Jared Contestabile 
Weird slate Thursday is back again, and I’m here to help you cash in big! There is a game at 12:35 ET, followed by two afternoon games. There are three games starting at 7:05 or later. We have a few slates to play with, so let’s look for an edge!
MLB DFS Aces
Yu Darvish vs Minnesota Twins
Yu and company are barely favored here (-120), and I think there is a pretty solid edge. The Twins have almost an identical record, but the Padres lineup is clearly superior. Darvish has been excellent as usual. If you eliminate his subpar start in Mexico (6 IP, 4 ER, 3 HR), he has allowed 1 ER or less in all but one start in 2023.
Command issues have reared their ugly head twice this season for Darvish, but he has a 15/1 K/BB over his last two starts. Minnesota has the 3rd-highest K rate of any team in MLB at 25.5%. Darvish seems like a no-brainer play here in what is actually a pretty good spot.
Kodai Senga vs Cincinnati Reds
I originally was going to list the Reds as a sneaky stack, and I’m not completely off that train either. There are limited options today, and Senga is one of the biggest favorites on the board at -200. He was excellent last time out, shutting out the Rockies over six frames with a 4/4 K/BB.
Walks have been a massive issue for him, as he has 16 free passes in his last four starts (20.2 IP). He has done a good job of limiting damage, but he has also faced all terrible offenses (MIA, OAK, SF, WSH, COL). As crazy as it sounds, he may be a pitcher you can roster on the early slate and roster some Reds also. The Reds are a patient team, but it remains to be seen if they can get the big hit when they need it.
Alex Cobb vs Arizona Diamondbacks
Nathan Eovaldi should be popular today, but I don’t need to tell you that. He is a -220 favorite against one of the worst offenses in MLB. Cobb is a nice pivot from him, and has quietly been fantastic this season. He owns a 2.89 xFIP and has 38 K over 40.1 IP.
The Diamondbacks offense is young and talented, but inconsistent. Cobb has been one of the most consistent pitchers in MLB this season. Arizona doesn’t strike out a lot (20.3%), but they also don’t walk much (7.3%), and Cobb has given up just six free passes in 2023. Let’s swerve and throw Cobb in some lineups.
MLB DFS Stacks
Texas Rangers vs Ken Waldichuk
Waldichuk has been rough this season, and I’m not expecting that to change today against a dangerous Rangers’ offense. He has given up five HR, 18 hits, 12 ER, and has a 15/8 K/BB over his last three starts. The Rangers have double-digit upside here.
The Rangers have been the second-best offense in MLB this season by some metrics. They have just four less runs scored than the Rays’ juggernaut, but they have done it with TWENTY-EIGHT less home runs. Adolis Garcia is my favorite bat, followed by Marcus Semien, Ezequiel Duran, Nate Lowe, and Josh Jung. I’m expecting big numbers for Texas tonight.
San Diego Padres vs Bailey Ober
Bailey Ober has a 0.98 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and a 16/6 K/BB over 18.1 IP in 2023. Pretty good, right? Not so fast. He has just a 26.7% GB rate, a xFIP nearing 5, and has not allowed a HR yet this season. The Padres are in a great spot here, and I still don’t understand this line.
You can get the Padres -1.5 run line around +140 and it seems like a nuke to me. Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and even the struggling Jake Cronenworth are at the top of my list here. Padres are going to do some work.
Chicago White Sox vs Brady Singer
The White Sox have been a struggling offense all season long and have now lost Eloy Jimenez (AGAIN). Brady Singer has been…terrible of late, serving up 13 ER in just 6.2 IP over his last two starts with a 9/6 K/BB. These weren’t exactly elite offenses in Minnesota and Oakland either.
Give me the red-hot Luis Robert, , Tim Anderson, Andrew Vaughn, and Yasmani Grandal here to put some work in against Singer. Thinks might get ugly for Singer again.
MLB DFS Summary
Split slates galore today, but there are some spots to exploit! Let’s crush Thursday and make some cash to buy something nice for Mom this weekend!
Find the team in the Discord 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!
