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The top main-slate daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on September 13, 2023. Kevin Hickey's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Wednesday, RotoBallers! I'm excited to be covering another fun DFS slate. The MLB season has been good to me, so I'm looking forward to sifting through another crop of games. Let's break down my favorite plays from today's main slate!
With matinee baseball spread throughout the day, we're left with a seven-game main slate on DraftKings and a mismatched 10-game set on FanDuel. All the top pitching options are in tough spots today, so there will be plenty of opportunities to get creative with your lineup builds. I'll point out the standout plays.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks on 9/13/2023 and the main slate locking at 7:05 pm ET (DK) and 6:40 pm ET (FD). The lineup picks will range from some elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. Now that we got all that out of the way, it's onto the picks!
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Zac Gallen, ARI vs. NYM ($9,800 DK, $10,600 FD)
There's no obvious pitching option today, but all things considered, Zac Gallen is my favorite arm. Through 30 starts, he owns a 3.31 ERA and 3.51 xFIP. That includes a 6.2% walk rate, 30.7% chase rate, and a respectable 26% strikeout rate. Gallen tossed a complete game shutout his last time out, and if his game is rolling today, then he is underpriced.
https://x.com/PitchingNinja/status/1700247683892396252?s=20
The Mets' offense isn't bad, but they're far from an imposing opponent. New York is scoring 4.1 runs per game in the second half. That includes a 99 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers, alongside a .718 OPS and 23.3% strikeout rate. Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor can always cause problems, but Gallen is more than capable of shutting down this top-heavy lineup.
Yusei Kikuchi, TOR vs. TEX ($8,600 DK, $9,300 FD)
Across 28 appearances, Yusei Kikuchi has posted a 3.57 ERA and 3.80 xFIP this season. They aren't eye-popping numbers, but he's been among the league's more dominant pitchers in the second half, sporting a 2.44 ERA since the All-Star break. Kikuchi also strikes out hitters at a 25.8% rate alongside a 28.4% whiff rate, altogether creating a reliable fantasy production floor.
The Rangers are a scary opponent on paper, but they're not at full strength right now. Both Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung are on the injured list, eliminating a pair of their most notable southpaw crushers. As a whole, the Rangers have stumbled in the second half, and this seems like a tough spot for them to turn things around again.
Also consider: Hunter Brown, Blake Snell (DK only), Spencer Strider (FD only), Eduardo Rodriguez (FD only)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Christian Walker – 1B, ARI vs. Joey Lucchesi ($4,600 DK, $3,200 FD)
Christian Walker is enjoying his most well-rounded season at the plate. He's slashing .264/.340/.504 with 30 home runs and a 124 wRC+. That includes a .458 xSLG, 11.2% barrel rate, and .341 xwOBA. Walker is dominating left-handed pitching this season, slugging .589 against southpaws with 12 home runs.
Joey Lucchesi's 3.54 ERA looks good on the surface but defies his true performance. Looking at the advanced metrics, he sports a much uglier 5.95 xERA and 4.60 xFIP. Lucchesi has surrendered a .508 xSLG and 10.7% barrel rate. Right-handed hitters have been particularly successful against him, slugging .452, part of a .451 career mark.
Triston Casas – 1B, BOS vs. Clarke Schmidt ($4,300 DK, $3,200 FD)
The Triston Casas breakout campaign continues. He carries a .265/.366/.494 slash line with 24 home runs and a 129 wRC+. That includes an outstanding .507 xSLG, 13.3% barrel rate, 47% hard-hit rate, 91.3 MPH average exit velocity, and a 36.3% sweet-spot rate. Casas' price hasn't caught up with his production level, and he looks to be a good midrange value play today.
Given the somewhat high expectations, Clarke Schmidt's 4.54 ERA and 4.19 xFIP through 29 outings has been somewhat disappointing. He's certainly not the worst pitcher on this slate, but he does have a big problem with left-handed hitters. Lefties are slugging .504 against him with a .374 wOBA.
Jordan Lawlar – SS, ARI vs. Joey Lucchesi ($2,300 DK, $2,100 FD)
Jordan Lawlar's MLB career is just four games deep, but he already feels due for a breakthrough performance. Across 105 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Lawlar posted a .278/.378/.496 slash line with 20 home runs and 36 stolen bases. He's the No. 10 ranked prospect in baseball, and he is severely underpriced for his upside.
https://x.com/Dbacks/status/1699945604628279650?s=20
Lucchesi's struggles with right-handed hitting are outlined above.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Luis Robert Jr. – OF, CHW vs. Alec Marsh ($5,600 DK, $3,500 FD)
Due largely to his ability to stay on the field, 2023 has been Luis Robert Jr.'s best season in the majors. He sports a .270/.323/.548 slash line with 35 home runs and a 131 wRC+. He's annihilating the baseball with a .526 xSLG, 15.4% barrel rate, and 37.3% sweet-spot rate.
The Royals are likely to deploy an opener, but Alec Marsh should get the bulk of the pitching work today. His rookie season has been a struggle, managing a 6.11 xERA and 5.10 xFIP through 13 major league appearances. Marsh has surrendered a .494 xSLG and a 10.9% barrel rate. Right-handed hitters are slugging .588 against him.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. – OF, MIA vs. Colin Rea ($5,000 DK, $3,200 FD)
With so much time lost to injury again this season, it's been a struggle for Jazz Chisholm Jr. to maintain his production at the plate. Still, with Jorge Soler on the injured list, Chisholm is the highest-upside hitter the Marlins have, and this is a good spot for them. Through 82 games, Chisholm owns a .252/.298/.452 slash line with 16 home runs and 19 stolen bases. He can find fantasy production with his power or his speed and is well-positioned for success in this matchup.
Following a probable opener, Colin Rea is the expected long reliever on Wednesday. Through 22 outings, Rea carries a mediocre 4.60 xERA and 4.42 xFIP. He's surrendered a .446 xSLG, 43.1% hard-hit rate, and a 90.5 MPH average exit velocity. Left-handed hitters are slugging .510 against Rea this season, further highlighting why Chisholm is a good matchup to exploit.
MJ Melendez – OF, KC vs. Mike Clevinger ($3,400 DK, $2,700 FD)
MJ Melendez's surface numbers don't really do justice to how well he's squaring up the ball this season. He's posted a .93.4 MPH average exit velocity, 11.6% barrel rate, and a 50% hard-hit rate. Melendez's 34.7% whiff rate is concerning, but the results are great when he does make contact, and his opponent today doesn't generate a ton of swings and misses.
Mike Clevinger has pitched decently in recent games, but he certainly isn't a pitcher to avoid hitters against. He sports a 4.12 xERA and 5.27 xFIP, including a weak 23.5% whiff rate, which is good news for Melendez. Left-handed hitters are slugging .403 versus Clevinger this season and have been a tougher matchup for him his whole career.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Joey Lucchesi
Favorite Plays: Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Tommy Pham
Boston Red Sox vs. Clarke Schmidt
Favorite Plays: Rafael Devers, Triston Casas, Alex Verdugo, Adam Duvall, Masataka Yoshida
Also Consider: Miami Marlins, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves (FD only), Baltimore Orioles (FD only)
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