Spotlight Pitchers: MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings + FanDuel | Clayton Kershaw | 9/25

It’s the second-to-last Friday of the regular season before we’re entrenched in MLB playoff baseball, with teams vying to either take their divisions or cinch up one of the final remaining playoff spots unclaimed in the National League. A genuine mix of talent, affordability and overall value with matchups considered this evening, the starting pitching available to make your MLB DFS picks from on this 10-game main slate is a relief by comparison to Thursday’s minimal offerings.

The playoff atmosphere is alive and well as the pressure mounted for the preferred seeding by select teams may still be attainable given their records. Out in the American League Central, a three-way battle for divisional supremacy rolls on, with the White Sox, Twins and Indians separated by two games or fewer in the standings. The Cincinnati Reds are surprisingly within reach of reining their grasp on one of the National League’s Wild Card seeds, while the dark horse San Francisco Giants have risen like the phoenix of 2012 lore into their ever-cherished lowest-seeded Wild Card berth (for now).

The following MLB DFS picks for fantasy baseball lineups are based on Awesemo’s MLB Projections for today’s MLB DFS fantasy baseball slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. For more free DraftKings and FanDuel MLB picks and analysis for DFS baseball lineups, check out the Awesemo.com YouTube Channel for today’s MLB Strategy Show, Deeper Dive and Live Before Lock Shows.


Related MLB DFS Content


Top MLB DFS Pitching Plays

Clayton Kershaw – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Los Angeles Angels – DraftKings $10,000, FanDuel $9,700

Despite the annually public beratement following any Dodgers postseason journey, Kershaw is performing quite impressively this season — a year he was anticipated to begin drastic declines due to mileage and lingering, recurrent injuries. Alas, Kershaw is proving the haters sillier as the 2020 season progresses and posting some solid fantasy numbers along the way.

Although his strikeout numbers aren’t exactly what they used to be, the Dodgers veteran lefty has been allowing very little damage this season and giving a hard time for opposing hitters to even get on base. Kershaw is tied for second among starting pitchers in WHIP at 0.75 (with ex-Dodger Kenta Maeda, coincidentally), along with ninth overall in batting average against (.171 BAA). While you can assume his strikeouts are on the decline, in fact it’s quite the contrary to that, with Kershaw’s strikeout rate up to what it hasn’t been since 2017: Above 29%. Kershaw is also posting 9.77 K/9 while walking just 4% of opposing hitters.

Yet, against right-handed hitters (which he’s slated to face seven today),  he’s been all the more sensational: 10.35 K/9, 30.5% strikeout rate, 0.68 HR/9 and an identical 4% walk rate. The Angels are producing at the league average in generating runs versus lefties, with a 102 wRC+ and 21.7 % strikeout rate. With reduced ownership and going well past the sixth inning in many instances, Kershaw is a fantastic play in both cash games and tournaments for Friday.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points B, Value B

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades:  Points B, Value D


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Yu Darvish – Cubs at White Sox – DraftKings $10,800, FanDuel $11,200

2020 has been one a horrible year for most of us, but on the mound it’s been anything short of a masterpiece for what was perceived before the season to be a declining Darvish. The Cubs ace has truly proven the masses wrong, notching a 1.00 WHIP, .218 BAA and .223 FIP this season where many assumed he would simply continue to regress into forgotten journeyman.

At first glance for today’s slate, however, one may be reluctant to roster a spend-up salaried Darvish considering his potent opposition at the plate in the Chicago White Sox, who have been punishing pitchers on the fly ball all season. They lead MLB in HR/FB rate at a steep 19.4%. However, Darvish is perfectly equipped to handle a roster like the White Sox, as his fly ball rate of 30.1% is over 5% lower than the league average (35.7% average in MLB). But that’s not the only advantage in Darvish’s arsenal.

Darvish is also cooking batters off the plate with the strikeout ability, the 13th-best rate among all starters (32.4% 2020), while the White Sox play directly into that stat line as well, with the fourth-highest strikeout rate in the majors against right-handed pitchers (26.1%). The price is a massive ask, but given the fantasy point upside of Darvish, I will take the risk and save elsewhere in several rosters.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points A, Value C

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades:  Points A, Value B

Jose Urquidy – Astros at Rangers – DraftKings $7,100, FanDuel $6,800

The value isn’t all at the top of the menu today, with some massive discounts on talent toward the middle/bottom of the pack on both sites, starting with Houston’s Urquidy. Not only does Urquidy have some proven demonstrative execution in preventing run damage without being as heavy on the strikeouts (hence the partial price cut), but his opponent in the Texas Rangers have the right weaknesses which play to his strengths.

Regardless of the fact that Urquidy is lacking in the strikeout department well below the league average (Urquidy 13.8% to 23.4% league average), the Texas Rangers are still striking out at the 10th-highest rate in all the majors against right-handed pitchers at 25%, which is always a welcome statistic when rostering pitching against anyone. The Rangers also have a dreadful inability to produce offense against righties, accounting for a 63 wRC+ versus righties.

Better yet, it’s when they do make contact which the Rangers play further into Urquidy’s hand, as Texas leads MLB in infield fly ball rate against right-handed pitchers at 14.9%, well above the league average against righties of 9.6%. Urquidy is popping up to the infield at a lofty 14.3% rate, which is above the MLB pitching average of 9.6%.

Not only does he provide affordability in order to afford any stack you’d like, but he is also rocking a 0.79 HR/9, an outstanding .190 BAA, 1.01 WHIP and stranding opposing hitters at just below 80%. Urquidy’s projected chalky ownership makes all the sense in the world and should be easy to surpass if desired to do so rostered at 23.2% on DraftKings and 15.1% on FanDuel.

Awesemo’s FanDuel Grades: Points C, Value A

Awesemo’s DraftKings Grades:  Points C, Value B


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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.

Once a man of 12-team teaser parlays and an abundance of season-long fantasy leagues, Chris "TopherSquints" Giordani gradually honed his fascination for sports and plus-money wagers toward Daily Fantasy Sports. A homegrown Awesemo student from the early stages of the site's inception, he became infatuated with the contrarian DFS mindset and eventually combined his passion for writing with Daily Fantasy at the Sports Gambling Podcast's website blog. Currently, Chris Giordani resides in Orange County, California, enjoys binging on stand-up comedy, and long strolls through the DraftKings lobby.

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