This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Green Day once asked us to wake them up when September ends. Somebody get on the phone to Billie Joe Armstrong. September is indeed ending Thursday. It's a busier day than usual for MLB, perhaps owing to the fact the regular season is about to end. That means I don't have to do a full-day slate! There are nine MLB games starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT or later. Here are my DFS recommendations.
PITCHING
Shane Bieber, CLE at KC ($10,500): My only concern is that Cleveland won't let Bieber go deep enough into this game to pick up a win. In his first start since June, Bieber only went three innings, though they were three perfect innings against the White Sox. The Royals are 24th in runs scored, so if Bieber goes at least five I expect him to pick up a win and have a nice game.
Joe Ryan, MIN vs. DET ($8,800): I like Ryan. Yes, the sample size is small, but in four starts he's posted a 2.47 FIP and struck out 10.23 batters per nine innings. He gets to end the season facing a Tigers team that is 23rd in runs scored. It's a nice matchup to end on.
Tony Gonsolin, LAD vs. SD ($7,100): Gonsolin loves pitching in the friendly confines of Dodgers Stadium. In his career he has a 2.08 ERA at home. The Padres are actually middling in terms of runs scored, and their collapse down the stretch has been a big part of that. San Diego might not even finish .500 thanks to a second half of the season that has seen it rack up the losses.
TOP TARGET
Cedric Mullins, BAL vs. BOS ($3,500): Mullins was perhaps the sole bright spot for the Orioles this year, as he's posted a 30-30 season. Additionally, the southpaw has a .987 OPS at home and a .958 OPS versus righties. Nick Pivetta has a 4.52 ERA this season, and in his career he has a 5.17 ERA.
VALUE BAT
Jazz Chisholm, MIA at NYM ($3,300): Chisholm is kind of a poor man's Mullins. He doesn't put up the same kind of average, but he has 17 home runs and 23 stolen bases. Rookie pitcher Tylor Megill has had a brutal campaign for the Mets. He's allowed 2.02 home runs per nine innings and has allowed lefties to hit .325 against him. Chisholm, by the way, is a lefty.
STACKS TO CONSIDER
Red Sox vs. Alexander Wells: J.D. Martinez ($3,800), Xander Bogaerts ($3,700), Enrique Hernandez ($3,400)
Boston has a ton to play for. Baltimore isn't going to sniff 60 wins. The Red Sox are going to put out the best lineups they can. The Orioles are trotting out Wells, who has a 6.42 FIP and has allowed 2.21 home runs per nine innings. Righties and lefties are both hitting him well, but I have recommended three righties against the southpaw Wells.
Martinez rebounded from his 2020 campaign, as he's slashed .287/.349/.522, and his career slugging percentage is .528. Bogaerts has a career .290 average, has hit .296 this year, and has hit .300 over the last two seasons. He also might slug over .500 for the fourth-season year. Hernandez has an .851 OPS versus lefties, which is good given that he's the usual leadoff hitter for the Red Sox.
Dodgers vs. Vince Velasquez: Mookie Betts ($4,000), Max Muncy ($3,800), Corey Seager ($3,900)
Velasquez is indicative of the issues the Padres have had down the stretch. He had a 5.95 ERA with the Phillies, but the Padres took a shot on him anyway. With San Diego he has a 9.00 ERA. Lefties have hit .284 against Velasquez since 2019, so naturally I have two lefties here.
Injuries cut down on Betts' numbers, but he still has 22 home runs and 10 stolen bases. He also has a .926 OPS at home. Muncy has hit 35 homers and slugged .524. Also, he has an 1.030 OPS at home, so he loves LA even more than Betts. Injuries cut into Seager's season as well, but over the last two year's he slashed .295/.374/.516 combined.
