9/13 DFS Pitching and Prop Picks: A Cole Lotta Kershaw

With the season winding down, we’re back at it with more pitching picks here. We nearly went 3-0 with our Monkey Knife Fight picks last week but just missed because Dinelson Lamet couldn’t keep his pitch count down. We have some absolute studs taking the mound today though and it should make for a fascinating schedule. Let’s get into our 9/13 DFS Pitching Picks!

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9/13 DFS Pitching Cash Game Pitchers

Gerrit Cole, HOU at KC 

DK ($12,200)   FD ($12,000) 

Is there any question that Cole was going to be the cash game pitcher of the day? This dude has been absolutely absurd this season, pitching to a 2.73 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 2.51 xFIP and 39.4 percent K rate. Those are probably the best numbers around and he’s been even better recently. Over his last nine starts, Cole has a 1.75 ERA and 0.70 WHIP while striking out at least 14 batters in three-straight and 10 victims in five-straight.

Those are little league numbers and it’s truly horrifying for a bad Royals lineup like this. In fact, Kansas City currently ranks 28^th in runs scored, 25^th in OBP, 27^th in OPS and 24^th inwOBA. That’s why Cole and the Astros enter this matchup as a –400 favorite.  

Clayton Kershaw, LAD at NYM 

DK ($10,800)   FD ($10,800) 

Many people were very concerned about Kershaw’s reliability in the offseason but he’s proved all the doubters wrong. Not only has he reached at least six innings in 24 of his 25 starts this year, he’s currently pitching to a 3.06 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. That’s vintage Kershaw and his 11.7 K/9 rate over his last 12 starts indicates that he has everything clicking right now. To back up that reliability even more, CK actually has at least 30 FanDuel points in all but four starts this season.

That consistency is truly incredible and it’s the definition of what we want when discussing a cash game pitcher. Pitching in Citi Field against an average lineup like this is simply a bonus, with that ballpark surrendering the fewest runs in the Majors dating back to 2017. That’s why we’re looking at a meager total of 7 in this fixture. 

9/13 DFS Pitching GPP Plays 

Andrew Heaney, LAA vs. TB 

DK ($9,900)   FD ($8,400) 

Heaney is a very volatile pitcher but his K-upside makes him a very intriguing option on this slate. We’re talking about a guy with a 29.2 percent K rate facing an offense who ranks 21^st in K rate.  The biggest part about this is the fact that Heaney is absolutely rolling right now, pitching to a 3.38 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 11.8 K/9 rate over his last four starts.

Heaney has been much more comfortable at home through his career too, pitching to a 3.67 ERA and 1.18 WHIP at Angels Stadium. All of that doesn’t even take into consideration that the Rays really struggle with lefties, sitting 20^th in OBP, 22^nd in SLG and 19^th in OPS against them this season.  

Sandy Alcantara, MIA at SF 

DK ($8,100)   FD ($7,400) 

Alcantara was the lone All-Star for the Marlins and he’s showing why with his recent form. After recording a shutout in his last start, Alcantara is now pitching to a 2.77 ERA and 0.92 WHIP over his last seven appearances. More importantly, Alcantara has gone at least seven innings in five of his last six starts while striking out at least seven batters in four-straight.

That means he’s feeling it right now and that becomes very attractive against a putrid offense like this. Not only do the Giants play in the worst ballpark in baseball, they currently rank 26^th in runs scored, 27^th in OBP and 28^th in both OPS andwOBA.   

9/13 DFS Pitching Punt Plays 

Tyler Beede, SF vs. MIA 

DK ($6,300)   FD ($5,700) 

I am going to use pitchers from this series all weekend, as we have two of the worst offenses in the league hitting in the most pitcher-friendly park in baseball. That’s why I don’t imagine any team scoring more than five runs in any of these games and I want to use every pitcher possible.

That makes this Beedes price all the more surprising, facing a Marlins team who ranks bottom-two in runs scored, OBP, OPS and xwOBA. That’s a great sign for a pitcher who’s coming off one of the best starts of his career, throwing five scoreless innings against the Dodgers. That offense is obviously way better than this Marlins one and we’re going to look for Beede to carry over that momentum here.   

Yusei Kikuchi, SEA vs. CWS 

DK ($5,400)   FD ($6,100) 

This is the definition of a punt play. Kikuchi has been one of the most inconsistent pitchers in baseball this season, mixing flashes of brilliance with complete blowups. We feel like he can have one of his gems in a spot like this, facing a weak offense in a pitcher’s park. Let’s start with that matchup, as the White Sox currently rank 25^th in K rate, 27^th in runs scored, 23^rd in OBP and 24^th in wOBA.

The thing that makes Kikuchi such a great punt play is because he’s gone off on numerous occasions this season. That’s evident by the fact that he has at least 27 FanDuel points in 12 starts, which would be an incredible total from someone in this price range. His last four games have been much better too, with Kikuchi pitching to a 3.52 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in that span. 

Monkey Knife Fight Pick of the Day 

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Gerrit Cole Over 8.5 Strikeouts

Cole has at least 14 Ks in three-straight starts and faces one of the worst offenses of the league here. I was shocked that this prop wasn’t a double-digit number.

MKF Record 34-24

Featured Image of Clayton Kershaw via Arturo Padavilla III