Justin Elick 
We actually have a solid slate of games on Saturday night for once, and I can’t wait. There are 10 games on the slate starting at 7:05 ET, and plenty of good spots to take advantage. Let’s find some paths to making some cash to kick off the weekend!
MLB DFS Aces
George Kirby vs Baltimore Orioles
While I don’t blame anyone for going after Spencer Strider here, his price tag is very prohibitive and he is facing a lineup that is capable of going deep. Kirby has been one of the safest plays this season, and my affinity for the guy has been well-documented.
For the season, he owns a 124/14 K/BB over 135.2 innings of work. This man pounds the zone and isn’t afraid to take on any hitter. The Orioles are a good offense, but there isn’t one name in this lineup that strikes fear into the heart of an opposing pitcher.
Kirby has been dominant over his last two starts, totaling 12 IP, allowing just 7 hits and 2 ER with a 12/2 K/BB against the Angels and Red Sox.
The Mariners are solid -165 favorites here, and Kirby should be in good shape to grab a win and a QS on Saturday night.
Brandon Woodruff vs Chicago White Sox
Woodruff has made just one start since his lengthy stint on the IL, but it was a solid one against Pittsburgh. He went 5 innings, allowed 2 ER on 4 hits and posted a 9/0 K/BB. Pretty damn good, right?
Now he faces a White Sox lineup that has stumbled all season and moved power hitter Jake Burger at the deadline. Woodruff will have to deal with the likes of Luis Robert Jr. and Eloy Jimenez, but overall this is a lineup that is just not very good.
He was built up to 85 pitches in his return, so I don’t have much concern about him having a limit here at all.
Brandon Williamson vs Pittsburgh Pirates
Remember a month into the season where pundits were trying to convince people that the Pirates were contenders?
Spoiler alert: they never were.
Williamson has been a mixed bag of results this season, but he has struck out 16 over 11 innings of work across his last two starts, including 9 in his last outing against the Marlins.
The Pirates have been pretty awful at the plate recently, including a team K rate north of 27% over the last week. Williamson certainly has a low floor, but this is a lineup that can be exploited. Williamson had some command issues early in the season, but has cut it down a bit, walking just seven batters over his last four starts (22.2 IP). Still not great, but an improvement.
I see him as a cheap option with a low floor but a big upside against a lowly lineup in Pittsburgh.
Don’t forget about Cole Ragans, who has been absolutely incredible over his last two starts. He will undoubtedly carry some ownership, but that is a minor concern here. Williamson is the pivot if you want off the chalk in my book.
MLB DFS Stacks
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Peter Lambert
Hey guys, remember how good the Dodgers are? They are as close to an auto-stack as you can find outside of the Braves at this point of the season.
Over the last 7 days, they have a team BB rate of 10% and a K rate of just 17.1%.
Across his last two starts (8 IP), Peter Lambert has allowed 9 ER with a 6/5 K/BB. That is…not good.
Freddie Freeman is making a push for MVP, Mookie Betts is quietly having one of the best seasons of his career, Max Muncy continues to be boom or bust, and there are plenty of secondary options. James Outman, the recently reunited Kike Hernandez, Will Smith, and the rejuvanated Amed Rosario are all in play in well if they are in the lineup.
Seattle Mariners vs Cole Irvin
Cole Irvin is having the season we all expected him to have. He has a 5.44 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and just a 44/17 K/BB over 48 innings of work in 2023. He has been limited to just a few innings recently, but it looks like he will see a more hefty workload on Saturday.
Julio Rodriguez, the red-hot Cal Raleigh, Eugenio Suarez, Teoscar Hernandez, and Ty France are my top targets here in what should be another easy night for the Mariners offense.
Atlanta Braves vs Jose Quintana
The best offense in baseball faces an aging pitcher who pitches to contact.
This is a match made in heaven for the Braves and their bats.
Quintana has just 16 strikeouts in 23.2 innings of work this season. Interestingly enough, he hasn’t allowed a HR yet across four starts. You know I’m a gambling man, and I’d be willing to bet just about anything short of a limb that he allows at least one ball to find the seats on Saturday night.
Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, and Marcell Ozuna are the top targets. It is hard to find a Braves bat that I wouldn’t be interested in for this matchup.
MLB DFS Summary
The Braves and Dodgers are in dream matchups, and there are some cheap arms that have been punching out some batters (Ragans and Williamson). Let’s meet at the top of the leaderboard!
Find the team in the Win Daily Discord channel and let’s chat about some plays!
Good luck and hope to see you in the green.
Check me out on Twitter @BigItaly42 and let me know who you are playing tonight! Always around to talk some MLB!
