Thursday, Oct. 8 provides a four-game main slate at 2:08 p.m. EST on DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo and SuperDraft. Before you lock in your MLB DFS lineups and MLB DFS picks, make sure to check out check out Awesemo’s DFS baseball MLB rankings and projections.
Find The Best Odds For Your MLB Picks
Odds shopping is the best way to make sure you’re getting bang for your betting dollars. Please enjoy our new FREE website that shows you what each sports betting odds are in real-time. You can sign up, track your bets, get notifications when a line moves and see how much money you’re making over time. Check it out right HERE.
Main-Slate MLB DFS Picks
Atlanta Braves at RHP Sixto Sanchez – 4.7 implied runs
Keep in mind the playoffs are now at neutral sites with the Astros and Athletics playing in Dodger Stadium. The Yankees and Rays are playing in Petco Park this afternoon. The Marlins and Braves at Minute Maid Park, and the Padres and Dodgers playing in Globe Life Park.
Things are shaping up to be unpredictable today with two Game 3’s and two Game 4’s. Most of today’s starting pitchers are decent, though far from terrifying. Additionally, most relievers have now throwing in at least one if not two games in the last 72 hours.
Sanchez has been solid since making the jump from AA in this abbreviated season. In the minors he averaged a mediocre 7.9 K/9 rate, but he was able to maintain that across his 44.0 innings in The Show. With two negative-fantasy-point outings in his last three appearances, he may just be running out of gas. In his career he has topped 54.0 innings only twice in his five MiLB seasons.
While the youngster has done a nice job of limiting power allowing just three home runs, the walks have been ticking up. Atlanta has an incredibly deep lineup with very few easy outs. The top four in the order with Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna Jr., Travis d’Arnaud and Marcell Ozuna lead the list of preferred options. Differentiation plays abound in the back half of the lineup with Nick Markakis, Austin Riley, Dansby Swanson and Adam Duvall still going overlooked on these playoff slates. Then, of course, we have Ozzie Albies, who has worked his way back to a prominent role in the offense.
Related MLB Content
- Learn MLB DFS: DraftKings + FanDuel Primer
- MLB DFS Quick Hits: HRs, Stacks & Ownership featuredPlays
- Top Stack Tool (PREMIUM)
- Awesemo’s Top Pitcher Tool (PREMIUM)
- The MLB Strategy Show Live Before Lock
Tampa Bay Rays at LHP Jordan Montgomery – 4.5 implied runs
It will be in the low-70s at first pitch for this game being played in Petco Park. This will be the 11th start this season for Montgomery, though I expect the southpaw to be out of the game by the time the lineup rolls over for a third time. Over his last 72 lefty/lefty matchups, he is literally allowing no power with zero home runs and a .060 ISO. We will want to target him with opposite-handed batsmen with his 1.70 HR/9 and .195 ISO against the last 256 righties he has faced.
Hunter Renfroe has not played in a week, but his light-tower power may come into play on Thursday. In his last 355 righty/lefty matchups, he has tallied a massive .292 ISO and is a home run waiting to happen. Manuel Margot is also interesting with his .225 ISO in his last 333 matchups against opposite-handed hurlers. It is a bonus that these two previously called Petco Park home before joining the Rays.
The remainder of the righties are all in play for Tampa Bay. Mike Brosseau is not cheap or well known, but he brings the lumber and should be at the top of the order. Randy Arozarena is also not a household name, but he has homered in each of the first three games of this series. By no means is he a one-trick pony with a four-game multi-hit streak heading into Thursday with only one strikeout.
Yandy Diaz is a quiet cleanup hitter, but we can get him on the cheap — he should be popular for his discounted price tag. Finally, our differentiation options are Willy Adames and cheap power source Mike Zunino, who should be behind the dish.
Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more great Awesemo content.
Looking for more MLB DFS picks content? We’ve got loads of articles, data, cheatsheets and more on the Awesemo MLB home page, just click HERE.
