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Main Slate Rundown 🏟

Our first MLB Friday slate of the season is here, and we land in what I’d consider the sweet spot with seven games on the board. The Opening Day vibes are still hanging around as six teams (A’s, Blue Jays, Braves, Royals, Marlins, and Rockies) will be playing their first game of the season tonight. Yesterday was a ton of fun, so let’s keep the good times rolling. Best of luck!

Main slate match-ups with implied run totals and moneyline odds:

💣3/27 Dinger Report💣

Today’s Top Dinger Odds (sorted by LineStar projected HR odds)

Main Slate Weather Outlook 💨🌦️☁️

Check LineStar's MLB Daily Dashboard to see an overview of the most up-to-date game forecasts.

• KC at ATL (7:15 ET, 7.5 O/U): Temps in the 70s with 10 mph winds OUT to left.

• CLE at SEA (9:45 ET, 7.0 O/U): Assuming the roof is open tonight, temps will be on the cooler side, around 50 degrees.

Pitchers to Consider ⚾

Chris Sale (LHP), ATL | DK: $9.7k, FD: $10.3k | vs. KC
Sale checks in as the highest-priced pitcher on both sites today. We saw several aces push into the 90+ pitch range yesterday, so it’s fair to expect Sale to be close to a full workload out of the gates. He’s only two years removed from his 2024 NL Cy Young season and followed it up with another strong campaign in ’25, posting a 2.58 ERA, 2.98 xFIP, 1.07 WHIP, and a 32.4% kRate. His strikeout rate dipped to 19.5% across 19.2 spring innings, but that’s likely more a product of ramping up and not overextending in meaningless games.

The Royals didn’t make many changes to their lineup this offseason and, by most metrics, they were a bottom-10 offense against left-handed pitching. They ranked 22nd or worse in OPS, wOBA, ISO (dead last), wRC+, and HardContact% versus southpaws. The strikeout rate wasn’t particularly high (20.9%), and they’re expected to roll out seven right-handed bats, but Sale showed no real splits last season with a 32.3% kRate vs. RHBs and 32.7% vs. LHBs. He did get off to a slow start last year, but if he picks up where he left off down the stretch, he should be a reliable high-end option again here in the Braves’ season opener.

Sandy Alcantara (RHP), MIA | DK: $7.5k, FD: $8.9k | vs. COL
After missing the entire 2024 season following Tommy John surgery, it took Alcantara some time to resemble his old self, but he closed out the ’25 campaign in strong form. Across his final eight starts (53.2 IP), he posted a 2.68 ERA, 3.27 xFIP, 0.86 WHIP, .185 opponent AVG, and a 24.9% kRate. He also flashed encouraging signs this spring (12.2 IP) – while the 5.68 ERA looks rough, it was backed by a much stronger 2.78 xFIP along with an excellent 30.8% kRate.

Alcantara draws what is typically one of the best matchups a pitcher can ask for – the road Rockies. Against RHPs away from Coors last season, Colorado posted a .202 AVG, .258 wOBA, .586 OPS, 62 wRC+, and a 29.0% kRate, all of which ranked dead last in MLB. They did add a few pieces this offseason (Willi Castro, Edouard Julien, Jake McCarthy, TJ Rumfield), but no one that should move the needle much, and this still projects as one of the worst lineups in baseball with limited upside (unless they’re playing at Coors Field). The Marlins (-199 ML) are also the second-heaviest favorites on the slate, trailing only the Dodgers (-259 ML). If the late-season form and spring indicators carry over, Alcantara should be in a strong position for a quality season debut.

Mike Burrows (RHP), HOU | DK: $6.5k, FD: $7.5k | vs. LAA
In his first real stretch of MLB action last season with the Pirates, Burrows put together some solid numbers. Across 96.0 innings, he posted a 3.94 ERA, 3.86 xFIP, 1.24 WHIP, and a 24.1% kRate. Nothing overly flashy, but a strong overall profile. He also carried that momentum into the spring, pitching to a 1.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 23.9% kRate across 18.0 innings.

It’s only a one-game sample, but Mike Trout looked rejuvenated yesterday, drawing three walks while adding a homer and a stolen base. Still, the Angels managed just three runs, all of which came against the Astros bullpen. Hunter Brown handled them well, racking up nine strikeouts while allowing just four hits across 4.2 innings (despite issuing four walks). As noted yesterday, this was a bottom-10 offense against RHPs last season with an MLB-high 27.1% kRate, and the lineup remains largely unchanged outside of Josh Lowe replacing Taylor Ward. If you’re looking for a value arm, Burrows fits the bill, especially with Houston checking in as a -163 favorite.

Other Pitchers to Consider

George Kirby (RHP), SEA | DK: $8.5k, FD: $8.7k | vs. CLE
Emmet Sheehan (RHP), LAD | DK: $7.8k, FD: $8k | vs. ARI

Team Stacks to Target 🎯

Disclaimer: Stacking in MLB DFS is not a requirement but it is a very common strategy used to take down GPPs. This strategy is covered in more detail in the MLB DFS strategy guide linked in the header at the top of this newsletter. Check out the MLB StackFinder on LineStar.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Luis Severino (RHP), ATH

The Blue Jays couldn’t quite get the job done against the Dodgers in the ’25 World Series, but they’ll be looking to return as title contenders again this season. They led MLB in OBP against RHPs last year and also ranked top-five in wOBA and wRC+. Toronto tended to excel at home as well, averaging 5.33 runs/gm compared to 4.70 on the road. The ’26 lineup is largely the same – they did lose Bo Bichette in the offseason but added some power with Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto, who had six 30+ HR seasons across his eight-year NPB career.

Severino still brings solid fastball velocity, but the overall results weren’t great in ’25 (4.54 ERA, 4.63 xFIP, 17.6% kRate, 7.3% SwStr%). Toronto should also carry some late-inning upside against an A’s bullpen that profiles as a bottom-10 unit. The Blue Jays check in with the second-highest implied total on the slate at 4.7 runs.

Favorite TOR Bats: Vlad Guerrero Jr., Daulton Varsho, Addison Barger

Bargain Bats: Kazuma Okamoto, Ernie Clement

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Ryne Nelson (RHP), ARI

If the Dodgers are on a slate, they’re almost always going to be a viable stack given the embarrassment of riches throughout this lineup. Adding Kyle Tucker to a roster that already featured Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Max Muncy, and Teoscar Hernández feels borderline unfair, but that’s the nature of the MLB business. The Dodgers were especially lethal at home last season, leading MLB with 5.40 runs/gm (compared to 4.62 on the road). They also ranked top-five in nearly every key offensive category and, while it took a few innings to get going in their opener last night, they still finished with eight runs on ten hits.

Ryne Nelson draws the unenviable task of trying to contain this lineup. He’s not a big strikeout arm, but he did put together a solid ’25 season with a 3.39 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, .216 opponent AVG, and 0.99 HR/9. He also showed some positive reverse splits, performing better against lefties than righties. That doesn’t remove the appeal of the Dodgers’ elite left-handed bats, but it could give a slight edge to the right-handed hitters if you’re building stacks. Arizona’s bullpen also projects as a weakness, with FanGraphs ranking them No. 28 in MLB heading into the season.

Favorite LAD Bats: Will Smith, Teoscar Hernández, Shohei Ohtani

Bargain Bats: Andy Pages, Miguel Rojas

Low-Owned Stack That Just Might Work Out 🤔

Athletics vs. Kevin Gausman (RHP), TOR

Eight of nine hitters in the confirmed A’s lineup carry a ≤ 10% pOwn%. While they’re not viewed as true contenders, this lineup still brings plenty of firepower and finished as a top-10 offense against RHPs last season. It’s anchored by some exciting talent, led by the unanimous ’25 AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz, alongside proven power bats like Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers, plus several other capable hitters throughout the lineup.

Gausman is a quality arm, but he did struggle in two starts against this group last season. Across 57 plate appearances versus the current A’s roster, he allowed a .340 AVG and .370 wOBA with just a 19.3% kRate. He also turned in a shaky spring (6.03 xFIP, 1.50 WHIP), which at least raises some concern heading into this matchup. Backing Gausman will be a solid Blue Jays bullpen, but there’s still appeal in using a two- or three-man A’s mini stack here, especially if they come in at low ownership.

Favorite ATH Bats: Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker

Bargain Bats: Max Muncy, Lawrence Butler

Note: Once we get a week or two into the season, I’ll reintroduce the “one-off hitters” and “bargain bats” sections.

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