Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks: Dodgers vs. Braves 9/14/24

Major League Baseball presents a matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. Let’s take a look at this MLB game from a Draftkings perspective.

Prior to discussing the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves game let’s review the rules for the Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tonight’s Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves matchup.

Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks

Captain-Chris Sale, Pitcher, Atlanta Braves $12,600

On Saturday night, Major League Baseball presents the second game of a four game National League series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves.

How are these two teams playing entering today’s MLB game? The Atlanta Braves arrive at the second game of this four game National League series with the Los Angeles Dodgers playing quality baseball. The Braves have won four of the team’s last seven games played in the 2024 MLB regular season, including a dominating 12-0 shutout win over the Washington Nationals four days ago.

Conversely, the Los Angeles Dodgers have not been playing good baseball recently. Let me be more specific. The Dodgers have lost three of the team’s last four games played this season, including a 10-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs earlier in the week.

It should be noted that the Atlanta Braves defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in last night’s opening game of this four game National League series.

Now that we have identified how both of these National League teams are currently playing let’s shift our focus to this evening’s game. Talented Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale has quickly ascended to be one of the best starting pitchers in the National League. Having stated that, how has Sale been playing from a statistical standpoint in 2024? Let’s review Chris Sale’s recent game data to answer that question.

In the 27 games that Chris Sale has pitched for the Atlanta Braves in the 2024 MLB regular season, Sale has posted a robust 2.38 ERA (Earned Run Average), 1.00 WHIP (walks, hits, inning pitched) and added a whopping 235 strikeouts while allowing only 35 walks.

More recently, in the New York Yankees 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays six days ago, New York starting pitcher Chris Sale pitched exceptionally well. More specifically, Sale pitched six quality innings striking out nine Toronto batters while allowing two hits and one walk in the Yankees victory over the Blue Jays. It has to be said, those are the type of DFS numbers I need to see from a player that I select for the captain position.

For the reasons just noted, I am backing Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale as my captain for this one game DFS MLB contest.

Flex plays I like (Draftkings price noted): Jack Flaherty, Starting Pitcher (Los Angeles Angels) $11,200: Marcell Ozuna, Outfielder (Atlanta Braves) $8,800: Shohei Ohtani, Outfielder (Los Angeles Angels) $10,000.