Main DraftKings MLB Picks September 1: Fade Kershaw For Castillo

TORONTO, ON – MAY 30: Kendrys Morales #8 of the Toronto Blue Jays circles the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning during MLB game action against the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre on May 30, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

DraftKings Main MLB Picks For September 1

We have 13 games in our main DraftKings tournament today. The only reason we are one short, and no they did not short us the second game of the Detroit-Cleveland twinner, is the Mets-Astros tilt in Houston will be part of a doubleheader tomorrow. Hopefully we get both of those in tomorrow’s slates, or we miss out on a certain streaming option! We have a packed middle tier tonight with only a couple of aces. Should we pay for Kershaw in his return? Let’s find out!

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The money line last night was at 108.35, which is a little bit down. My Orioles stack with the two Wrigley starting pitchers made it into the money.

The winning lineup was just a shade under 200 at 199.3. He used Sabathia with Hendricks and used the monster game from Kendrys Morales to power him to victory.

We will provide you with several options to build your lineup here. Want to spend all your money on pitchers and play bargain bats? We will highlight who is worth the money. Want to punt arms and pay up for the big boppers? We can help you with that as well, and everything in between!

For you first time players, if you would like a bonus of 25% of your first deposit, use this link for the referral bonus! Then continue reading for tips on how to turn those DraftKings dollars into more!

Next: DraftKings Pitcher Plays

ARLINGTON, TX – AUGUST 16: Cole Hamels #35 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Detroit Tigers in the top of the first inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on August 16, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Kershaw’s back, so the Padres are in trouble. Oh boy, are they. Kershaw has held the Padres to a .173 average in 75 at bats with only one homer (by Matt Szczur, of all people) and three runs with an astonishing 26 strikeouts. Now, here comes the issue: Kershaw is on a 75 pitch/5 inning cap here. Can he possibly produce enough strikeouts in five innings to make him worth that lofty price? It’s the Padres, so I wouldn’t rule it out. However, the odds are against it, so I will spend the money elsewhere.

Luis Castillo dominated the Pirates in Cincinnati in his last turn through the rotation. He will likely do the same, or even better, in Pittsburgh. Castillo will be shut down by the Reds sometime soon, but there have been no rumblings about them limiting his innings in games he does start. This is possibly the last time Castillo wont have some sort of risk attached, so let him fly tonight. I love him at this price!

Expect a pitcher’s duel in Pittsburgh with Gerrit Cole facing off against Castillo. The Reds are hitting a robust .266 against Cole, but they have just one homer and only nine runs in 109 at bats with 31 strikeouts. Honestly, I like Castillo better, so I am spending the $1,600 elsewhere and rolling with the Reds’ rookie. Cole is still not a bad choice if you have money to burn.

The Angels are only hitting .216 in 227 career at bats against Cole Hamels with only four homers and 18 runs to go with 50 strikeouts. Aside from a couple of road hiccups this month, Hamels have been very solid since the beginning of July. He has a 3.04 ERA at home this year, and the Angels don’t have a whole lot that can hurt him. He should bounce back nicely from that nightmare in Oakland earlier this week.

Middle Tier:

Jimmy Nelson has held the Nationals to a .208 average in 48 at bats with only one homer, four runs, and nine strikeouts. The trouble here is that Nelson has struggled lately. He does have a solid 3.39 home ERA this season, and as we saw last night, this offense isn’t nearly as potent without Bryce Harper. You know what you are getting from most of this tier. Nelson provides nice upside, but he is also a threat to get pounded.

Sonny Gray has pitched well so far in his two starts at Yankee Stadium. He has allowed two homers, but only three runs, so he is keeping the bases clear otherwise. Boston is only hitting .230 against him in 87 at bats, but they do have four homers and nine runs. However, the 19 strikeouts is a plus, and Doug Fister is taking the hill for the Red Sox, so Gray has a great chance at the win. Gray is a solid option if you are taking two middle pitchers tonight.

Mike Clevinger finds himself on the fringe of the ace tier tonight, and he should. His numbers against Detroit are ridiculous! The Tigers are a pathetic 3-31(.097) against him with one homer and five RBI (all by the same person) with ten strikeouts. I will give him a pass since all of the counting stats were surrendered to a future Hall of Famer. He should dominate the rest of this lineup at a reasonable price.

Well, if you are going to face Kershaw, it’s great that you get him when he is on a pitch cap. Such is the case for Dinelson Lamet. After a rough welcome to the majors, he has allowed three runs or less in every start since July 18th. The Dodger offense presents a significant risk, but Lamet does have a 3.98 ERA at home this year.

Ian Snell is going to be a popular streamer in this tier by people who ignore what the White Sox have done against lefties this year. As a whole, the White Sox’s offensive numbers look pedestrian, but the are in the top five in the league against lefties. And this game is at Guaranteed Rate Field, a notorious hitter’s park. I’m staying away from this one.

Tanner Roark will go overlooked on this slate, but maybe he shouldn’t. The Brewers are hitting a solid .256 off of him, but they have scored just one run. The Brewers are an all or nothing team that is coming up with a whole lot of the latter lately. Milwaukee has scored four runs or less in six of the last eight games. Roark also has a 3.79 ERA over his last ten starts. Add that to the strikeout upside for the Brewers, and Roark is a solid middle tier play tonight.

Bargain Pitchers:

There are some good pitchers to take a flier on down here tonight. One is Dillon Peters, who will make his major league debut against the Phillies. The Phillies are better than they were early on, but this lineup still struggles against lefties. Peters boasted a 1.97 ERA in nine starts for AA Jacksonville this year. He could shine in his debut.

So could Jack Flaherty, who draws the Giants in AT&T Park, one of the best pitcher’s parks in the league, in his debut. I wouldn’t be opposed to starting both Flaherty and Peters in a Coors Stack (hint, hint).

If you are dumpster diving again, Dillon Gee is an interesting play. His former team is hitting just .229 against him in 35 at bats wtih only one run and six strikeouts. Gee wont rack up the strikeouts, but he is in a solid spot for a win opposing the struggling Jason Hammel.

Kyle Freeland is an anomaly like Jon Gray. He boasts a 3.30 ERA in 13 home starts this season, but Arizona is a strong offense, and Freeland has struggled lately. That said, every pitcher in this tier carries risk. It’s up to you if you’re willing to take the chance for low ownership. For what it’s worth, Freeland held Arizona to just one run in six innings in his only other career start against them.

DENVER, CO – AUGUST 03: Mark Reynolds #12 of the Colorado Rockies hits a home run in the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Coors Field on August 3, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

I had no interest in Carlos Santana or Edwin Encarnacion due to their rough previous stats against Matt Boyd in the opener, but if they play the nightcap, I like them against Buck Farmer. Edwin has hit a three run homer off of him in two at bats. Santana is 2-5 with three walks, a double, two runs scored, and two RBI against Farmer.

Adrian Beltre is 4-14 with a homer and five RBI in his career against Tyler Skaggs so far. If his injury is indeed a hamstring strain though, Beltre wont be available. Mike Napoli continues to bombard lefties, so he is worth a look as well.

Mark Reynolds is 4-8 with a walk, a double, two solo homers, and three run scored in his career against Taijuan Walker already. Like many of his teammates, Reynolds has been a lot better at Coors than on the road. Nolan Arenado is 3-8 with a double, a solo homer, and three runs scored against Walker. These two are an integral part of a Rockies stack if you elect to go that way tonight.

If you aren’t a big believer in Peters tonight, Rhys Hoskins has great power and the platoon advantage over a rookie. So does Maikel Franco at a much lower price.

Middle Tier:

Mitch Moreland is the only current Boston player to homer off of Sonny Gray. If you were paying attention last page, you know he has all four homers and six of the nine Sox RBI against Gray. If I play any Boston player, it will be Moreland. Hanley Ramirez could be solid as well. He is 4-11 with a double, two runs scored, and a RBI off of Sonny Gray.

Smoak em if you got em! Kendys Morales is just 1-10 in his career against Kevin Gausman, so if I go with Jays again, I will have Smoak instead. He is 2-8 with a homer, a double, a walk, and two RBI. Josh Donaldson is also too cheap tonight. He is 7-23(.304) with three walks, two doubles, a homer, and five RBI off of Gausman.

Even though Joe Biagini has fared pretty well against the Orioles, I don’t trust him in Camden Yards. This game was a slugfest last night, and likely will be again. Manny Machado is a little much for the way my lineup is shaping up, but I do like Chris Davis in this tier. He is 1-3 with a walk, a double, and a run scored so far against Biagini. He homered last night, so maybe he has finally found his stroke. Hey, better late than never!

If Jose Abreu can play tonight, I am all over him against Ian Snell tonight. Same with Matt Davidson. There is plenty of right handed power in this lineup to attack Snell with, and most of it is reasonably priced.

Bargain Shoppers:

Miguel Cabrera has a double, a homer, a walk, a homer, and five RBI in eight career at bats against Mike Clevinger. Just be aware that Miggy will likely sit the nightcap if he plays in the early game.

If you are looking to save money, you can try to pick on the newest Mariner Mike Leake with cheap A’s. Matt Olson and Matt Chapman top this list, but Marcus Semien a Matt Joyce are also worth a look.

ARLINGTON, TX – AUGUST 16: Elvis Andrus #1 of the Texas Rangers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the fifth inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on August 16, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

You will have to pay up for either Tim Beckham or Jonathan Schoop tonight, but they may be worth it against Joe Biagini. Schoop in particular since he is 4-10 with two doubles and two runs scored against Biagini so far.

Elvis Andrus is 6-14(.429) with three walks, a double, a steal, a solo homer, and five RBI in his career against Tyler Skaggs. Andrus is a really good play tonight.

Daniel Murphy is 3-9 with a double, a homer, a steal, two runs scored, and two RBI in his career against Jimmy Nelson. The problem here seems to be that Murphy is struggling without Harper in the lineup to protect him.

Middle Tier:

Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius are a combined 4-8 against Doug Fister with three runs scored and five RBI. You really can’t go wrong with either of them tonight, and they are both reasonably priced.

Trevor Story is 3-8 with a double, a steal, and two RBI in his career ainst Taijuan Walker. DJ LeMahieu is 4-11 with a steal, two walks, and a run scored. Both are solid plays in the middle of a Rockies stack.

Bargain Shoppers:

Brad Miller‘s price has crept up over $3,000, but this kind of power in a hitter’s park against a right handed rookie is very hard to ignore for this low of a price. Especially if you have plans that include paying for Kershaw.

Keep an eye on some call-up stealing lineup spots, as some of them could wind up in favorable positions. Assuming that Darwin Barney is in the lineup for Toronto again, he is worth a look. Barney is 6-15 with a solo homer in his career against Kevin Gausman.

Next: Top Outfield Plays

OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 09: Nelson Cruz #23 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates after hitting a home run in the fifth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on August 9, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Top Tier:

Giancarlo Stanton has a bat in his hands, so he is in play. And he is 2-5 with a solo homer against Nick Pivetta. A more under the radar play may be teammate Christian Yelich. Yelich is 2-4 with a walk, two homers, four runs scored, and five RBI off of Pivetta already, and he will come cheaper than Stanton. Marcell Ozuna has also hit a homer against Pivetta if you are feeling the whole Marlins outfield on your team.

Sean Manaea has struggled. Nelson Cruz has not. Oh, and Cruz is 6-11(.545) with four walks, two homers, a steal, and six RBI in his career against Manaea. Any Mariner righty is a decent play tonight, but Cruz is the elite one to play. If Guillermo Heredia is in the lineup, he is 4-10 with two walks, a double, two runs scored, and two RBI against Manaea.

In case you haven’t noticed, Kevin Kiermaier and Corey Dickerson have caught fire lately. They are elite plays against rookie Reynaldo Lopez at Guaranteed Rate Field tonight!

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Middle Tier:

Adam Jones just barely fits in this tier anymore. He had a big game last night, and could be in for another since he is 4-8 with a walk, a run, and a RBI so far against Joe Biagini. Mark Trumbo has three of the four Oriole RBI against Biagini.

Shin-Soo Choo is 5-7 with two walks, a double, two runs scored, and A RBI in his career against Tyler Skaggs. Skaggs struggled against Texas in Anaheim ten days ago. This looks like a good place to exploit that.

I would consider playing the entire Twins outfield against Jason Hammel tonight. Max Kepler is 5-7 with a walk, three doubles, a steal, a run scored, and a RBI already against Hammel. Eddie Rosario is 4-6 with a walk, two steals, two runs scored, and a RBI. We all know what Byron Buxton has done over the last month, but even if he is out again, speedster Zack Granite could earn another start. The Twins have swiped six bags against Hammel in only 74 at bats. Granite is woth a speculative play.

I don’t expect many runs in this game, but I simply can’t ignore what Billy Hamilton has done in his career against Gerrit Cole. Hamilton is 6-20 with three walks, two doubles, and five runs scored in his career. Big deal, right? Those are solid numbers, but nothing great. Well, here is the great part. Hamilton has swiped 13…..13!! bases against Cole already without being caught. That’s a lot of DraftKings points, my friends!

If Justin Upton suits up for his new team tonight, he could be worth a look. He is 12-45(.267) with four double, seven runs scored, and a solo homer in his career against Cole Hamels. Albert Pujols has the other three homers off of Hamels, but is just 9-42(.214) against him lifetime.

Avisail Garcia is batting cleanup at $3,700 against Ian Snell in a hitter’s park. To quote Bixby Snyder from Robo Cop, “I’ll buy that for a dollar!” (or 3,700 of them.).

Bargain Shoppers:

Jacoby Ellsbury‘s struggles have kept him in this tier lately, but he has the past stats that say he could break out at any time. Such as tonight. Ellsbury is 5-12 with three walks, three doubles, three runs scored, and two RBI in his career against Doug Fister. Aaron Hicks is also a strong choice, but will cost you a little more.

The true bargains in the Blue Jays lineup could be further under the surface. Ezequiel Carrera is 5-15 with two walks, a double, a homer, four runs scored, and two RBI so far against Kevin Gausman. Steve Pearce has been hitting near the top of the order, and is 4-7 (all singles) in his career against Kevin Gausman. Oh, and he is less than $3,000.

If I touch Rockies outfielders, I’m going cheap. Carlos Gonzalez is 3-9 with two doubles, a homer, and three RBI in his career against Taijuan Walker. Gerardo Parra is 1-3, so if you want to use him, there’s not a problem. However, Charlie Blackmon is only 3-13 lifetime against Walker. with no extra base hits. I will pay up for him another day.

Next: FanDuel MLB Picks and Pivots

Good luck out there, and check out our picks for FanDuel baseball, along with our PGA picks. We also have plenty of NFL stuff to get you ready for football!