All eyes will be at Globe Life tonight as the Mariners and Rangers kick off a pivotal series that could go a long way in determining the AL wild card. There are three series remaining for most teams and the Mariners and Rangers will be facing off in two of them. In the NL, there is a log jam for the last two wild card spots with three teams within a half game of each other and a few NL West teams creeping into the picture. For DFS purposes, the matchups that stand out as having the highest stack potential are the Braves who will be facing Patrick Corbin, the Twins who are facing Angels’ relief pitcher Davis Daniel and the Padres who are facing Dakota Hudson in San Diego. There is the potential for rain in D.C. as well as in Minnesota so make sure to double check those lineups before first pitch.

This is for the 9/22 4:05 PM PST classic slate on Draftkings.

Writer’s Record

49-25-1

Seattle Mariners @ Texas Rangers o9.5 Runs (-110)

This is essentially a playoff series, but the two pitchers on the mound are not the best in either side’s rotation. The Rangers are coming in off a 15 run performance against the Red Sox and the Mariners averaged six runs per game in their previous series. This one has the potential to be a barn burner and the Rangers’ lineup is finally healthy, which bodes well for this run total.

DFS Pillar Plays

Cole Ragans

Position: P

Salary: $7,800

Cole Ragans can do the team that traded him a big favor and hand the Astros a loss today. Ragans is second in total strikeouts among all pitchers since the beginning of August. The strikeout potential makes Ragans a very intriguing play for an affordable price. The Astros are struggling at the wrong time, losing six out of their last nine games with four of those losses coming against the A’s and this Royals team.

Ronald Acuna Jr. 

Position: OF

Salary: $6,800 

Veteran lefty Patrick Corbin faces the Braves today and the potential 2023 NL MVP will be at the head of the snake for the Braves as he has been all season. The Braves lead the league in SLG percentage against left-handed pitching this year and Acuna is one of the reasons why. His OPS against lefties is .945 on the year, which puts him as 12th among all batters. Marcell Ozuna and Ozzie Albies rank above Acuna in OPS against lefties, so I will be playing some variation of the three.

Corbin Carroll

Position: OF

Salary: $5,600

If you go with value at the pitcher spot, you can play a few big money guys and this slate looks like it is going to require that in order to place in the money. Corbin Carroll has been a key contributor to the Diamondbacks’ success in the past few series. The Dbacks have won five straight games against teams that are in direct competition with them for the NL wild card. In the two game series against the Giants, Carroll had six hits, five runs and three stolen bases. The Diamondbacks travel to the Bronx to take on the Yankees and 30-year-old right-hander Luke Weaver who has a career ERA over five. Left-handed Corbin Carroll will be staring at that short porch in right field and should not have trouble getting on the base path.

DFS Value Plays (<$3500 Salary)

Willi Castro

Position: OF

Salary: $3,200

Switch-hitting Willi Castro is streaky, but it looks like he is on the ascent at the moment. He is a threat to steal and has some pop. He has homered in two straight games and will be facing an Angels pitching staff that will start off with Davis Daniel on the mound. The Twins can clinch the AL Central tonight and they should be able to do that with Pablo Lopez on the mound and a bullpen starter for the Angels. 

Brent Rooker

Position: OF

Salary: $3,200

Brent Rooker has homered in three out of the last four games which brings his season total to 28. This will be Sawyer Gipson-Long’s third career start and despite striking out 11 in his previous start, the matchup was an easy one against an Angels lineup that was filled with young guys and outcasts.

Bo Naylor

Position: C

Salary: $3,300

Bo Naylor has continued to hit as he is currently on a seven game hitting streak. He has eight hits over that stretch and has a 1.032 OPS in September. The Guardians should be in the race for the postseason, but some mismanagement of their roster and some bad injury luck means Tito Francona might be going out missing the postseason. Naylor is something for Guardians fans to look forward to in the future and his hot play and low price make him good value at the catcher spot.