Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks Today for Sunday 8/16
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, Justin has you covered with an extensive deep dive into his favorite MLB DFS picks today on August 16, 2026.
Happy Sunday, Grinders! We have our normal Sunday main slate with a start time of 1:35 PM Eastern again today, with an 8-game main slate awaiting us on DraftKings. FanDuel is adding the STL/CHC game to their slate, which gives us a 9-game slate over there.
This appears like it will be an active day on the MLB weather front as well, with chances of storms in Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. It is a bit unfortunate that so many teams in that region of the country are hosting games today. However, none of them look like complete washouts, so I will write the article assuming that every game will play. We will need to keep an eye on this as lineup lock draws closer.
Even without the weather issues, this is not a slate that looks all that exciting. There is a whole lot of “average” stuff today, and I just don’t like much at first glance. Let’s see if a deeper dive helps uncover some hidden gems.
Sunday Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel
THE CEASE STANDS ALONE
Today’s ace is Dylan Cease. It’s only Dylan Cease. There is no pitcher in the same stratosphere as Dylan Cease.
2.40 ERA
2.68 xFIP
2.95 SIERA
36.1% K
10.6% BB
There isn’t another pitcher throwing today who can touch the strikeout ceiling that Cease has. Oh, and he gets to face a Yankees lineup that has been mediocre over the past month and is missing both Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. They’ve been striking out at a much higher clip, and there are some easy outs at the bottom of the lineup.
This also isn’t a slate where we have a lot of fun offense to spend up on, so it is very clear to me that I want to spend top dollar for Cease. He’s the SP1 this afternoon, and it’s not particularly close for me.
A PILE OF SECONDARY ARMS
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About the Author
Justin Van Zuiden (aka stlcardinals84) is a longtime RotoGrinders contributor and show host. He’s appeared in numerous Live Finals, has logged countless 6-figure wins in a host of different sports (including 5 in PGA), and is a former DFS Writer of the Year Nominee by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. You can find Justin’s ‘Covering The Bases’ series on weekends during the MLB season. He is also a main contributor of sports betting picks at our sister site, ScoresAndOdds. Follow Justin on X – @stlcardinals84