Welcome to the Fantasy Alarm MLB DFS Playbook for Monday, September 1st! 

Let’s start the week on the right foot with some winning lineups today. We have a 5-game main slate in store for us this afternoon on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 1:05 PM ET. Today, we have plenty of talent on the diamond and many different ways to build your lineup. Our expert analysis is here to guide you through the top pitchers, value plays, and stackable offenses to target.

Whether chasing big GPP prizes or grinding cash games, we’ve got you covered with insights tailored to today’s matchups. Let’s jump right into the key plays and strategies to dominate the slate!

 

This season's MLB DFS picks and playbook will consist of a pitcher and hitter core players section with written analysis, player pool grid and core stacks section.

The core player section should be used as a starting point for all lineups, you may not be able to use all players in the same lineup, but those players should be the building blocks for you on a given night.

The player pool grid will feature both players from the core player section along with additional plays to help you build a complete lineup. The grid will be broken into top priced players, mid-priced players and value tier players.

The stacks section will bring you are favorite lineups stacks for the day and which players we would look to include in those stacks based on matchups and pricing.

Check out the MLB DFS Show to get an initial outlook on the day's MLB DFS slate to give you a good base for the start of your research each day! 

Make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Alarm YouTube channel so you never miss a show! Also, join the Fantasy Alarm Discord to get your DFS lineup questions answered by our MLB DFS team! Plus, as always, be sure to check in with our MLB DFS Tools, with the Daily MLB Projections, MLB DFS Rostership Projections, and our MLB DFS Lineup Generator when building those lineups today to help you decide which players you should be targeting.

 

MLB DFS Picks & MLB Playbook

MLB Weather: Monday, 9/1

Nothing that is concerning.

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Let's get into today's core pitching plays for our DFS lineups

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals

This is a solid spot for Gray, especially if Nick Kurtz continues to miss time. The Athletics were a league average offense in August against righties and struck out around 23% of the time. Gray's been dominant at home, because his park is so good to pitch in, and has pitched well since 7/29. He has a 3.75 ERA but a 3.27 xFIP and a 27% K-rate.

Luis Morales, Athletics

The last two starts for Luis Morales have been quite impressive. He's missing bats and generating a lot of strikeouts. Although his SwStr hasn't been too high, it's trending upwards. He has a 90th percentile fastball velocity and faces off against a Cardinals offense that ranks 29th in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ against right-handed pitching. He's fully worked up to a starters workload, too.

Brayan Bello, Boston Red Sox

Brayan Bello continues to churn out solid performance after solid performance. Bello's been so good, that he's under a 3 ERA on the year. Since June 1st, Bello has a 2.66 ERA over 16 starts and has 13 quality starts. Nobody has been worse than the Guardians offensively against right-handed pitching since August 1st.

Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians

The Boston Red Sox offense has not been great against left-handed pitchers in the second half, ranking 25th in OPS and wOBA and although they improved a little bit in August, they're 19th in wOBA and 18th in OPS. Messick has looked fantastic in his first two starts getting 40% groundballs, 24% K-rate, and his 2.85 xERA, 2.48 xFIP, and 3.09 SIERA suggests a very good pitcher is here to stay.

Luis Garcia, Houston Astros

Luis Garcia makes his return to the mound and is coming off a 30 inning rehab stint. He worked his way up to 84 pitches and in each of his final three outings he threw at least 75. He also was able to get through six innings in his last start. The Angels were BAD in August ranking 28th in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+, and struck out a WHOPPING 29.8% K-rate.

 

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Let's check out today's core plays to build our lineups around.

Core MLB DFS Hitters

Coors Field Stack

This game environment is elite. That's not a lot else to say. Chase Dollander takes the mound for the Rockies and we'll start there.

Dollander has been bad this season at Coors. Dollander has been crushed by lefties allowing a .210 ISO, .234 xISO, .372 wOBA, and .391 xwOBA. Righties' numbers aren't bad either, allowing a .153 ISO, .174 xISO, .339 wOBA, .339 xwOBA.

The Giants looks great here: Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Dominic Smith, and Drew Gilbert are all priority options. Jung Hoo Lee, Wilmer Flores, Patrick Bailey, and whoever else cracks the lineup is in play.

On the Rockies side of things, Kai-Wei Teng is throwing for the Giants. Right-handed hitters have actually given him FITS as they've posted a .211 ISO, .246 xISO, .382 wOBA, and .403 xwOBA. At the minor league level it was the lefties giving him issues. 

Top Rockies plays include: Mickey Moniak, Hunter Goodman, Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, Tyler Freeman

Twins Get Wilson Matchup

IF Bryse Wilson is in fact starting for the White Sox, the Twins are easily one of the best stacks of the day.

vs. LH - .273 ISO, .242 xISO, .480 wOBA, .460 xwOBA, 8.5% K

vs. RH - .222 ISO, .242 xISO, .378 wOBA, .410 xwOBA, 15% K

From the left side, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Kody Clemens, and Brooks Lee stand out.

Byron Buxton, Luke Keaschall, and Royce Lewis look good on the right side.

Cubs Fixed? Strider Fixed?

Spencer Strider has been HORRIBLE but he dominated last time out, so what gives? The Cubs also had struggled but had some guys break out in Coors Field. Lefties and righties have posted a .210 ISO or better against Strider.

Michael Busch, Kyle Tucker, and Ian Happ all have a .186 ISO or better versus right-handed hurlers this year. I like the idea of rounding out my stack with Carson Kelly or Dansby Swanson, who both have a LOT of home run upside.

Stacking Brewers Against Taijaun Walker

Taijuan Walker's second half of the year has looked much different than his first half, yet the ERAs are similar. That will change here. Opponents hit .231 against him in the first half but are at .298 in the second half. He's allowed a .468 SLG% and .349 wOBA too.

Since the break;

vs. LH - .301/.330/.473, .346 wOBA, 38% HH

vs. RH - .295/.345/.462, .351 wOBA, 35% HH

Christian Yelich, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Jackson Chourio, Isaac Collins, Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio are the top options.

Braves Lefties Look..GOOD

Colin Rea is a solid pitcher, but ever since he returned to the major leagues he's had one issue and one issue only; left-handed hitters.

Dating back to 2023 vs. LHH; .495 SLG%, .352 wOBA, 2.0 HR/9, 41% FB, 34% HH

The Braves have five of their first six projected batters hitting from the left side and the one righty is Ronald Acuna

Jurickson Profar, Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, Ozzie Albies, and Michael Harris

Player Pool

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Stacks

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