitter-friendly Chase Field, and the scene is now shifted to the cavernous Petco Park. Corbin definitely comes with a risk but given how well his Arizona Diamondbacks have played as of late, he also comes with a reward.
Dan Straily vs New York Mets: $7,500 DraftKings, FPPG- 14.1
There is only one reason to pick Dan Straily today, on top of his reasonable price. The Mets have the largely ineffective Matt Harvey going for them tonight, so Straily’s Miami Marlins should provide him plenty of run support. Harvey is 1-2 with an ERA over 12 this month, so it’s hard to see him taming even the Marlins.
Straily himself has had a rough September and allowed eight earned runs to Philadelphia in his last start, but he also had a sub-4 ERA prior to that outing and has looked pretty strong this season. Going up against an injury-depleted Mets squad, he should bounce back easily.
Best DFS MLB Hitters for September 18, 2017
The pitchers have been summoned, but who should you rely on for hitting?
J.D. Martinez @ San Diego Padres: $5,600 DraftKings, FPPG- 10.3
Here’s how great a hitter J.D. Martinez is. He missed the first six weeks of the season and still has 40 home runs and 90 RBI to go with a .297 batting average.
Martinez has also been on an absolute tear this month and is batting .424 with 11 home runs and 22 RBI. Going up against the Padres, he should be in for a great week.
Gary Sanchez vs Minnesota Twins: $4,900 DraftKings, FPPG- 9.3
The man they call El Gary has had a September to remember, batting an astounding .347 with three home runs and nine RBI. Sanchez has also slugged a total of 15 home runs since August 1 and is as locked in as can be right now, with a slash line of .281/.349/.538.
He’ll have a tough time against Ervin Santana tonight, but the man is still running hot. Home runs or no, he should at least get a couple of hits or even RBI this evening.
Didi Gregorius vs Minnesota Twins: $4,800 DraftKings, FPPG- 8.2
Were it not already for a stacked race in the American League, one could say that Gregorius was making a late-season push for MVP. He has five home runs and 19 RBI this month and has a slash line of .281/.323/.596 and he has homered in three consecutive games, bringing his average for the season up to .292.
Gregorius also has set new career highs with 24 home runs and 81 RBI, proving that his breakout last season was far from a fluke. He’s only getting better and with the playoffs around the corner, he’s turning on the afterburners.
Rhys Hoskins vs Los Angeles Dodgers: $4,500 DraftKings, FPPG- 12.2
Hoskins’ Phillies are probably going to get dominated by Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers tonight, but that doesn’t take away from how much of a tear this young man has been on. He has slugged 18 home runs in just 159 plate appearances and has shown no signs of slowing down.
Kershaw is good enough to dominate the Phillies, but Hoskins is good enough that he can definitely steal a run with his bat.
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