The focus of this article is to sort through the myriad of options on larger slates and find not only some solid foundational plays but also some spots that could go overlooked. We focus on stacks that are solid for small-field and SE as well as overlooked spots for large-field GPPs, and we discuss players that have good past history vs. the pitchers they’re facing. Our Discord strategy rooms are incredibly active. Hop in and join the discussion!
FIVE DFS MLB Stacks
Minnesota Twins
Love the spot for the Twins tonight. They’ve got a top-10 offense (they’re seventh in runs scored) and they’re facing Lance McCullers who just hasn’t looked right all season (he’s pitched to a 6.86 ERA and 1.53 WHIP), and if/when Minnesota can get to him, they’ll be facing the league’s worst bullpen (a 5.81 ERA as a group and who’s allowed 34 HR, both the worst marks in baseball).
Sep 27, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a double in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers
Griffin Canning has allowed 12 earned runs in his last six innings pitched, and the Dodgers have been fairly successful against him (a .770 OPS in 103 plate appearances). This should be a popular spot tonight given the matchup and the upside that the Los Angeles offense always brings (even though they’re cool at the moment).
Athletics
The A’s are always one of my favorite tournament options just because of their ceiling. We could see one of those performances tonight, so I’d have some exposure to them. The Angels trot out Reid Detmers who has been solid but not spectacular in 2026, pitching to a 4.38 ERA. I don’t mind shares of them if you think they can have an upside performance tonight.
Sep 26, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) hits a walk-off RBI double during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Angels
Deeper tournament play: after a relatively strong start, the Angel offense has cooled a ton. Still, this is a spot to attack: Jacob Lopez has pitched to a 5.80 ERA on the season and the Angels are actually hitting LHP better than their season average. Sprinkle them in your MME mix (and I can see a bit of game stacking here as well given the upside of the Athletics’ offense).
San Francisco Giants
The Giants’ offense has perked up a smidge over the past few games, partially due to the pitching matchups they’ve gotten, and tonight’s is one of those that are advantageous for them. Ryne Nelson is gettable even though he’s been better lately (five total earned over this last three starts); he’s still got a 5.40 ERA on the season, so he’s volatile, and they hit him decently well (a .275 average and .779 OPS in 52 plate appearances). I’m happy to have some tournament shares here.
For other popular plays, our revamped MLB Research Station has every stat you need to send your research to the next level!
Sep 27, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a double in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
FOUR MLB BvP Matchups
Byron Buxton vs. Lance McCullers: 3-5 with three 2B and a BB
Matt Chapman vs. Ryne Nelson: 4-11 with a 2B, HR, and two RBI
Teoscar Hernandez vs. Griffin Canning: 4-13 with a 2B, HR, and three RBI
Aaron Judge vs. Dylan Cease: 4-13 with two 2B, a HR, four RBI, and three BB
THREE MLB Value Plays
Ryan Kreidler ($2600 DK / $2600 FD): 1.180 OPS in his last seven games (7-20 with two HR, four RBI, and five BB)
Ryan McMahon ($ DK / $2500 FD): 5-12 with a 2B, HR, and two RBI against Dylan Cease
Gavin Sheets ($2900 DK / $2900 FD): 1.864 OPS in his last seven games (10-19 with four HR and eight RBI)