Fantasy Baseball Picks Today: Top DraftKings MLB DFS Targets, Values for September 19

T’is the season for pitching chicanery. Just like the first two weeks of the MLB regular season, the final two weeks are a landmine for pitch count limits, openers and weird piggyback situations. Keep that in mind as you’re looking for value options among starters.

For everything else, let’s dive into the details of this 12-game slate.

Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]

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PITCHER

Stud

Blake Snell, San Diego Padres vs. Colorado Rockies, $10,600 - In a hilarious twist, the Padres have suddenly realized they’re good, and they’ve ripped off their first five-game winning streak of the season. Snell will look to make that six. A 13.4% walk rate will always keep the left-hander’s advanced numbers from being truly elite, yet a 31.4% strikeout rate normalizes an 85.9% strand rate. I think you can believe in Snell’s 2.43 ERA and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s surrendered just two earned runs in his last 25.0 innings. I assume he’ll stay in the groove in a matchup with a Rockies lineup that owns a league-worst 68 wRC+ versus LHPs.

Value

Javier Assad, Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, $5,900 - Assad’s past two starts have been brutal, though it’s hard to hold a poor outing at Coors Field against him too much. For the season, the 26-year-old is still rocking a 3.14 ERA as a starter. Assad also possesses a 2.22 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in the 65.0 innings he’s worked since the beginning of July. Still, the RHP’s viability boils down to two components outside his control: Price and matchup. Put simply, this is the cheapest Assad has been all season on DraftKings and the Pirates stink. Pittsburgh sports a modest 84 wRC+ in September — good for 26th in baseball within that span.

INFIELD

Stud

Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Detroit Tigers, $6,100 - With Alex Faedo ($6,300) having faced fewer than 12 batters in every appearance he’s made in September, I think it’s safe to assume the Tigers are planning for a bullpen night on Tuesday. That suits Freeman just fine. Not only is the All-Star hitting a ridiculous .354 since July 1, but the left-handed Freeman has no handedness weaknesses, registering a 190 wRC+ against LHPs in that same span of time. Whoever A.J. Hinch brings in, Freeman will have the advantage.

Stud

CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals vs. Chicago White Sox, $4,800 - I think it’s safe to say that the former sixth-overall pick has broken out in 2023. In the 216 plate appearances Abrams has had against RHPs since the beginning of July, the shortstop is slashing .296/.353/.510 with a .214 ISO and a 130 wRC+. In fact, that’s probably why Abrams has been the Nationals’ primary leadoff man during that entire stretch. The 22-year-old will have an opportunity to do more damage on Tuesday, as Jose Urena ($5,000) will start for Chicago. Urena has allowed a .467 wOBA to opposing LHBs this season.

Value

Bo Naylor, Cleveland Guardians at Kansas City Royals, $3,200 - Who doesn’t love a cheap catcher? Naylor, a former top prospect in the Guardians’ system, has been hitting the ball extremely well since the Midsummer Classic, posting a .240 ISO and a 131 wRC+ in his last 151 plate appearances. The left-handed backstop has power to spare and he’ll have a fantastic opportunity to show off that skill on Tuesday. Alec Marsh ($5,700) is expected to work in a bulk role for the Royals. Marsh has pitched to a 5.83 xERA this season, all while surrendering 2.24 opponent home runs per nine. Woof.

Value

Cavan Biggio, Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees, $2,800 - You want to be using left-handed batters against Clarke Schmidt ($7,300). While the Yankees’ RHP has held opposing RHBs to a .233 average and a .390 slugging percentage, those figures jump, respectively, to .302 and .505 versus LHBs. Meanwhile, Biggio has quietly been one of Toronto’s best hitters the past few months, earning him the five-spot in the Blue Jays’ lineup. Since the All-Star break, Biggio owns a 132 wRC+ in his 129 plate appearances.

OUTFIELD

Stud

Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros vs. Baltimore Orioles, $6,200 - It’s almost impossible to ignore Alvarez when he’s facing a right-handed opponent. In the season’s second-half, Alvarez is slashing .320/.438/.580 with a 180 wRC+. If you just isolate Alvarez’s plate appearances so far in September, that wRC+ jumps up to 212. He’s locked in. Kyle Gibson ($8,200) has seemingly survived 2023 with smoke and mirrors, but a 6.88 ERA in his last six starts is pretty indicative of his actual talent level. I’d anticipate Houston hitting the veteran hard this evening — particularly Alvarez.

Value

Mark Canha, Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals, $3,400 - As he’s done for the past couple of weeks, expect Canha to hit leadoff for the Brewers tonight against the left-handed Drew Rom ($5,300). In 152 plate appearances within the split in 2023, Canha owns a .220 ISO and a 133 wRC+. The veteran is also just red-hot in general, posting a 190 wRC+ so far in September. Rom, equipped with a 5.96 ERA, is unlikely to be the one to slow Canha down.

Value

Jason Heyward, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Detroit Tigers, $3,100 - Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers have one of this slate’s highest implied team totals. However, the definite surprise of 2023 has been that Heyward is a massive part of this run-scoring machine. Heck, the veteran outfielder is slashing .366/.398/.613 with a 173 wRC+ dating back to August 1. Los Angeles has clearly worked its magic yet again.

Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.