MLB DFS Top Stacks & Top Pitchers: August 23, 2026

Eric MacPherson is back with his daily card, breaking down the hitting stacks and starting pitchers he's targeting on this slate. Take his picks into the Stokastic MLB Sims and build by win probability across thousands of simulated contests.

Pitchers 8/23 ⚾️ 🏖️

Cristopher Sanchez vs STL 3.3 runs: The apex ace has similar production to last season when he was second in the NL Cy Young Award race and this year he trails only Jacob Misiorowski and Chris Sale. The Redbirds are likely to have only two high-strikeout candidates (HKCs) in the lineup, though Sanchez can make his own magic at the plate with a career-high 27.8 K%.

Nolan McLean at CHW 4.1 runs: The rookie is at a career-high workload and we have seen him fall towards DFS mediocrity over his last five starts, scoring between 14-18 DKFPs despite getting the win bonus twice. He will be facing some lefty-boppers which has been his kryptonite over the last last month, though there are likely to be at least 4 HKCs in the ChiSox order.

FanDuel is including the two games in the 3 o'clock hour, which brings LHP Jake Bennett to the forefront at home against the anemic Giants. Fellow lefty Foster Griffin is a tournament wild card at Coors Field against the Rockies for those feeling bold.

The rest of the options are jumbled together on both sites, with questions about salaries, workloads and matchups. Shane Baz gets a third matchup against his former team and he did limit the rays to just two runs in a pair of May matchups across 13 IP with 15 Ks. He has 9+ Ks in three of his last seven outings, flashing upside, though two starts ago he had a NEGATIVE DFS effort.

Top Stacks 8/23 ⚾️🎇

FanDuel is including the Coors Field Extravaganza, as well as the SFG@BAL game, which presents gamers with three of the top four stacks that are not available on DraftKings.

HOU vs LHP Jack Perkins 5.1 runs: Expect a potential opener for the A's, who are looking to protect their southpaw a little after a pair of negative DFS scores in two of his last three outings. He is fully stretched out, but the team was content to let him log just 3.1 IP on 53 pitches in his last appearance, allowing just one hit @KCR. In the three preceding games he ceded 18 runs, 5 HRs and 5 BBs in 13.1 IP with 14 Ks. Look to the RHBs in the top-6 along with hitting savant Yordan Alvarez.

CHW vs RHP Nolan McLean 4.1 runs: Look to LHBs Munetaka Murakami, Andrew Benintendi, Colson Montgomery, Tristan Peters and Sam Antonacci as the ingredients for a direct leverage stack against the scuffling rookie who has allowed a .192 ISO to opposite-handed batsmen over the last month.

ATH at RHP Cristian Javier 4.1 runs: The veteran has been shaky over his last trio of tilts, posting just over 20 DKFP in total, despite averaging 86 pitches per appearance, with 4 HRs and just 9 Ks in these 15 IP. The A's have been gutted by injuries, though the top five are nearly free on DK, aside from Zack Gelof ($4.7k). The 'Stros bullpen has had to do some heavy lifting to pick up the starters, so if they can put some runs on the board as expected, Javier could be left out to eat some innings if there is a cushion. If not, there could be a quick hook as Houston holds a slim one game lead over Texas in the AL West and 6 teams within three games for the final wild card.

Late Slate Pitchers 8/23 ⚾️ 🚀

Blake Snell vs PIT 3.4 runs: After missing three months with elbow inflammation, Snell has logged 84 and 90 pitches, collecting 15 Ks in 12 IP with only 2 ERs and 4 BBs allowed. The Bucs set up better against RHPs and they were struck out 11 times by Snell's fellow southpaw Tarik Skubal last night.

Shota Imanaga at SEA 3.8 runs: The splendiferous southpaw gets a park upgrade in Seattle, plus the Mariners have not been able to get much traction on offense all season against strong left-handed hurlers. He will need to work around Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena, Dominic Cannon and the ghost of Cal Raleigh, but this is a surmountable task.

Walker Buehler vs MIN 4.4 runs: The price is right for Buehler, who at least has gone three straight without posting a negative DFS effort. The Twins do have pop and the 32-year-old righty could always backslide to the form that saw him post four sub-2 DKFP efforts in four of the six games before his recent stretch of competence.

Check out Stokastic's MLB Live Before Lock at 12:50pm ET today on Youtube.

Late Slate Top Stacks 8/23 ⚾️🎇

CHC at RHP Bryce Miller 3.9 runs: This run total feels pretty low when considering that Miller has allowed at least four runs in four of his last five outings with 22 in total across 26.1 IP with only 16 Ks. T-Mobile Park is the best pitching venue in the league, but the top-five for the Cubbies have the oomph to send balls to the cheap seats and Michael Conforto is in play as a discount dandy from the back of the lineup.

SDP vs RHP Bailey Ober 4.8 runs: The Friars have a two-game lead in the wild card race, with a trio of teams close enough to take advantage of any missteps. The regulars are unlikely to get any time off, particularly the LHBs against Ober who has suffered a .227 ISO with a scant 11.7 K% against opposite-handed batsmen. Jackson Merrill and Gavin Sheets are priorities, along with righties Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. Jake Cronenworth has not been able to get things going after returning from injury, but he should be in the two-hold and this is a get right spot.

ARZ vs LHP Andrew Abbott 4.9 runs: Even without Ketel Marte, the D'backs profile well against southpaws. They are one of the team looking to chase down the Padres, so this is another all-hands on deck situation, at least for those with heart. Expect a full right-handed lineup, save for budding superstar Corbin Carroll with the top seven all in play this afternoon.

The Dodgers of course are always in play and they are likely to face a combination of RHPs Lake Bachar and Carmen Mlodzinski.

Build it with the Stokastic MLB Sims. Build EMac's stacks and pitchers with the Stokastic MLB Sims. Simulate the slate up to 10,000 times to find the highest-upside lineups, then use code EMAC15 for 15% off Stokastic Sims. Get Stokastic Sims →