Welcome to the Fantasy Alarm MLB DFS Playbook for Tuesday, September 9th! 

We have an 11-game main slate in store for us this evening on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:05 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: Tuesday, 9/9

Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees 

Some light rain in the area but nothing that is likely to impact play. 

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

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

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

George Kirby, Seattle Mariners 

Kirby got knocked around in his last start against the Rays, but he was very good in his two starts prior to that. Overall, he owns a 4.47 ERA, but xFIP and SIERA have him nearly a full run better than that this season. The righty has been excellent in his pitcher-friendly home park, where he has recorded five quality starts in his last six outings. 

The matchup is also a plus, as the Cardinals are a below average offense (96 wRC+) versus RHP and they rank just 28th in ISO. Kirby is the most talented pitcher on the slate, but he doesn't have massive upside that you absolutely must pay up for.  

Emmet Sheehan, Los Angeles Dodgers 

Sheehan has been excellent for the Dodgers with a 3.59 ERA in 52.2 innings this season. The strikeouts are well above average at 27.6% and he even has the walks at a respectable 8.3%, which has been a problem in the past. 

As noted with Tyler Glasnow in this space yesterday, the Rockies are one of the best possible matchups when they are on the road. Given the discount from Kirby, the strikeout upside and elite matchup push Sheehan to the top overall pitcher on the slate. 

Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks 

Since August 1st, Zac Gallen has rattled off six quality starts in seven outings. The strikeouts are still down (just 19.9% K-rate in that time) but the walks (6%) and groundballs (47.5%) have improved. Gallen has also kept the ball in the park, allowing just 0.66 HR/9 during this hot stretch. 

The matchup is not perfect, as the Giants have been a solid offense in the second half with a 114 wRC+. Gallen should benefit from the pitcher-friendly ballpark in San Francisco and has a great chance at another quality start.    

Zebby Matthews, Minnesota Twins

Matthews has posted consecutive quality starts against the White Sox and Padres, who have both been top-10 offenses in the second half of the season. The righty has pitched better than his results this season, with both SIERA and xFIP rating him more than a full run better than his 4.73 ERA. His strikeouts (26.1%) and walks (7.1%) both rate better than league average, and he has now thrown at least 84 pitches in each of his last six starts. 

Matthews gets a high-upside matchup against the Angels, who have struck out at the highest rate in the league against right-handed pitching. Point-per-dollar, Matthews ranks up there with Sheehan for top pitcher on the slate. 

Jack Leiter, Texas Rangers 

Jack Leiter has been one of the luckier pitchers in baseball for much of the season, but recently his performance has been lining up with the excellent results. He has posted three straight quality starts with an elite 35.7% strikeout rate and a strong 7.1% walk rate. That is ace-level work from the young righty, who may finally be realizing some of the potential that made him a top-two pick in the MLB draft. 

The matchup is not ideal today against a strong Milwaukee offense, but the salary for Leiter does not line up with the excellent work he has been doing of late. He makes for an excellent large-field tournament play with very little ownership if you buy the recent up-tick in performance. 

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

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

Core MLB DFS Hitters

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. German Marquez  

The Dodgers were disappointing yesterday as they were shutdown by Chase Dollander, but they get an even better matchup today. Unlike Dollander, German Marquez has been nearly as bad on the road as he has been at home this season. Overall, he owns a miniscule 15% strikeout rate and has been pummeled for a .209 ISO. 

Marquez has allowed an ISO above .200 to both sides of the plate, so we don't need to be picky with splits when selecting Dodgers bats. As always, Shohei Ohtani is among the top hitters on the slate. Max Muncy was hitless in four trips to the plate, but it was nice to see him back in the lineup after nearly a month on the IL. Freddie Freeman and (hopefully) Will Smith join him as elite options, while Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages also bring above average power to the mix. 

Boston Red Sox vs. Jeffrey Springs 

The Red Sox put up seven runs yesterday in the first game of their series in Sutter Health Park. Today, they get a matchup with Jeffrey Springs, who has struggled with RH power this season. Platoon bats Romy Gonzalez (.263 ISO) and Rob Refsnyder (.255) have both crushed left-handed pitching this season. Trevor Story and Carlos Narvaez also bring above-average power. Ceddanne Rafaela owns an ISO of .209 against righties and has 19 stolen bases this season. Alex Bregman has not homered in nearly a month and has struggled against lefties, but he has to breakout eventually.   

Athletics vs. Connelly Early 

Garrett Crochet mowed down the A's yesterday, so they will look to get back on track today against another lefty. This time it will be Connelly Early making his Major League Debut. Early has cruised through the upper-minors this season, with a 2.60 ERA and a strikeout rate above 30%. He is a legitimate pitching prospect, but this a tough assignment in his debut. The A's rank 6th in ISO against lefties and play in one of the most hitter-friendly park in baseball. 

Shea Langeliers (.308 ISO) and Brent Rooker (.246) have elite power numbers against lefties. Nick Kurtz isn't all-world against lefties like he is against righties, but he's still great and should see a couple ABs off the bullpen. Colby Thomas has mashed in a small sample against lefties and should hit in the middle of the lineup. Jacob Wilson adds elite contact ability and above-average power. 

New York Yankees vs. Casey Mize

Casey Mize is an above-average pitcher, but he gets a tough assignment in Yankee Stadium today. The Yankees lead baseball in ISO, wOBA, wRC+, home runs, and runs scored. Pick your offensive category, and you will likely find the Yankees at the top of the list. There isn't a single hitter in the projected lineup that owns an ISO below .196 against right-handed pitching. Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Jazz Chisholm are all excellent spend-up options, and the mid-range price tags stand out on guys like Trent Grisham, Ben Rice, and Cody Bellinger.  

Minnesota Twins vs. Kyle Hendricks

The Twins get a matchup against Kyle Hendricks and a significant park upgrade in Anaheim. Hendricks has surprisingly limited damage done by lefties this season, but righties have smashed him for a .224 ISO. We have seen those numbers flipped at times in the righty's career, so anyone is playable here for the Twins. Byron Buxton missed last game after being hit by a pitch on Sunday, so we will have to see if he can play today. He's the clear top option if he's in the lineup. Luke Keaschall is another elite option at a weak second base position, and Royce Lewis is coming off a two-homer game last night. Matt Wallner profiles excellently against Hendricks, with his massive power but huge strikeout rate. 

 

Player Pool

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Stacks

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