MLB DFS picks and pivots: Tuesday, September 24

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 08: Mike Clevinger #52 of the Cleveland Indians pitches against the Minnesota Twins on September 8, 2019 at the Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians defeated the Twins 5-2. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /

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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 08: Mike Clevinger #52 of the Cleveland Indians pitches against the Minnesota Twins on September 8, 2019 at the Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians defeated the Twins 5-2. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /

MLB DFS – Tuesday pitching breakdown

The same logic I have applied the last week or so to MLB DFS when selecting my pitchers is going to continue here today with a much better pool of arms to choose from as we look for two things – 1) Something to play for and 2) K upside.

That is it – end of requirements.

Gerrit Cole ($25K) we know checks the second box and then some, leading all of baseball the last 30 days with a monster 47.8% K rate, double-digit K’s in 7 straight in which he put up 30+ fantasy points in each outing while topping 40+ in 3 of those 7.

Now Cole may not have something to play for in the sense of clinching a playoff spot but the playoff positioning is critical as they sit only a half-game above the Yankees for home-field advantage. Now while it may be fair to wonder just how deep Cole will go in this game, the truth is, he has only exceeded 105 pitches ONCE in his last seven starts, racking up double-digit K’s with startling efficiency.

Sure $25K is a big ask but 100 pitches from Cole on any given night can break a slate wide open.

Mike Clevinger ($23K) becomes the cheaper pivot, sporting a 31.1% K rate over the last month which ranks 9th in baseball and the Indians remain just a half-game out of the wild card race in the American League, so once again – boxes checked.

From a match-up perspective, it does not get much better than a game against the White Sox, who have a 29.2% K rate against RHP in their projected lineup. Clevinger has faced this team twice in 2019, racking up 9 and 12 K’s and 26 and 37 fantasy points so we know the ceiling exists in this matchup.

Jack Flaherty ($19K) is the cost-effective pivot off Cole and Clevinger, with a 32.8% K rate over the last month which ranks 7th in baseball and will get a watered-down Arizona lineup tonight in Chase Field.

In all three cases here tonight, you are getting massive favorites against teams with some of the lowest IRT’s on the slate and with something to play for and top 10 K upside, I would try to limit yourself to shopping in this area with your arms tonight and find the hitter value to make it work.