DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Thursday 9/29/22

Now’s your chance to get DFSR PRO, which will give you access to our MLB, NBA, PGA, NHL, and NFL optimizers and our new player lab! Get started for free by clicking the button below.

Pitchers

Early

Ranger Suárez FD - P 9200 DK - SP 8400
Opponent - CHC (Javier Assad) Park - CHC
FD - 32.08 DK - 15.88

The final week of the regular season can be a nightmare for DFS, especially pitching, trying to figure out pitch counts and team's motivations. That shouldn't be an issue here as the Phillies are still alive and chasing the final NL wildcard spot. While Suarez lacks elite upside with a 19.7% K rate, he has provided a very solid floor allowing just one earned run in his last two starts lowering his ERA to 2.55 in the second half. Better yet, he gets a plus matchup against the Cubs who have struggled to a .280 wOBA/79 wRC+ over the last two weeks while striking out over 27% of the time. Fire up Suarez in all formats on the early slate.

Main

Shohei Ohtani FD - P 11100 DK - SP 10500
Opponent - OAK (Cole Irvin) Park - LAA
FD - 47.97 DK - 26.58

He isn't going to win the Cy Young or the MVP in 2022 but Ohtani has improved in almost every single area when it comes to his performance on the mound. He already has five more wins(14), an ERA(2.47) over half a run better, and is striking out almost 4% more batters. He has been especially dominant down the stretch allowing just four earned runs over his last five starts(1.13 ERA) and now faces a bottom five offense in the A's who has struck out 26% of the time over the last two weeks. Lock and load with Ohtani in all formats.

Catcher/First Base

Early

Triston Casas FD - 1B 2900 DK - 1B 2200
Opponent - BAL (Mike Baumann) Park - BOS
FD - 9.92 DK - 7.48

It has taken some time for the prized Red Sox prospect to prove he belongs in the majors but is finishing the season strong and went into Wednesday night with hits in five of his last six games. He has also flashed some big power with three home runs in that time and gets a plus matchup against Mike Baumann(4.32 ERA/4.44 xFIP) and a struggling O's bullpen that has posted a 6.10 ERA over the last two weeks. Casas hits down in the lineup but is near min price on both sites and allows us to load up on bats elsewhere. I will have exposure in all formats.

Main

Ty France FD - 1B 3100 DK - 1B/3B 4400
Opponent - TEX (Jon Gray) Park - SEA
FD - 9.24 DK - 7.05

While the Marines have been bleeding away their lead for the final wildcard, they have still been providing some excellent PTS/$ value for DFS purposes. While France has been nowhere near the player he was in the first half he is finishing strong and comes in with hits in five of his last six games including three multi-hit efforts and has 15 RBI in the month of September. The matchup is not at the top of my list but the options are limited at the position and more good news as the M's have had their way with Gray this season scoring four earned runs in both starts. All things considered, I will have exposure to France in all formats.

Second Base

Early

Harold Castro FD 2100 DK 2500
Opponent - KC (Jonathan Heasley) Park - KC
FD - 7.3 DK - 5.78

With a ton of injuries at the top when looking at second base, it has us travelling down to find more value and the Tigers provide just that in a plus matchup on Thursday. Harold Castro is having a solid season hitting .275 but has really stood out in the short term as he comes in with a four-game hit streak and has tallied three hits in each of his last three games. He faces rookie Jonathan Heasley who has been better in his last two starts but still struggles with left-handed batters with a 5.90 xFIP and .370 wOBA against. Fitting Castro in your lineup also opens up salary to load up elsewhere.

Main

Luis Rengifo FD 2600 DK 4300
Opponent - OAK (Cole Irvin) Park - OAK
FD - 11.78 DK - 9.07

On the main slate, we will continue to target Cole Irvin who has hit the regression wall hard tallying a 6.99 ERA with nine home runs against over his last eight starts. He now faces an Angels team that is riding high winning three straight and four of their last five scoring four or more runs in each. Leading things off, literally, is Luis Rengifo who is having a career-best season with highs in almost every category and comes in hot with hits in four straight and 11 of his last 13 games hitting g.293 with a 131 wRC+. At these prices hitting in front of Trout, I will have a ton of exposure to Rengifo in all formats.

Shortstop

Early

Elvis Andrus FD 2500 DK 4000
Opponent - MIN (Louie Varland) Park - MIN
FD - 7.33 DK - 5.77

We have mentioned Andrus a ton lately and while it has been a struggle over the last few games he is still hitting at the top of the order getting a ton of opportunity. Despite the struggles in the short term, he is still hitting .283 with a 128 wRC+ since taking over at the top of the order and gets a plus matchup against Louie Varland who has posted a 5.06 ERA/4.37 xFIP over his three starts while giving up at least one home run(4 total) in each game. The White Sox have been eliminated but still provide us some salary relief for DFS and Andrus is my top choice leading thing off.

Main

Trea Turner FD 3900 DK 5700
Opponent - SD (Sean Manaea) Park - SD
FD - 10.15 DK - 7.82

We are going to have to spend some of that salary at some point so let's jump on the Dodgers who have had their way with Sean Manaea scoring six or more earned runs in each of their last three meetings when he started. Let's start at the top with Trea Turner who has fallen off a bit in September but is elite in terms of contributing in every fantasy category as he is one oof just seven players with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases and is on the cusp of a 100 runs/100 RBI season as well. I will have exposure in all formats in this matchup.

Third Base

Early

Rafael Devers FD 4000 DK 5900
Opponent - BAL (Mike Baumann) Park - BAL
FD - 11.86 DK - 8.96

Like I mentioned above, it's time to start spending some of that salary we have saved throughout so let's go back to targeting Baumann and the struggling Orioles bullpen. Devers has been the Red Sox MVP this season(.294/.356/.524 slash line) and has been even better down the stretch hitting .344 with a smashing .401 wOBA and 160 wRC+ and has crushed O's pitching in this series with six hits in 14 at-bats. I look for that success to continue and will have exposure in all formats on this early slate.

Main

Manny Machado FD 4600 DK 5400
Opponent - LAD (Andrew Heaney) Park - LAD
FD - 10.93 DK - 8.29

If you are looking to spend up on this slate stacking the Dodgers/Padres game might not be a bad idea and the Padres might be my favorite of the two. While the Dodgers have locked up the division and best record in baseball, the Padres are still looking to clinch a wildcard spot and I love targeting their leader, Manny Machado. He has been consistent all season and finishing strong with hits in nine of his last 11 games with multi-hit efforts in three of his last four. It is a tougher decision on FanDuel where he is the most expensive player on the slate but on DraftKings as the seventh most expensive, he is one of my favorite plays and in play in all formats.

Outfield

Early

Riley Greene FD 2500 DK 4400
Opponent - KC (Jonathan Heasley) Park - KC
FD - 9.17 DK - 7.04

The Tigers came into the season with two of the top prospects in baseball and it's Greene making the biggest impact early on. He was called up in mid-June and understandably was a bit inconsistent but is closing out 2022 in style hitting .311 with an elite .393 on-base percentage since mid-August. I mentioned it earlier with Castro, I like this matchup against Jonathan Heasley today and especially the left-handed bats. Greene is now the everyday leadoff hitter in Detroit and at these prices, will be a staple in my lineup in all formats on Thursday.

Main

Mike Trout FD 4500 DK 6000
Opponent - OAK (Cole Irvin) Park - OAK
FD - 15.68 DK - 11.6

Let's cap off the article with the player who leads our projections when looking at the entire day. It is once again sad to see one of the best players of our generation not going to the playoffs but that doesn't really matter when looking at this from a DFS perspective. He has been a beast for fantasy down the stretch with home runs in two of his last three games and 10 total in the month of September to go along with an eye-popping .442 wOBA and 193 wRC+. The Angels are the highest projected team on the slate against a struggling Cole Irvin and Trout is easily my top play on this slate and with all the value throughout, should be easy to build around in all formats.

GRAB A FREE TRIAL OF OUR PROJECTION SYSTEM, AND CHECK OUT DFSR PRO!