Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks for Saturday, June 22nd
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, everyone! Welcome to summer! I can confirm that summer has arrived in the Midwest, as it has been sweltering here all week. The good news is that we generally see baseballs fly more during these months in hot outdoor environments, and we certainly need the boost in offense.
This Saturday brings us matching slates on both FanDuel and DraftKings, with an eight-game main slate starting around 4 PM Eastern and a smaller four-game night slate. This should be an action-packed day, so let’s get down to business!
Saturday Afternoon Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on FanDuel & DraftKings
A TOP TIER WITH SOME TOUGH MATCHUPS
Zack Wheeler vs. Diamondbacks
Ronel Blanco vs. Orioles
Corbin Burnes vs. Astros
Logan Gilbert vs. Marlins
We have a group of four strong pitchers at the top today, though we don’t necessarily have a massive strikeout ace on this slate. In fact, this slate is strikingly similar to the slate I wrote up on Tuesday. In any case, let’s take a peek at the 2024 numbers for this top tier:
Wheeler – 2.84 ERA, 3.47 xFIP, 27% K, 8% BB
Blanco – 2.43 ERA, 4.00 xFIP, 25% K, 10% BB
Burnes – 2.14 ERA, 3.30 xFIP, 24% K, 7% BB
Gilbert – 2.93 ERA, 3.42 xFIP, 25% K, 5% BB
I am going to get one thing out of the way quickly. I have zero interest in Ronel Blanco against an Orioles team that is a force offensively and has scored 28 runs in their last two games. Blanco may have the season’s only no hitter and nearly had two of them, but the xFIP is more than a run and a half higher than the ERA, and his walk rate is still 10%. It is only a matter of time before regression to the mean sets in, and that could very well happen in this matchup.
Zack Wheeler and Corbin Burnes are the other two pitchers who have tough matchups. Wheeler has to face a Diamondbacks team that is getting hot, and Burnes has to face an Astros team that piled up 14 runs last night. I have no issue with either of them. Both are safe plays with a solid innings ceiling, but they lack top tier strikeout upside on a slate where I want to pay up for bats. I just don’t see a need to absolutely prioritize them on this slate, but both will be in my multi-entry GPP pool of arms.
Logan Gilbert is the one pitcher in this tier that I do have quite a bit of interest in. He has the best matchup of the bunch against a Marlins team that ranks 28th in team wOBA, 28th in team ISO, and dead last in team walk rate against RHP this year. Gilbert has a 1.66 ERA and a 22/0 K/BB ratio in three starts this month (yes, he has no walks in over 21 innings pitched), and it’s difficult to envision a scenario in which the Marlins trouble him tonight. If you are prioritizing a pitcher at the top today, Gilbert is the most logical choice.
SECONDARY PITCHING OPTIONS
Want to read more? Sign up for Premium!
