MLB DraftKings September 1: Jose Berrios is the best option

By Bill Pivetz | Sep 1, 2018

CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 21: Jose Berrios #17 of the Minnesota Twins pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 21, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /

The September 1 MLB DraftKings slate features some great starting pitchers. Jose Berrios is the only one with a favorable matchup, making him a must-use.

The main MLB DraftKings slate features 13 games, starting at 7:05 PM and includes the 9:10 PM games. There are two 4:10 PM games (DET/NYY and NYM/SF) that are not included. Regardless, there are some top-tier starting pitchers playing in these games. It’s only Jose Berrios that needs to be used in your lineup.

Berrios and the Minnesota Twins play against the Texas Rangers. The Rangers offense has some potential with Rougned Odor and Joey Gallo but the rest of the team hasn’t performed over the last two weeks. The team is hitting .253 this month and .259 at home this season.

Over the last two months, Berrios has pitched four quality starts and earned three wins. He has had some bad games, including a 3.2-inning outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 15. There have been some good starts, too. Berrios has a career-best 9.1 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9.

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The only thing that Berrios will have a hard time with is earning the win. The Twins offense is hitting just a bit worse than the Rangers. They are hitting .250 this month. But if Berrios can shut down the Rangers, then a win is possible.

Berrios is priced at $7,800 on DraftKings. That is a great price for a pitcher with high-strikeout potential and the matchup he has.

Looking at the rest of the pitchers, they will have a hard time. Blake Snell pitches against the Cleveland Indians. Patrick Corbin gets the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw matches up with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Stephen Strasburg comes back to face the Milwaukee Brewers. All four of these pitchers are priced between $9,000 and $12,100.

The only other pitcher that may have a favorable matchup is Jon Gray as he pitches on the road against the San Diego Padres. But at $8,800, I’m not sure I want to invest that money in him.

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Berrios has a clear path to a quality start in this matchup. The Rangers lineup doesn’t scare me compared to the other lineups. The Twins can score a few runs but this could also be a 2-1 game when it’s over. Expect eight strikeouts and a seven-inning start from Berrios. Play with confidence.