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The Thursday slate is once again dominated by the main slate, so those are the only games that will be highlighted in this article. Pitching is reasonably priced on the slate, making it possible to pay up at some spots with hitters while also having the chance to roster your favorite of the top tier of pitchers taking the mound.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 9/21/17. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. Let's get to it, shall we?
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @DanMarcus3.
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DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider
James Paxton vs. TEX (DK- $7,400, FD- $8,400)
Paxton had a rough outing against Houston in his first start back from injury, though he did stay in long enough to throw 50 pitches. That bodes well for him pitching fairly deep into his start tonight against the Rangers in what is a mediocre matchup. Though the Rangers have the reputation of being a hard-hitting offense, especially as the weather warms up, they have a 93 wRC+ over the past 30 days as a team and have just a 94 wRC+ against lefties for the season. Paxton is preferable in tournaments, but his price on DK is also appealing enough to take a chance on him in all formats.
Jake Arrieta, @ MIL (DK - $8,100, FD - $9,600)
Much like Paxton, Arrieta will be coming back from a few missed starts with the last time we saw him on the hill being quite unimpressive. However, the time off should be reason for optimism and he should be available to pitch fairly deep into the game. The matchup is not as worrisome as it would have been earlier in the season, however, as the Brewers have just an 82 wRC+ over the past 30 days.
DFS Infielders to Consider
Welington Castillo - C, vs. TAM (DK - $3,300, FD - $2,900)
Matt Andriese has struggled since returning from injury, as he has allowed 2.57 home runs per nine innings over his 14 innings post All-Star Break. That’s not an ideal sample size, but combined with Castillo’s torrid second-half and reasonable price, this is a good spot on Thursday.
Wil Myers - 1B, vs. COL (DK - $3,700, FD - $4,100)
In somewhat shocking splits, Tyler Anderson has allowed 2.54 HR per nine innings away from Coors field this season over 39 innings. Myers, too, has odd splits as he has been worse at home over the course of the season. However, he has also been tearing the cover off the ball to the tune of a .432 wOBA this month so his home splits are worth setting aside for the night.
Ian Kinsler - 2B, vs. MIN (DK - $4,300, FD - $3,400)
Kinsler has had a disappointing season overall, but now is the time to jump on his bandwagon for daily fantasy. His six home runs on the month is already his best for the season. He has still managed just a .208 batting average, so he is an all or nothing proposition best suited for a tournament. He's got everything going for him on Thursday though, as he draws left-hander Adalberto Mejia and Kinsler has a 138 wRC+ on the season against lefties.
Josh Donaldson - 3B, vs. KC (DK - $5,500, FD - $4,100)
Donaldson has been on a tear of late, and that shows with his price tag. However, his production speaks for itself and makes him a great building block for the Thursday slate. His matchup is also a strong positive, as Jason Vargas has allowed 2.25 home runs per nine innings or higher every month since June.
Trevor Story - SS, @ SDP (DK - $3,900, FD - $3,400)
This is the slate for unexpected splits, as Trevor Story has been better on the road as measured by most advanced metrics. He has also absolutely torched lefties to the tune of a 168 wRC+ for the season, putting him in good position to produce in a matchup against Clayton Richard tonight.
DFS Outfielders to Consider
Randal Grichuk- OF, @ CIN (DK - $3,400, FD - $2,600)
Homer Bailey has been ineffective in nearly every split situation, but things get especially messy for him at home and against righties. Grichuk will have both of those factors working in his favor tonight, which makes him a nice option for salary relief on both sites in what should be a hitter friendly game.
Robbie Grossman - OF, @ DET (DK - $3,200, FD - $2,800)
The knock on Grossman all season has been his lack of power, but he has been able to take advantage of the influx of poor pitching. That said, his ISO in September is .316, well over double that of his season long mark. His price hasn’t adjusted for the uptick in production, making him a nice play late in the season.
Josh Reddick - OF, vs. CHW (DK - $4,100, FD - $3,600)
Reddick hasn’t gotten the credit he deserves for a very strong season. He doesn’t have great pop as evidenced by his 13 home runs on the season, but a .608 slugging percentage in September shows that he has enough power in his bat to be a fantasy asset. Carson Fulmer has pitched well in his first three starts, but a good lineup like the Astros should still be able to take advantage of his inexperience.
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