The final week of the 2025 season begins with a whimper, as there are just three games scheduled for Monday. A week from today, the MLB Playoff bracket will be settled.
Even though there are only three games, there are big-time pitchers set to take the mound, including Braves SP Chris Sale and Padres SP Nick Pivetta.
Let’s highlight their projections and the top MLB DFS picks on Monday’s slate on PrizePicks real money MLB game.
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Top MLB DFS Picks: Monday, September 22
Here are three of the top MLB DFS picks on PrizePicks today across Monday's three-game MLB slate including star pitchers Chris Sale and Justin Verlander — who has performed well recently.
Braves SP Chris Sale vs. Nationals Projection: 8.5 Strikeouts
- Braves SP Chris Sale has recorded exactly 9 strikeouts in each of his four starts since returning from the IL.
- Going back even further, the star southpaw has punched out at least nine hitters in six of his last seven starts.
- With his 32.3% strikeout rate for the season, Sale is on pace to finish with a strikeout rate of at least 29.4% for the third straight season. For his career, he has a 30.7% strikeout rate.
- When Sale took on the Nationals last week, he posted 9 strikeouts and threw 106 pitches over eight innings.
- The nine-time All-Star is in a favorable position to pitch deep into Monday’s rematch, given that the Nationals have the sixth-lowest OPS in baseball.
Padres SP Nick Pivetta vs. Brewers Projection: 17.5 Pitching Outs
- Padres SP Pivetta has already made 30 starts this season, marking the fourth time in his career that he has made at least that many starts in a season.
- The 32-year-old has logged at least six innings in 10 of his last 12 starts.
- Pivetta has a 3.46 xFIP and a 0.82 WHIP at home this season, compared to a 4.21 xFIP and a 1.14 WHIP on the road.
- With the righty doing such a good job of limiting base runners at home, he has pitched at least six innings in seven of his last eight starts at home. The one game he didn’t during that span, he just missed with 5 2/3 innings.
- The Padres might have a limited bullpen with RP Mason Miller and RP Robert Suarez having both pitched each of the last two days. Padres RP Wandy Peralta has also appeared in three of the last four days.
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Giants SP Justin Verlander vs. Cardinals Projection: 5 Strikeouts
- Giants SP Justin Verlander has thrown at least 100 pitches in six of his last nine starts. That helped him log at least six innings in five of those nine outings.
- The veteran right-hander has recorded at least 5 strikeouts in 15 of his 27 starts this season.
- This game will be played in San Francisco, which is noteworthy because Verlander has a 23.9% strikeout rate at home this season.
- On the road, that drops to a 16.4% strikeout rate.
- When Verlander faced the Cardinals earlier this month, he posted 6 strikeouts over six innings in St. Louis.
Cardinals SP Michael McGreevy vs. Giants Projection: 16.5 Pitching Outs
- Cardinals SP Michael McGreevy dominated the Reds in his last start, throwing seven shutout innings. He allowed 3 hits and 3 walks, while recording 6 strikeouts.
- McGreevy has allowed 1 or 0 runs in three of his last four starts.
- The Cardinals have leaned heavily on their youngster down the stretch, allowing him to throw at least six innings in seven of his last eight starts.
- The Giants have struck out the 12th-most times in baseball and only have a .688 OPS at home.
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Starting pitchers will take center stage on Monday’s three-game MLB slate on September 22 as we near the playoffs.
Sale and Verlander will look to rack up strikeouts while playing at home. Pivetta and McGreevy will try to give both of their squads length, which is something they have become accustomed to doing down the stretch.
Pivetta will be facing a Brewers team that has already clinched the NL Central, so the only thing left that they have to play for is to secure their spot atop the National League.
In addition to the starting pitchers, Monday’s slate provides plenty of hitter projections to make picks on to real money on PrizePicks.
Just pick More or Less for at least two MLB player stat projections to build your Lineup on PrizePicks and win real money if your picks are correct. Stay locked on the Playbook for more daily MLB picks throughout the season.
