MLB DFS: Top DraftKings, FanDuel daily Fantasy baseball picks, strategy, advice for August 26, 2021

Chris Sale has been nothing short of amazing in his two starts since coming off the injured list. The lanky lefty hadn’t pitched in two years but has struck out 13 over 10 innings while allowing just two earned runs. Sale will get the start on Thursday against the Twins at 7:10 p.m. ET, and he will be one of the most coveted pitchers for MLB DFS lineups.

But with price tags of $10,200 on DraftKings and $10,700 on FanDuel, he is among the most expensive options in the MLB DFS player pool. Thus, in order to roster Sale, you will have to search for some more affordable options elsewhere to stay under your MLB DFS salary cap. So, who else should be your top MLB DFS picks on a light Thursday with just nine night games? Before locking in any MLB DFS picks for Thursday, be sure to check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure. 

McClure is a daily Fantasy pro who has won almost $2 million in his career. And when it comes to daily Fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Recognized in the book “Fantasy Football (and Baseball) for Smart People: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Fortune” as a top MLB DFS player, McClure’s proprietary projection model simulates each game 10,000 times, taking factors such as matchups and recent results into account. This allows him to find the best values on every site.

On Wednesday, McClure included Red Sox outfielder Kyle Schwarber as one of his top MLB DFS picks on both FanDuel and DraftKings. The result: Schwarber went 3-for-6 with a home run, two RBI and one run scored, returning 28.2 points on FanDuel and 22 points on DraftKings. Anybody who had him in their lineup was well on the way to a profitable day.

Now, with the 2021 MLB season rolling on, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for Thursday. Head to SportsLine now to see them. 

McClure’s top MLB DFS picks for August 26, 2021 

One of McClure’s top MLB DFS picks for Thursday is keeping Schwarber in your lineups at $4,800 on DraftKings and $3,400 on FanDuel. Schwarber’s three RBI on Wednesday were his first in a Red Sox uniform, but the former National has still been nothing short of amazing at the plate. Since being acquired by Boston at the trade deadline, Schwarber is batting .379 in nine games and has a 1.100 OPS.

For the season, Schwarber has 26 home runs and 55 RBI during his time in both Washington and Boston. He is averaging a home run in every 11.3 at-bats which is fourth in the majors. Add in that he’s currently riding a 22-game on-base streak, and you can see why McClure is so high on Schwarber as one of Thursday’s top MLB DFS picks.

Part of McClure’s optimal MLB DFS strategy includes stacking Schwarber with third baseman Rafael Devers ($4,000 on FanDuel, $6,000 on DraftKings). Devers has reached base safely six times over his last three games with three runs scored and two runs driven in over that stretch.

Devers is in a great position to return value for Thursday’s MLB DFS lineups because he’ll be facing RHP John Gant of the Twins. He is the type of pitcher that the third baseman has feasted off this year as Devers’ OPS is 157 points higher vs. righties than lefties. Of Devers’ 29 home runs, 23 have come against right-handed pitchers so the All-Star should heavily factor into your MLB DFS strategy.

How to set your MLB DFS lineups for August 26, 2021 

McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Thursday. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value and he comes at a price that won’t break the bank. You can only see who it is here.

So what are the top MLB DFS picks for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure’s complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, and cash in big on MLB DFS.