This is one of the last Sunday calendars we have that we don't have to go up against the NFL. Something to consider is that the prize pool plummets once football season begins. This is an annoying aspect of MLB DFS, but it happens every year. That's why we want to finish off our last Sunday calendar strong before the inevitable happens.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at this card.
Sunday's MLB DFS and player picks
Sunday starting pitcher rankings
Player DK Salary FD Salary Value Risk Blake Snell (SF) at OAK $9,800 $10,500 Low Low George Kirby (SEA) at PIT $8,800 $10,100 Medium Medium Framber Valdez (HOU) vs. CWS $8,900 $10,600 Low Low Charlie Morton (ATL) at LAA $8,500 $9,100 Middle high school
Blake Snell (SF) (OAK)
Snell is always in a no-hitter phase, and he's in one right now. The lefty has allowed just five runs in seven starts during that span while posting a 0.99 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings. Oakland ranks 25th in runs scored, 27th in strikeout rate and 24th in on-base percentage, which is terrible news for the Athletics' awful offense.
George Kirby (SEA) PIT
It seems incredible to use a pitcher who allowed 11 runs earlier this week, but clearly that was a fluke. Prior to that awful outing, Kirby had allowed just 19 runs in 13 starts, posting a 2.17 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings in that span. Expect him to return to that form in this matchup, as Pittsburgh ranks 23rd in runs scored, 25th in on-base percentage, 26th in strikeout rate and 28th in wOBA.
Framber Valdez (HOU) vs. CWS
Valdez got off to a slow start this season, but the left-hander is now tearing up lineups. He hasn't allowed more than three runs in 12 of his past 14 starts and has a 2.93 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 8.9 strikeouts per nine innings over that span. He also has a 2.29 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings over his past six starts, which are impressive numbers considering he's facing a Chicago team that ranks last in runs scored, on-base percentage, OPS and wOBA.
Charlie Morton (ATL) competes in the LAA
It's not easy to expect too much from Morton given his recent form, but the veteran will improve. He showed glimpses of that in his last outing, earning 40 FanDuel points. This marks just the fifth time he's earned at least 40 FD points in his last 12 outings, and such an upward trend is rare for such a low-budget player. We're talking about a player with a 3.64 ERA and 1.20 WHIP since 2016, but he's not going to be scared of the 24th-ranked Angels lineup.
MLB DFS Picks: Suggested Lineup Stacks
Houston Astros (vs. Kai Bush)
The Astros have the most dangerous lineup in baseball, ranking in the top five in almost every hitting category over the past two months, which makes them a great option for a player like Bush. The left-hander has a staggering 2.31 WHIP in his first two starts. He's posted a 6.16 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in Triple-A, making him merely a stopgap pitcher for the worst team in baseball.
Boston Red Sox (vs. Albert Suarez)
Albert Suarez was a pleasant surprise in the first half of the season, but was a pumpkin in the second half. The veteran, who hadn't pitched since 2016 until this season, had a 5.12 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in his last 10 starts — tough numbers to come by against a Red Sox team that ranks fifth in on-base percentage and runs allowed.
MLB DFS Picks: Core Studs
POS Player DK Salary FD Salary 3B Jose Ramirez (CLE) $6,400 $4,200 OF Heliot Ramos (SF) $4,500 $3,100 2B Jose Altuve (HOU) $5,600 $3,700 OF James Wood (WAS) $4,800 $3,400 It's hard to believe Ramirez is playing as well as he has this season, but he's not even in the running for MVP. This is a testament to the caliber of Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt, and Ramirez is on pace to hit nearly 40 home runs and steal 35 bases. We've seen J-Lamb play like that for years, but he comes into this matchup with a .397 on-base percentage and 1.180 OPS over his past 16 games. Collin Rea is expected to have a negative xERA of 5.05, so that's good to see. Why is no one talking about Ramos in San Francisco? The guy has become one of the best left-handed slashers in the MLB, with a .465 on-base percentage and a 1.241 OPS thanks to the platoon advantage. Those splits are hard to understand and should be even better than JP Sears' 4.45 ERA from the start of last year. Altuve has been panned for the Astros scandal, but the guy has had an incredible career. The second baseman is on pace to go 20-20 this year with a .300 batting average. Most importantly, he has a .398 on-base percentage and a .942 OPS against lefties in 2022 and beyond, which is exactly what his sensational career splits were! Wood is one of the best rookies in baseball and could be a star. Washington moved Wood to the third and fourth spot in the lineup via a deadline trade, and Wood has hit .364/.455/.606 with a 1.061 OPS over his past 18 games. He also has a .403 OPS/.942 OPS over his minor league career and will face pitchers with a 5.68 ERA and 1.51 WHIP.
MLB DFS Picks: Value Plays/Punts
POS Player DK Salary FD Salary C Yainar Diaz (HOU) $4,600 $3,100 OF Masahiro Yoshida (BOS) $4,400 $3,000 1B Rhys Hoskins (MIL) $4,100 $2,900 1B Matt Olson (ATL) $5,400 $3,500 I rarely recommend catchers, but Diaz has been outstanding for the Astros in the second half of the season. He has been the No. 4 or No. 5 hitter in recent months and has maintained a .349 batting average, .500 slugging percentage and .874 OPS in his last 47 games. Additionally, Diaz has a platoon advantage over Bush and should get plenty of RBI opportunities in this Astros stack. Yoshida is a contract that is undervalued by the Red Sox. The outfielder has been a different man in the second half of the season, posting a .433 on-base percentage and a 1.018 OPS in his last 21 games. He also has an .870 OPS against right-handed pitchers this year, which shouldn't be a problem as Suarez has struggled since the break. Hoskins has been awful this season, but moving him down in the order is just what the doctor prescribed. This has given Hoskins more opportunities to hit runs, and he's hitting .298 with a .574 slugging percentage and a .922 OPS in his last 17 games. This should bode well for Ben Lively, who should regress to the negatives behind a 5.02 FIP. It's been hard to find a fourth GPP option, but Olson has been a standout player with a resurgence in the second half of the season. The slugger has eight homers and 18 RBIs in his last 19 games, with an OPS of .954 over that span. Olson had a strong season last year, hitting 54 home runs and driving in 139 RBIs, and a matchup with Jack Kochanowicz should see Olson continue his strong form, posting a 7.98 ERA and 1.64 WHIP while gaining platoon advantages from the left side.
Sunday's Top 3 Underdog Fantasy and PrizePicks Player Props
Paul Blackburn: 4.5 strikeouts – or more
Blackburn has struck out at least six batters in his first two starts since coming off the disabled list, and he should be able to replicate that production against the second-worst offensive team in baseball.
Framber Valdez: 18.5 outs recorded – Better than
Valdez has a 0.86 WHIP in his past six starts and could potentially pitch a no-hitter against one of baseball's worst teams.
Jose Altuve: 1.5 total bases – more
We've already talked about how Bush should reach this prop given how poorly he's performed and how dominant Altuve has been against lefties throughout his career.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer here at FantasyPros. To see more of Josh's work, check out his archives and follow him. Bartilotta Joel.
