MLB DFS Starting Rotation 9.6

MLB DFS Starting Rotation 9.6

We only have seven games on the slate for tonight and there are some appealing options at pitcher, but it’s not a great slate overall. I don’t think we’ll have any cheaper options so we’ll need to find some gems in the MLB DFS Starting Rotation 9.6!

MLB DFS Starting Rotation 9.6 – Main Target 

Ace Tier 

We have four pitchers in this tier and I’m not sure how much we should like any of them. Zack Wheeler checks in as the most expensive option but he’s only scored more than 20 DK in three of his last 10 games. He’s also trending down through his metrics as his K rate has gone down every single month, finishing at just 24.7% in August. Wheeler also had a 3.61 FIP and a 3.32 xFIP, both the highest marks of the season. Milwaukee is also ninth against the fastball and that is thrown by Wheeler 42% of the time and has 94 strikeouts. I’m not overly thrilled to pay top dollar for Wheeler in his current form. 

Chris Sale is also not really in my pool since the Rays are All Elite across the board against lefties, especially since the trade deadline. They only whiff 20.4% of the time and are top-four in every offensive category we value. That includes first in OBP and wRC+ and Sale couldn’t break 10 DK against them five days ago. He likely strikes out more than three hitters this time around, but there is no discount to be had on his salary. 

We played Brandon Woodruff last time out due to the fact he faced a lot of lefties and he is his better side of the plate with a 31.3% K rate and a .223 wOBA compared to .265 and 28.5% against the right side. Philly is projected to be balanced with four of each handedness and if that’s the case, I will feel better about Woodruff. He’s been very up and down lately as well with five of the last 10 under 16 DK. He’s mixing up his pitches a to, topping out at 33.7% for his four-seam. That is his go-to strikeout pitch with 99 on the season (no other pitch has more than the curve at 41) and no pitch has a wOBA higher than a .296 wOBA. I feel like he could be the favorite since the Phillies are 20th against the fastball on the season.

I feel like Sonny Gray could be the choice of the field since the Cubs have such strong strikeout tendencies, but man has he been a roller coaster this year. His 10.8% swinging-strike rate is in line with a normal season for him but he’s either been pretty good or he’s gotten smacked on the mound this year. The Cubs are projected to have four lefties in the lineup and that’s good news. Gray has been better against lefties with a 30.5% K rate, a 3.27 xFIP, and a .289 wOBA. The Cubbies have a 29.8% K rate since July 31st and I can’t really argue with attacking them, even if Gray gives us some heartburn. 

In honesty, the only path I’m that interested in is playing one of these four (likely driven in part by projected rostership) and paring him with Tarik Skubal. The biggest issue in his profile continues to be his four-seam fastball, which has a .421 wOBA and 19 of his 30 home runs. Past that, every pitch is below the .300 wOBA mark and has a whiff rate over 30% except his sinker. Pittsburgh has been dead last against the fastball through most of the season, and that’s with Bryan Reynolds ranking in the top 20 against the pitch. hey also sit 22nd or lower in every category we talk about and whiff 22.5% of the time. That isn’t a ton, but Skubal has a 26.4% K rate and he was at 28.7% through August with a 3.40 xFIP and a 3.25 ERA. 

MLB DFS Starting Rotation 9.6 Stacks 

The first team I’m going after is going to be a pretty narrow three-man stack for the Royals because they get Baltimore lefty starter Zac Lowther. He’s only pitched 8.1 innings in the majors but has a FIP of 5.80 and a hard-hit rate of 48.1%. He’s used the fastball 60% for the time and the trio of Salvador Perez, Adalberto Mondesi, and Michael A. Taylor are who I’m chasing. The first two (and you could just pair them up if you like) destroy lefties with a wOBA over .430 and ISO’s over .365. Mondesi is only in 18 PA, but you still get the idea. They all hit the lefty fastball well and even when the matchup switches to a righty pitcher, the first two are over a .333 wOBA. Taylor is only at a .278 wOBA but can swipe a bag or two and is too cheap to add to a stack. 

How about we stay in that game and stack up some Baltimore hitters? Kris Bubic has a .363 wOBA, 5.75 FIP, a 1.59 WHIP, and just a 20.5% K rate against the right side. The Orioles should counter with hitters like Trey Mancini, Austin Hays, and Jorge Mateo who all have a wOBA over .325 and an ISO over .225 against lefty pitching. Bubic also throws a fastball over 50% of the time and that trio is going to have their way with it. Mancini is at a .521 wOBA and .485 ISO whip Hays is at a .277 ISO and Mateo has a 57% hard-hit rate with a 321-foot average distance. All three of these hitters are over 320-feet and this game should see some fireworks. 

• Tigers against Bryse Wilson 
• Mets against Patrick Corbin 
• Nationals against Trevor Williams (tough to fit Sal Perez and Juan Soto, a big reason I left the Nationals out)
• Jays against Jameson Taillon 

Thank you for reading my MLB DFS Starting Rotation 9.6 and make sure you follow me on Twitter at @bucn4life! Be sure to sign up for an ALL ACCESS GOLD ACCOUNT account here at Win Daily Sports. Gain access to our Projection Models and jump into our Discord where we will have our experts talking plays across every sport and slate!