Welcome to Fantasy Alarm's MLB DFS picks and daily fantasy playbook for Friday, September 18th. Our MLB DFS projections combine advanced pitching metrics, platoon splits, strikeout prop data, and ownership positioning to identify the sharpest plays on every slate. Whether you are targeting DFS Projections, running lineups through our DFS Optimizer, tracking ownership trends, or checking confirmed lineups, Fantasy Alarm has the tools to sharpen your edge. 

Today's slates have multiple different directions with some quality pitchers in Dylan Cease, Tyler Glasnow, Cade Cavalli, and Gerrit Cole all taking the mound. This MLB DFS playbook covers every key position on DraftKings and FanDuel with our best MLB DFS picks for today.

Slate: 13-Games | Lock Time: 7:05 pm ET, Friday, September 18th, 2026

Vegas Totals: SEA/COL (highest-projected game), DET/CWS, MIL/BAL, ATH/CLE & PHI/NYM (tied for second-highest game total), ATL/HOU, MIN/LAA, NYY/ARI & SF/LAD (tied for third-highest game total)

Highest K-Projections: Dylan Cease 7.5 O/U (+116), Tyler Glasnow 6.5 O/U (-148), Cade Cavalli 6.5 O/U (+116), Ian Seymour 5.5 O/U (-135), Connor Prielipp 5.5 O/U (-125)

MLB Weather Today, 9/18

Mariners vs Rockies - There's a chance at a delay, but nothing that is overly concerning.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

MLB DFS Top Pitchers

Dylan Cease (TOR)

Analysis: Texas Rangers offense vs. LHP = good. Texas Rangers offense vs. RHP = bad. Dylan Cease throws right-handed = good. Texas has a 89 wRC+ (25th) and 24.5% K-rate (7th).

Tyler Glasnow (LAD)

Analysis: The Giants numbers vs. RHP since the ASB look good, but Rafael Devers pulled most of that weight and he's not there any longer. Glasnow has an elite spot against one of the league's worst offenses. He's projected to be the highest rostered and scoring pitcher of the day.

Cade Cavalli (WAS)

Analysis: This isn't the best strikeout spot, but Cavalli is simply one of the best pitchers in the league at this point. Since the break, the Cardinals are 26th in wRC+ against right-handed pitching. Cavalli has a 2.05 ERA, 33.1% K-rate, and 2.56 xFIP, and has held opponents to a .184 AVG. He's still just $9.3K.

MLB DFS Value Pitchers

Ian Seymour (TB)

Analysis: The Red Sox have actually been better vs. RHP since the break than they are against LHP, which is the opposite of what it was earlier in the year. Seymour has two 10 K games over his last four outings and has an incredibly high ceiling. Strikeouts are king in fantasy and Boston has struck out 22.7% of the time vs. LHP since the All-Star break.

Bryan Woo (SEA)

Analysis: This is scary but Bryan Woo has pitched incredibly well lately. He has allowed just 1 ER over his last three starts (20 IP, 21:5 K:BB) but now has to pitch in Coors Field. The Rockies OPS is over .800 at home vs. RHP but their wRC+ is 90 vs. RHP. They strike out 24% of the time and it's possible Hunter Goodman misses another game, which benefits Woo.

Tyler Mahle (ATL)

Analysis: In seven starts for the Braves, Tyler Mahle has pitched to a 1.25 ERA, held opponents to a .215 AVG, and has a 3.22 xFIP. He's generating 46% GB, too. We've talked about it a lot, but he's gone VERY heavy into fastball-sinker pitch mix with the cutter as his third option, which replaced a slider he was throwing a lot earlier in the year. He's been dominant and has no reason to still be under 8K. He's a pivot away from the chalky Dustin May.

Dustin May (MIL)

Analysis: As I just mentioned, Dustin May is chalky and that's because he's in a great spot. He's coming off a dominant performance against the Reds and the Orioles are similar to Cincy. They have an 89 wRC+ since the All-Star break along with a 25.1% K-rate, which is the fourth-highest mark in the league.

Top Options For Strikeouts

K-prop lines and value ratings are incorporated below for DFS and prop context. These are the arms building the highest strikeout ceilings on the 9-game slate.

Our model identifies these arms as the highest-ceiling plays for Alt-K lines today:

Dylan Cease: 35.3% K% (12.8 K/9)

Tyler Glasnow: 32% K% (11.2 K/9)

Ian Seymour: 29.5% K% (11 K/9)

Cade Cavalli: 28.2% K% (10.6 K/9)

Bryan Woo: 24.8% K% (9 K/9)

Best Odds For A Win

The following MLB DFS picks offer a combination of favorable win odds, sustainable ERA and xFIP metrics, and soft opponent matchups. Each carries K-prop lines worth noting alongside their DFS value at reduced ownership relative to the top tier.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Stacks & Hitters

MLB DFS Top Hitters

Randy Arozarena (OF, SEA), Cal Raleigh (C, SEA) & Dominic Canzone (OF, SEA)

Gabriel Hughes is now starting for Colorado. Righties have had a bit more success than lefties, but I like them as the top stack regardless.

Analysis: Both splits have crushed Ryan Feltner as he's allowed a .210 ISO to lefties and .232 ISO to lefties. Both splits have .348 wOBAs or higher as well. Arozarena has been the Mariners best hitter all year, Canzone crushes righties (.229 ISO, .342 wOBA, 17 HR) and Raleigh has been much better in the second half & from the left side this year in general (.205 ISO, .237 xISO, .311 wOBA, .323 xwOBA).

Jackson Chourio (OF, MIL) & William Contreras (C, MIL)

Analysis: Chourio and Contreras have been elite hitters in September posting a 135 wRC+ each. Chourio has a .220 ISO and .386 wOBA vs. LHP this year while Contreras has a .161 xISO and .329 wOBA as well.

Mookie Betts (SS, LAD) & Teoscar Hernandez (OF, LAD)

Analysis: Betts is on fire at the dish and has a .179 xISO and .357 xwOBA and Teoscar Hernandez is raking against left-handed pitching. In 139 PA, Hernandez has a .237 ISO, .234 xISO, .397 wOBA, and .404 xwOBA vs. LHP.

Travis Bazzana (2B, CLE)

Analysis: The five home runs Bazzana has hit in September is already a season-high along with a 1.218 OPS and a .508 wOBA and 236 wRC+. He gets a matchup against Mason Barnett who has allowed a .241 ISO and .380 wOBA to lefties.

Kyle Stowers (1B, MIA) & Griffin Conine (1B/OF, MIA)

Analysis: These Marlins sluggers love facing fastball first pitchers like Nick Pivetta, especially the one's who can't generate whiffs. Pivetta has seven whiffs total in two starts since returning from the IL. He's allowed a .267 xISO and .354 xwOBA. Both Conine and Stowers have ISO's of .230 and wOBAs of .350 vs. RHP this year.

MLB DFS Value Hitters

J.P. Crawford (SS, SEA) & Cole Young (2B, SEA)

Analysis: These aren't the best two hitters on the planet but they're going to factor in heavily today. Crawford is likely going to lead off in Coors Field and possibly have 5 ABs while Young does have a .167 ISO and .329 wOBA against RHP this year.

Chase Meidroth (2B, CWS)

Analysis: This is a 1.000 OPS hitter against southpaws. That's all he does. Rake against lefties. He'll lead off and is in a pretty good spot overall, despite what Andrew Sears' numbers vs. RHP say.

Jo Adell (OF, CLE) & Nathaniel Lowe (1B, CLE)

Analysis: Mason Barnett has struggled against righties and lefties allowing a .307 ISO & .397 wOBA to right-handed bats and .241 ISO and .380 wOBA against left-handed hurlers. Adell hasn't been great against righties, but he's been better as a Guardian and Lowe has a .223 ISO and .360 wOBA vs. RHP.

Andrew Vaughn (1B, MIL)

Analysis: Andrew Vaughn has been dominant against left-handed pitching this year. Vaughn has a .351/.438/.541 with a .189 ISO and .423 wOBA. He'll hit in the middle of the order and he's really cheap.

Jakob Marsee (OF, MIA)

Analysis: In September, Jakob Marsee is hitting .365 with 3 HR (season-high), 12 R, and 8 RBI (T-season-high) and gets a interesting matchup against Pivetta, who has really bad underlying numbers vs. LHH.

MLB DFS Top Stacks

Primary Stack: Seattle Mariners vs Ryan Feltner (COL RHP)

Targets: Randy Arozarena, Dominic Canzone, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor, J.P. Crawford, Cole Young

Primary Stack: Cleveland Guardians vs Mason Barnett (ATH RHP)

Targets: Travis Bazzana, Chase DeLauter, Nathaniel Lowe, Jo Adell, Jose Ramirez

Primary Stack: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cesar Perdomo (SF LHP)

Targets: Teoscar Hernandez, Will Smith, Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Kyle Tucker, Freddie Freeman

“Contrarian” Stack: Milwaukee Brewers vs Cade Povich (BAL LHP)

Targets: Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Luis Lara, Gary Sanchez, Joey Ortiz

“Contrarian” Stack: Miami Marlins vs Nick Pivetta (MIA RHP)

Targets: Kyle Stowers, Griffin Conine, Heriberto Hernandez, Jakob Marsee, Otto Lopez

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters & Pitchers

The "Chalk" (Popular)

The "Pivot" (Low

Owned)

Glasnow (SP, chalk)Cavalli (SP, lower owned)
Mariners (Chalk)Guardians (pivot stack)
Rodriguez + Raleigh (chalk)Bazzana + Lowe (lower owned)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The foundation for every MLB DFS lineup you build today. These are the core MLB DFS picks by position across DraftKings and FanDuel.

  1. Tyler Glasnow (SP1)
  2. Tyler Mahle (SP2)
  3. Randy Arozarena (Core Bat)
  4. Dominic Canzone (Core Bat)
  5. Teoscar Hernandez (Core Bat)
  6. J.P. Crawford (Core Value Bat)
  7. Nathianel Lowe (Core Value Bat)

Player Pool

$ Tier {{pos.alias}}

Stacks

{{stack.team.name}} {{player.name}}
DraftKings {{player.fantasy.price.value[8]}}-
Fanduel {{player.fantasy.price.value[6]}}-