Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks Today for Saturday 8/16

by Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) Last Updated 2025-08-16 19:51:41 Premium Content Part of the product MLB DFS

Long-time grinder, Justin Van Zuiden (aka stlcardinals84), is here to cover the bases for the upcoming MLB DFS slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Whether you are looking for the top pitchers or the best stacks, Cards has you covered with an extensive deep dive into his favorite MLB DFS picks.

Happy Saturday, Grinders! We have the usual split slate to start the weekend, with a day that includes a 5-game early slate starting around 2 PM Eastern and a 9-game main slate starting at the usual 7 PM Eastern time slot. I will be covering both slates in the article today. It’s the first time I have had to write up both ends of a split slate in a while, so I have my typing fingers ready!

Nothing looks completely ominous as of the time I am writing this, but there are quite a few games popping up on the MLB weather front today. Keep a close eye on that as we get closer to lock to make sure there are no major problems.

With a lot of games to write up today, so there’s no time to waste. Let’s get right to it!

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Saturday Afternoon Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on FanDuel & DraftKings

TOP TIER PITCHERS

Bryan Woo vs. Mets
Shota Imanaga vs. Pirates

We don’t have much for top-end pitching this afternoon, with Bryan Woo and Shota Imanaga leading the way. Here’s a quick look at their numbers this year:

Woo – 3.08 ERA, 3.54 xFIP, 25.3% K, 4.5% BB
Imanaga – 3.19 ERA, 4.45 xFIP, 21.0% K, 4.5% BB

The surface numbers are pretty similar for them, and this might lead many people to Imanaga. After all, he’s pitching at home against the woeful Pirates, while Woo is pitching on the road against a much better Mets offense. However, there are a few neutralizing factors here:

A) Imanaga is a fly-ball pitcher who will naturally pitch to a lower BABIP, but his .224 BABIP this year is ridiculously fortunate.
B) The wind is blowing out at Wrigley Field.
C) The Mets are a hot mess right now.

When you combine those factors with the fact that Woo has a notably higher strikeout rate than Imanaga, I’m giving Woo the edge. I believe Woo has a much higher ceiling, and I do worry a bit about Imanaga on a hitter-friendly day in Chicago. I am totally fine with using either pitcher, as the Pirates still only have a 3.5 run team total, but I will have much more exposure to Woo.

SECONDARY PITCHING OPTIONS

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