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We have a 9-game main slate on tap tonight, and it's a fun one. The potential AL CY Young winner takes on the Yankees in a must-win game for the postseason. The Braves have a chance to lock up the AL East with a sweep of the Phillies. The Giants and Dodgers continue to win games and see who wins the NL West and is stuck with the Wild Card and has to host the Cardinals. A lot of excellent baseball on tap that results in a lot of quality DFS lineups to build.
The slate starts with which pitchers to build around. Do you pay up for Robbie Ray versus the Yankees, pay down a little for Lance McCullers versus the Rays, or give the youngster Joe Ryan the rock? When it comes to stack, the red hot Braves are in another great spot versus Gibson, while the Dodgers and Red Sox also have some excellent matchups to target. More importantly, there are some superb value and sneakier stacks with the Marlins, Twins, Royals, Indians, and more. Listen in to MLB DFS Quick Hits to get a full slate rundown.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 9/30/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also check out today's FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. It's also vital to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter @bdentrek.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Joe Ryan- P, MIN vs. DET ($9,300)
Ryan has been nothing short of outstanding this season. He has made four starts for the Twins, throwing at least five innings in each start. Ryan has allowed three earned runs or less in each start and struck out five or more in three of five starts. Ryan was dominant in the minors, the Olympics and has now carried over to the major leagues. He takes on the Tigers tonight, striking out 24.4% of the time versus RHP in September with a .246 average and 101 wRC+. The strikeouts should be aplenty, and out of the big three arms is the best matchup. Ray and McCullers are great options, but Ryan may be the best to account for savings and matchup. Do not sleep on the young stud tonight.
Ian Anderson - P, ATL vs. PHI ($8,400)
It took Anderson a few starts to get going once he returned from the IL, but he now looks like the Anderson of old and is dealing. Anderson has pitched five or more innings in three straight starts, allowing two earned runs or less in two of three starts. The critical part, the strikeouts, which are back in full force. Anderson has struck out seven or more in all three starts. That's how you rack up 20+ point DK outings time after time. Tonight he takes on the Phillies, who have been dominated by Charlie Morton and Max Fried on back-to-back nights. They are striking out 21.4% of the time versus RHP in September, and Morton struck out ten over seven shutout innings on Tuesday. I love Anderson tonight and plan on pairing him up with Ray and Ryan in most of my lineups.
Other Options: Robbie Ray (TOR vs. NYY) $10,000, Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU vs. TB) $9,600, Tony Gonsolin (LAD vs. SD) $8,800, Nick Pivetta (BOS at BAL) $7,000
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Nick Fortes - C, MIA at Rich Hill ($2,000)
Fortes does not start every day for the Marlins, but when he does, he is raking. Since getting called up on September 18, he is hitting .348 with three home runs and even a stolen base. He even showcases strong plate discipline, walking 11.5% of the time. Fortes has a crazy .391 ISO and 1.162 OPS since the callup, and that is pretty darn impressive. He will take on Hill tonight, who has been better of late but does not go past five innings, meaning Mets' bullpen time. On the season, RHH are hitting .248 with a .441 SLG versus Hill. Fortes is the bare minimum and brings massive upside to your lineup. If you want to pay up at pitching and still get a big stack, Fortes is your cheat code to make that happen without throwing a complete dud at the position.
Wilmer Flores - 1B/3B, SF vs. Madison Bumgarner ($2,900)
It is once again Wilmer Flores SZN when it comes to fantasy. After a solid start, Flores had a bit of a rough patch. Do not worry, as he is back to hitting and playing nearly every day due to Branon Belt's hand injury. (Insert old man shaking a fist at the sky gif.) Flores comes into tonight's game, hitting .412 over his last nine games with one extra-base hit and a 15% walk rate. The power has been hit, and miss and Flores is also banged up, so running is not in the books. The other good thing is Flores faces a lefty tonight, and we know he enjoys that. Flores is hitting .287 with a .176 ISO versus LHP and faces Bumgarner, who has allowed three or more runs in four of his last five starts, including seven home runs. The Giants are very much in play again tonight. Flores is a prominent piece of stacking the Giants, but his value alone makes him a great tournament and cash game one-off if needed.
Javier Baez- 2B, NYM vs. Edward Cabrera ($4,000)
The Mets may be losing, but it is not Baez's fault. He brings a 13 game hitting streak into tonight's game and has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games. Over the 13-game streak, he is hitting .356 with three extra-base hits and a stolen base. It has been a lot of singles for Baez and also...wait for it...a lot of walks as he is walking 13.5% of the time. He has a .442 OBP to go with a .909 OPS. The power would be great from Baez, but he continues to get on base and score runs, racking up double-digit DK points often. He also comes at a great price where you do not have to break the bank. He faces Cabrera tonight, who has had a rough go to start his big league career, including a ton of walks. Baez is excellent savings at the position if not paying up for Marcus Semien or Ozzie Albies.
Amed Rosario- SS, CLE at Angel Zerpa ($4,200)
Sure Bo Bichette, Corey Seager, and others that cost a lot of money are great pay-up spots, but if looking to save, then look no further than Rosario. Since returning from the COVID IL, Rosario has hit safely in four of six games, with multiple hits in three of those games. He has three extra-base hits to go with a .185 ISO and .876 OPS. Rosario hits second in the Cleveland lineup and makes for a nice piece of a contrarian stack with Jose Ramirez, Franmil Reyes, and others. The Cleveland and Kansas City game has some sneaky appeal, and Rosario is a nice discounted piece of the game.
Austin Riley - 3B, ATL vs. Kyle Gibson ($5,200)
The Braves have been one of my top stacks the last two nights, and we are not stopping tonight versus Gibson. That brings the cleanup hitter Riley into play. Riley has hit safely in 13 of hits last 14 games, hitting .349. Riley is, of course crushing during the streak, hitting nine extra-base hits to go with a .238 ISO. He is not walking and striking out 33.3% of the time, which is always a concern, but for now, it is working, so roster the man with a .937 OPS over the last couple of weeks. Gibson has allowed three earned runs or more in five straight starts with four home runs over those starts. Stacking up Riley with Albies, Freddie Freeman, and then some outfield piece like Adam Duvall or Eddie Rosario seems like a great game plan again tonight.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Hunter Renfroe - OF, BOS at Alexander Wells ($4,900)
If it isn't broke, then don't fix it. Renfroe has been crushing, crushing lefties and faces another lefty tonight. Renfroe has homered in back-to-back games, with hits in six straight games and hits in 10 of his last 11 games. Over the 11 game streak, Renfroe is hitting .317 with seven extra-base hits and a .317 ISO. We also know Renfroe loves facing a lefty as he hits .278 with a .233 ISO versus LHP this season. He faces Wells tonight, who has thrown no more than five innings in the last three starts, allowing three earned runs or more and five home runs over those three games. Get Renfroe back into your lineups tonight and stack up some Red Sox once again.
AJ Pollock- OF, LAD vs. Vince Velasquez ($4,400)
Pollock is quietly having a very productive season and comes into tonight's game as one of the hottest hitters on the Dodgers. He has hit safely in five straight games with three home runs. His .647 ISO is excellent, but his plate discipline is pretty awesome as well. He is walking 14.3% of the time while only striking out 14.3% as well. He faces Velazquez tonight, who is making his fourth start for the Padres. In his first three, he allowed nine runs with two home runs in only eight innings pitched. The Dodgers can smash Vinny V, then destroy the Padres' bullpen once again, making for an excellent stack that includes a lot of Pollock.
Andrew Benintendi- OF, KC vs. Shane Bieber ($4,000)
I mentioned Cleveland and Kansas City could be quite the sneaky spot tonight, and that includes a discounted Benintendi. He has been a pleasant surprise this season, especially to finish the season. He is hitting .333 in September with 13 extra-base hits, including five home runs. He has 27 RBI while striking out less than 15% of the time. In addition, Benintendi is hitting cleanup for the Royals, which has boosted his potential for big fantasy production. Sure Bieber is getting the start, but he will not last long, which means lots of bullpen. Stacking Benintendi with Whit Merrifield, Salvador Perez, and Nicky Lopez has been a nice stack of late and is definitely in play again tonight.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Boston Red Sox (Alexander Wells, LHP)
- Atlanta Braves (Kyle Gibson, RHP)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (Vince Velasquez, RHP)
- Toronto Blue Jays (Corey Kluber, RHP)
- Sneaky Stack- Kansas City Royals (Shane Bieber, RHP)
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