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After being held to just four runs over the first two games of the ALCS, the Astros offense showed its prowess just in time to get them back into the series. The Astros had four players in the MLB DFS player pool record multiple hits yesterday, led by Jose Altuve going 2-for-5 with a home run and Yordan Alvarez going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored even while being robbed on a home run by Rangers centerfielder Leody Taveras. Should you stack Astros in MLB DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings with the Rangers holding a 2-1 series lead?

Meanwhile, the Phillies hold a 2-0 series lead over the Diamondbacks with the NLCS moving to Arizona on Thursday. The Phillies are coming off a 10-0 win in Game 2, and Kyle Schwarber had three home runs over the first two games of the series. Should daily Fantasy baseball players expect his power surge to continue in Arizona and use him in MLB DFS picks? Before submitting 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 more than $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 Monday, McClure highlighted Phillies shortstop Trea Turner as one of his top picks in his MLB DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Turner went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, returning 10 points on DraftKings and 12.2 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

Now, with the 2023 MLB playoffs rolling on, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for Thursday, October 19. Head to SportsLine now to see them.

McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Thursday

One of McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Thursday is again utilizing Turner ($5,600 on DraftKings and $4,100 on FanDuel). Turner has been one of the hottest hitters this postseason, batting .500 with five doubles, three home runs, eight runs scored and a 1.525 OPS over eight games. The 30-year-old went 1-for-2 with a home run and two walks with two runs scored in Game 2 on Tuesday.

Postseason play is when fans often determine if their star players are worth monster contracts. After signing an 11-year, $300-million deal to join Philadelphia this offseason, Turner had a slow start to his Phillies career. However, Turner closed the regular season with 16 home runs and 42 RBI over the final two months to help the Phillies reach the postseason. He's been just as good, if not better, in his first playoffs in Philadelphia, and he's worthy of a larger price tag to include in MLB DFS picks. 

McClure's optimal MLB DFS strategy includes rostering Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll ($5,500 on DraftKings and $4,300 on FanDuel). Carroll is hitting .333 with two home runs, four RBI and six runs scored over seven playoff games this year. He's also drawn six walks, raising his on-base percentage to .467 and OPS to 1.092 this postseason.

The 23-year-old was 14th in baseball in OPS (.868) and 19th in batting average (.285) in 2023. Caroll, a left-handed hitter, didn't have a huge statistical falloff against left-handed pitching this year as the Phillies are scheduled to start southpaw Ranger Suarez. The NL Rookie of the Year favorite hit .283 against LHPs this season and has a double and a walk in five career plate appearances against Suarez. Corbin had a .902 OPS at home this season as the Diamondbacks face what's basically a must-win game on Thursday. See who else to pick right here.

How to set your MLB DFS lineups for October 19, 2023

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.