The MLB DFS picks, MLB DFS cheat sheet, and MLB DFS projections for DraftKings & FanDuel in the RotoGrinders MLB Grind Down will give you an in-depth analysis of the upcoming MLB schedule for Friday, September 18. This article will break down the numbers for every single game and give you analysis on how you can build stacks in the RotoGrinders MLB optimizer – LineupHQ. While matchups are a major factor in daily fantasy baseball, there are plenty of other factors to consider such as injuries, weather, projected ownership, rankings, and salaries.
The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. No sport has more variance than baseball. The best choice is not always the right choice but following the trends will win you money over time.
BLUE – One of the top stacks of the slate.
GREEN – A full stack is viable in GPPs.
YELLOW – Not the best stack, but hitters are in play.
ORANGE – Tread lightly, but potentially target a hitter or two.
RED – Fade this offense in all formats.
Cleveland Indians vs. Detroit Tigers
MLB DFS Analysis: (RHP | )
8500 DK ( 17.00% of cap) / 10400 FD ( 29.71% of cap) / 50 Y ( 25.00% of cap)
Baseball Stats Overview for DFS
| PlateIQ Category | Rating | Statcast Metrics | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlateIQ: Overall | 59.68 | K | 81 |
| PlateIQ: Strikeout | 60.50 | BB | 95 |
| PlateIQ: Contact | 44.38 | xWOBA | 83 |
| PlateIQ: Production | 57.90 | xISO | 59 |
| PlateIQ: Discipline | 69.47 | Hard Hit | 74 |
| PlateIQ: Context | 42.03 | xERA | 84 |
PlateIQ Rating is a matchup score. 50 is average. See what’s baked in with PlateIQ Premium.
MLB DFS Stats and Pitch Arsenal
| PlateIQ Category | Rating | Pitch Type | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 6.00 | 4-Seamer | 36 |
| SIERA | 4.73 | Sinker | 0 |
| K% | 20.20% | Cutter | 0 |
| BB% | 6.80% | Slider | 27 |
| GB/FB | 0.99 | Changeup | 24 |
| HR/9 | 1.49 | Curve | 14 |
| Hard% | 36.10% | Splitter | 0 |
See More Stats Made Simple for CLE vs. DET : Try PlateIQ Premium
at $10,400 on FD is bananas, let’s get that out of the way. At $8,500 on DK, though, pricing is such that we can spend up at SP2. Plesac is about-average in K/9 and HR/9 this season. Where he excels is his control, only giving up 0.66 BB/9 and every RHP excels against the Tigers, who have a 78 wRC+ and a 26.7% K rate against the handedness since 2019
Quick Breakdown — Priced up huge on FD because of the matchup, but about right—if not underpriced—on DK. With and also under $9k, it’s tough to call Plesac the runaway play at SP2, but he’s in the mix.
MLB DFS Analysis: (RHP | )
6200 DK ( 12.40% of cap) / 5600 FD ( 16.00% of cap) / 26 Y ( 13.00% of cap)
Baseball Stats Overview for DFS
| PlateIQ Category | Rating | Statcast Metrics | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlateIQ: Overall | 43.36 | K | 21 |
| PlateIQ: Strikeout | 35.53 | BB | 45 |
| PlateIQ: Contact | 42.27 | xWOBA | 2 |
| PlateIQ: Production | 39.57 | xISO | 5 |
| PlateIQ: Discipline | 51.27 | Hard Hit | 9 |
| PlateIQ: Context | 42.31 | xERA | 1 |
PlateIQ Rating is a matchup score. 50 is average. See what’s baked in with PlateIQ Premium.
MLB DFS Stats and Pitch Arsenal
| PlateIQ Category | Rating | Pitch Type | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 8.00 | 4-Seamer | NA |
| SIERA | 5.53 | Sinker | NA |
| K% | 16.20% | Cutter | NA |
| BB% | 9.90% | Slider | NA |
| GB/FB | 1.04 | Changeup | NA |
| HR/9 | 2.82 | Curve | NA |
| Hard% | 37.00% | Splitter | NA |
See More Stats Made Simple for CLE vs. DET : Try PlateIQ Premium
hasn’t gone more than 3.0 IP through eight starts this season. He has low Ks, high walks, and gives up a bunch of bombs.
Quick Breakdown: Fulmer is an overpriced opener. And a bad one at that.
MLB DFS Cheat Sheet: Cleveland Indians Batting
| Player | DK Salary | FD Salary | Y Salary | wOBA | ISO | Hard% | Barrels/PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5500 | 3700 | 23 | 0.346 | 0.219 | 15.20% | 5.60% | |
| Cesar Hernandez | 4200 | 2800 | 15 | 0.317 | 0.126 | 14.20% | 3.50% |
| 5300 | 3800 | 24 | 0.349 | 0.237 | 12.20% | 7.70% | |
| 3500 | 3000 | 16 | 0.364 | 0.206 | 13.90% | 6.10% | |
| 4100 | 2900 | 21 | 0.341 | 0.242 | 15.00% | 13.20% | |
| 2500 | 2700 | 17 | 0.325 | 0.186 | 18.10% | 10.40% | |
| 2600 | 2100 | 9 | 0.31 | 0.189 | 14.80% | 5.00% | |
| 2200 | 2300 | 10 | 0.294 | 0.136 | 13.90% | 3.10% | |
| 2300 | 2200 | 11 | 0.294 | 0.091 | 8.30% | 0.00% |
Break down every CLE vs. DET hitter in seconds: Try PlateIQ Premium
Not only is Fulmer allowing an 8.6% barrel rate since 2019, but the Tigers bullpen is fairly bad. The pen has a 4.27 SIERA and a high 1.51 HR/9, dating back to last year. We can stack up the Indians and be contrarian by locking in the double-digit barrel rates of and with the 8.6% rates of and . This keeps us from double-chalking and . Ramirez has eight HRs in his last 18 games, so he’s the mega-chalk at 3B tonight. The truth is that they have barrel rates of 6.8% and 6.7%, respectively, so they’re both fadeable at their prices.
Optimal Plays – , ,
Secondary Plays – , ,
Stackability – BLUE
MLB DFS Cheat Sheet: Detroit Tigers Batting
| Player | DK Salary | FD Salary | Y Salary | wOBA | ISO | Hard% | Barrels/PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3400 | 2700 | 11 | 0.321 | 0.131 | 15.70% | 4.00% | |
| 3600 | 2800 | 13 | 0.332 | 0.162 | 9.50% | 8.70% | |
| 2800 | 2800 | 9 | 0.314 | 0.118 | 16.40% | 7.60% | |
| Jeimer Candelario | 3500 | 3300 | 17 | 0.319 | 0.166 | 18.20% | 11.40% |
| 3100 | 3000 | 12 | 0.305 | 0.174 | 11.20% | 11.60% | |
| 2100 | 2200 | 8 | 0.314 | 0.133 | 9.00% | 4.10% | |
| 2800 | 2200 | 7 | 0.298 | 0.136 | 14.10% | 2.80% | |
| 2000 | 2100 | 7 | 0.056 | 0 | 1.90% | 0.00% | |
| 2100 | 2300 | 7 | NA | NA | 16.70% | 0.00% |
Break down every CLE vs. DET hitter in seconds: Try PlateIQ Premium
Plesac is by no means a groundball pitcher and he does give up about an average amount of contact. This team just doesn’t have anyone and his control is so strong that he doesn’t get himself in trouble with bad hitter. Hard pass.
Optimal Plays – None
Secondary Plays – None
Stackability – RED
Statcast Data referenced above per baseballsavant.com
