Jamie's MLB DFS notebook for Thursday 8/21/25 spotlights a six-game DK slate and a three-game FD slate, with the Dodgers anchoring the night and an emphasis on elite arms alongside shrewd value plays. Ohtani’s absence nudges the lineup toward a power-heavy Dodgers pipeline and raises the floor for Freeman, Betts, and Hernandez. Immanaga and Gore headline the pitching options, while Cease and Priester offer differentiated paths on a short slate. India and Smith stand out among infielders and Seager, Pederson, and Teoscar headline the outfield mix, with Grichuk and KC stacks weaving through a few key playbooks. Dodgers stacks against Dollander dominate the strategy, Royals vs Corbin adds another high-upside angle, and Oakland vs Urena provides a rarer DK-only angle. Windy conditions and Coors Field volatility add another layer of nuance.

Value picks abound: India leads off Kansas City with run-scoring upside against Corbin, Kurtz and Pederson bring budget-friendly pop, and Will Smith’s multi-position eligibility creates lineup flexibility. Teoscar Hernandez and Freeman help round out a potent Dodgers lineup while Seager and Betts fill premium slots. In diversified builds, mixing Dodgers core with Royals and A’s targets can unlock salary relief without sacrificing upside. Injury news and lineup shifts remain critical as the day unfolds.

In short, the slate rewards balanced exposure: a top arm pairing in Imanaga/Gore with Cease/ Priester as a flexible pivot, big Dodgers stacks, and selective value adds across KC and OAK while staying mindful of weather and time constraints across DK and FD.

Will Banfield will make his MLB debut for the Cincinnati Reds after being promoted from Triple-A Louisville to cover for an injured Tyler Stephenson. Banfield, 25, has slashed .220/. with two homers and 23 RBIs across 253 plate appearances this season in the minors, and he’s positioned to provide immediate catching depth for a Reds club navigating injury trouble behind the plate.

The Reds picked Banfield in 2024 on a minor-league deal after his time with the Marlins organization, where he was regarded as a beacon of defense at catcher and a leader-type presence. His background includes a second-round selection in 2018, a late-blooming offensive projection, and a long-running link to Brookwood High School in Georgia, the same school as Lucas Sims, weaving a narrative of close ties to Reds history and future potential.

Texas Rangers offense remains the season’s Achilles’ heel, and the blame game has begun as they dropped 5-2 to Kansas City on the road. The numbers tell a grim story: three or fewer runs in 65 of 127 games, and three or fewer in 11 of 18 since the trade deadline, with just one win in that span. The pressure expands to game management and bullpen usage when the lineup can’t deliver. Merrill Kelly battled cramps but still held the Rangers to two solo homers over six, highlighting how the offense has to carry every margin of error. Kansas City seized the moment: Bobby Witt Jr. and Jonathan India sparked the late surge, Angel Zerpa worked out of trouble, and Cole Winn’s seventh-inning jam allowed the go-ahead run to cross. On the Rangers’ side, Cody Freeman’s appearance and a potential bunt move for him with Jonah Heim at first underscored the rare risk-reward moves Bochy tried as the offense stalled. The result pushes the Rangers further down the AL playoff path while the Royals’ bats mounted the pressure. The narrative remains simple and brutal: the offense doesn’t do its job, so everything else must be perfect—and that margin is shrinking fast.

Kansas City rode a late-inning surge to complete the series sweep, turning a six-inning no-no into a 6-2 win at Kauffman. Davis Martin carried a potential gem into the sixth, but Chicago’s bats stalled and the bullpen faded. Lenyn Sosa supplied the Sox with an early jolt via a 426-foot homer, yet KC countered with timely hits and a decisive late push. India tied it with a long two-run shot in the seventh, Witt Jr. sparked the eighth with a single and a swipe, and Salvador Perez delivered the capper as Adam Frazier homered in the late frames. The White Sox’ 14th straight loss at KC underscored a rough rebuild, while the Royals leaned on a mix of power and mobility to remind fantasy managers that depth in KC is real.

Antecedent to the collapse, Chicago had left 11 runners on base, and questions linger about the Sox’s bullpen stability. Benintendi’s rough patch amid a rough stretch was noted by teammates as the team tries to recapture momentum. Kansas City, meanwhile, leaned into its rising offense, leveraging Witt Jr.’s speed, Yastrzemski’s hot bat, and the veteran Perez to plate crucial runs down the stretch. The next slate will test both teams’ resilience, with KC aiming to keep the offense humming against upcoming contenders while Chicago tries to salvage what remains of a season teetering toward triple digits in losses.