Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks for Saturday, June 15th
Long-time grinder, STLCardinals84, is here to cover the bases for the upcoming MLB DFS slate. 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! I am back from a much needed vacation, complete with getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere four hours away from home (not recommended) and watching a few Cardinals games (with a 3-2 record). All told, it was a fun time for us, and I turned the big 4-0 yesterday. We are dragging a little bit this morning (as is customary, I hear, once you turn 40).
In any case, I’m recharged and ready to get back to the weekend grind. Thanks to Cheese for filling in last weekend. This Saturday brings us the usual split-slate action, but the games are more tilted toward the early slate. There are ten early games today, and FanDuel is rolling that out as a large main slate that starts at 2:10 PM Eastern. DraftKings is ignoring the first three games and is rolling out a seven-game main slate that starts at 4:05 PM Eastern. We will focus on that slate in the article today, and I will also touch on the five evening games.
There are not a ton of weather concerns on this Saturday slate, with the exception of a real trouble spot in Minnesota (a game that is only on the FD slate). I am going to write the article assuming every game plays, but be sure to keep an eye on our MLB Weather page that Roth updates throughout the day.
Let’s dig in and see what this Saturday slate has to offer!
Saturday Afternoon Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on FanDuel & DraftKings
THE TOP OF AN UNDERWHELMING GROUP
Jack Flaherty vs. Astros
Grayson Rodriguez vs. Phillies
Shota Imanaga vs. Cardinals (FD Only)
Well, Cheese stole about 530 aces yesterday, and I’m a little jealous of that. It’s left us with a relative scrap heap of arms for this Saturday, but everyone is dealing with the same player pool! As usual, let’s start by looking at the 2024 data:
Flaherty – 3.22 ERA, 2.10 xFIP, 32% K, 4% BB
Rodriguez – 3.27 ERA, 3.75 xFIP, 27% K, 8% BB
Imanaga – 1.96 ERA, 3.39 xFIP, 26% K, 4% BB
I might not be giving this tier enough credit. They certainly deserve a head nod for their solid performances so far in 2024.
There is no doubt that Jack Flaherty has been an elite pitcher this year — and his advanced metrics actually suggest IMPROVEMENT going forward. The command has been elite, and his 2.10 xFIP proves that he is in the Cy Young discussion if he stays healthy. The only issue that I have with him today is that the ceiling is a little more capped than normal, as he has to face a Houston team that has a dangerous lineup and a league-low 18.0% strikeout rate on the season. We’re also paying an obvious premium for Flaherty at the moment. I certainly like him, but I don’t think you need to prioritize him today.
Grayson Rodriguez looks to be turning into an ace-caliber pitcher for the Orioles. The obvious problem is a dangerous matchup against the Phillies, but Rodriguez has been very solid for the Orioles since his return from injury. He has logged at least 19 DK points and 35 FD points in each of his last six starts, with the last three of those coming against AL East opponents. He owns a 27% strikeout rate and a SIERA/xFIP in the mid-threes this season, and he is my preferred SP1 choice on this slate. The numbers would give a slight edge to Flaherty, and it’s certainly a close call, but I am feeling a big game from Rodriguez at home.
Shota Imanaga has gotten knocked around over his last few starts, but we had to know that a few underwhelming outings were coming at some point. The peripherals remain solid, and now nobody wants to play him. He gets a reasonable matchup against the Cardinals today, and the wind is a pitcher-friendly one at Wrigley Field. I have zero qualms about using Imanaga as a tournament option on FD, especially if the pOWN% numbers stay well below Flaherty and Rodriguez.
THE BEST OF THE REST
Want to read more? Sign up for Premium!
