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This article outlines the best daily fantasy MLB plays of the day at every position. We take a comprehensive look to uncover these core recommendations, factoring respective salaries into the analysis.
Please note, these player picks were organized early in the day. For MLB contests, always check lineups and weather closer to game time. Rain, wind, or unexpected managerial decisions could open up additional sources of value. Be sure to keep an eye on the MLB Headlines and Injuries desk.
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PITCHER
Top Play: Blake Snell – Padres (vs Angels)
This is a tricky one. Since a disasterpiece in late-July, Snell has snapped off six strong outings including three double-digit strikeout masterpieces. Two of those were against a beatable Diamondbacks offense, but the other came versus an elite Dodgers offense. He also notched nine strikeouts in five innings against the Phillies on August 20. While it seems like he’s turned a corner, I don’t have any underlying data confirming the recent performance. We should consider this a volatile, high ceiling play. Projection systems are blending the good with a touch of the bad, expecting over six innings and eight strikeouts. He could honestly be much better or much worse. Over the last month, the Angels have a fifth-worst 24.9 percent strikeout rate.
Pivot: Zac Gallen – DBacks (vs Rangers)
Gallen is another pitcher who has stepped up lately, although in his case it’s easier to point to red flags. At his best, Gallen has above average command of a five-pitch repertoire. This season, he isn’t locating his breaking stuff as effectively, leading to more walks and mistakes over the plate. Judging from his recent walk and home run rates, he’s still missing those spots – he just also happens to have done a decent job of preventing runs. Gallen has recorded 10.45 K/9 so there’s built-in baseline upside against a weird Rangers offense. Most of the hitters are either whifftastic power threats or punchless-but-hard-to-whiff. They won’t have the designated hitter in Arizona.
Also Consider: Gerrit Cole, Aaron Nola, Logan Webb, Eduardo Rodriguez, Max Fried, Wade Miley,
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CATCHER
Top Play: Salvador Perez – Royals (at Alexander Wells)
The Orioles are turning to a soft-tossing southpaw who probably doesn’t belong in the Majors. His fly ball tendencies are ill-matched to Camden Yards. Perez is almost ludicrously expensive for a catcher, and yet it’s a solid dollar-for-dollar value all the same. That’s because he leads the slate in home run potential. He has better than a two-in-five shot at a home run and just shy of a one-in-five chance for a double-dinger.
Pivot: Alejandro Kirk – Blue Jays (at Gerrit Cole)
Going after Cole is never a percentage play. However, Kirk has the right blend of contact skills, discipline, and sneaky pop necessary to deliver a stunning blow. He’s correctly priced for this challenging matchup. This is a leverage play – if Kirk pops off, it might also mean all those Cole users are suffering.
Also Consider: Buster Posey, J.T. Realmuto, Yasmani Grandal, Daulton Varsho, Elias Diaz, Kyle Higashioka, Will Smith, Pedro Severino, Cal Raleigh
FIRST BASE
Top Play: Brandon Belt – Giants (at Chi Chi Gonzalez)
Gonzalez is a sacrificial lamb who allows ludicrous quantities of line drive contact. It’s honestly a miracle he hasn’t been hit with a comebacker. While I usually warn that Coors Field visitors underperform, don’t hold back when it comes to using Giants tonight. Belt will probably bat second and figures to be one of the five or so best players in the slate.
Pivot: Frank Schwindel – Cubs (vs Miley)
It’s not really a pivot to say “hey, go use this smoking-hot, underpriced player.” I’m banking on Belt and pricier alternatives keeping Schwindel to at least a reasonable rostership in GPPs. He’ll have the platoon advantage against Miley, a command artist who likes to work the lower edges of the zone. Interestingly, despite his fly ball tendencies, Schwindel has performed best on pitches up in the zone.
Also Consider: Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Schwarber, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Matt Olson, Joey Votto, Nelson Cruz, Jose Abreu, C.J. Cron, Max Muncy, Ryan Mountcastle, Luke Voit, Andrew Vaughn
SECOND BASE
Top Play: Trea Turner – Dodgers (at J.A. Happ)
Since joining the Dodgers, Turner has rarely posted huge DFS totals. That’s no knock on him, the sequencing of events just hasn’t worked out. Meanwhile, his price tag is now absurdly affordable for a player who is always capable of running away with a slate. Happ is an exploitable opponent for the Dodgers offense.
Pivot: Jean Segura – Phillies (vs Eric Lauer)
Segura is a tad pricey at first glance. However, his frontline matchup against Lauer actually has a strong chance of producing a home run. Segura is best against left-handed, fly-ball pitchers like Lauer. The relief matchups largely play down so any big fireworks are likeliest to happen early in the game. He’s also one of the top multi-hit plays outside of the big stacks. I expect him to be virtually unrostered. Second base will be a common position to chase steeper bargains.
Also Consider: Tommy La Stella, Thairo Estrada, Jonathan India, Whit Merrifield, Ozzie Albies, DJ LeMahieu, Brandan Rodgers, Garrett Hampson, Jorge Mateo, Josh Rojas, Josh VanMeter
THIRD BASE
Top Play: Evan Longoria – Giants (at Gonzalez)
With Kris Bryant likely sidelined for a day or three, Longoria will probably bat cleanup. The Giants have eased him back into regular action with a couple off days since his return on September 3. He was hitting well prior to suffering a swath of injuries starting in late-May. All indications, including scalding rehab numbers at Triple-A, suggest he can pick up where he left off. Coors Field and an incapable opponent should help matters.
Pivot: Patrick Wisdom – Cubs (vs Miley)
This is the Schwindel pick all over again except Wisdom is demonstrably superior against pitches down in the zone. He’s one of the purest all-or-nothing plays around with a one-in-three chance to roll Yahtzee.
Also Consider: Rafael Devers, Manny Machado, Austin Riley, Kyle Seager, Mike Moustakas, Ryan McMahon, Adalberto Mondesi, Justin Turner, Bobby Dalbec, Jace Peterson, Josh VanMeter
SHORTSTOP
Top Play: Adalberto Mondesi – Royals (at Wells)
This is usually where we’d talk about Trevor Story or Brandon Crawford. They’re certainly the other names on the short list for shortstop, but I find myself more fascinated by Mondesi. One of his weaknesses is strikeouts which shouldn’t be an issue versus Wells. Since the southpaw fills the zone with strikes, Mondesi’s hyper aggression probably won’t burn him either. I’m counting on four or five balls in play with potential for multiple hits, power, run production, and multiple stolen bases.
Pivot: Gleyber Torres – Yankees (vs Steven Matz)
Torres’ bizarre power outage remains an ongoing issue. Peripherals suggest he should immediately begin hitting more home runs – as they’ve indicated all along. Frankly, I’m mystified. Often, my reaction to such mystification is to shrug and continue using the guy until he lights up and returns to his normal price point. Even the 2021 version of Torres is playable at the current price point.
Also Consider: Wander Franco, Trevor Story, Brandon Crawford, Dansby Swanson, Corey Seager, Brendan Rodgers, J.P. Crawford, Thairo Estrada, Mauricio Dubon, Jorge Mateo
OUTFIELD
Top Plays: Fernando Tatis Jr. – Padres (vs Packy Naughton)
Mike Yastrzemski – Giants (at Gonzalez)
Jorge Soler – Braves (vs Paolo Espino)
The Padres just saw Naughton, who incidentally isn’t much to look at as a pitcher. The soft-tossing southpaw is highly exploitable. For a pitcher, multiple exposure to the same lineup over a short period is associated with increased meltdown risk. Tatis has a better than one-in-three shot at a home run with his usual contest-melting array of upside outcomes.
Really, you should feel free to use any Giants outfielders in the starting lineup. They tend to mix and match enough that it can be hard to pick the daily starters in the early afternoon. Mikey Yaz, for instance, is day-to-day with a “non-COVID” illness. After a meandering start to the season, he’s rediscovered his power stroke, swatting 21 home runs in 460 plate appearances. He generates frequent fly ball contact and has even edged his max exit velocity to a career-best 109.4-mph.
We almost got through this without discussing the Braves hosting Espino and friends. The Nationals northpaw is a soft-tosser who has all the elements of an impending case of homeritis. His current 1.57 HR/9 actually reads as fortunate. Soler is one of several hitters in this slate with just shy of a one-in-three chance for a home run.
Pivots: Sam Hilliard – Rockies (vs Webb)
Edward Olivares – Royals (at Wells)
Webb is a ground ball pitcher with swing-and-miss stuff so we have to find the right guy to use against him. The Rockies are smart (most agree they aren’t), they’ll use Hilliard in this matchup. While whiffs are a risk, Hilliard’s sweeping swing is one of the likeliest to generate lift versus Webb. Switching back to the Royals stack, Olivares has made a few starts as the cleanup hitter lately. He’s almost a must-play bargain if he has the role again. I’m betting he’s further down the lineup where he should still be considered. Despite modest Major League production, Olivares has the tools to deliver multiple hits, power, and/or stolen bases.
Also Consider: Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Joey Gallo, Kyle Schwarber, LaMonte Wade, Darin Ruf, Garrett Hampson, Charlie Blackmon, Adam Duvall, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, Michael Brantley, Jake Meyers, Chas McCormick, Tyler Naquin, Nick Castellanos
