Friday will be the last day of the MLB season with more than one game. Sure, that isn't official yet, but another day of multiple games would require a Game 7 in the ALCS and a Game 6 in the NLCS and…yeah that's not happening. So, let's make the most of it. First pitch is at 5:07 p.m. ET. Here are my DFS recommendations.
Pitching
Justin Verlander, HOU at TEX ($9,400): With the Phillies and Diamondbacks going deep looking for Game 4 starters, the Astros and Rangers get to flip things over for Game 5. Verlander pitched well in Game 1 of this series, but just lacked run support. Through two starts in the postseason the future Hall of Famer has an 1.42 ERA and, crucially in terms of possibly picking up a win, has gone 12.2 innings. The Rangers aren't an easy matchup, but neither are the Astros. I'll go with the icon on his game on the mound.
Top Target
This season, dogged by injury as it was, Jose Altuve ($5,600) was a force on the road, where he had an 1.035 OPS. He was better against righties this year - .941 OPS compared to an .846 OPS against lefties – but that has not necessarily been the norm. Just last year the second baseman had an 1.086 OPS versus southpaws, for example. Jordan Montgomery has been as good as Verlander, which is why I am going upper-echelon hitter here. While the lefty has a 2.08 ERA across three playoff starts, he's allowed 20 hits in 17.1 innings, so he hasn't necessarily been lights out.
Bargain Bat
If you want a guy who can flip the script with one swing of the bat, Christian Walker ($4,300) is such a hitter. He's racked up more than 30 home runs in each of his last two seasons. Plus, this year he had an .872 OPS at home. Cristopher Sanchez, a lefty, has gotten the nod for the Phillies. Walker also had a .922 OPS against southpaws.
Stack to Consider
Phillies at Diamondbacks (Joe Mantiply/Ryne Nelson): Bryce Harper ($5,500), Kyle Schwarber ($4,700), Bryson Stott ($4,100)
The Diamondbacks have said that Mantiply will start Game 4, but he's a true reliever. My guess is he pitches one inning, the hope being he can handle Schwarber and Harper, and then cede to Nelson for the bulk innings. Nelson, a rookie righty, is the only viable bulk-inning option Arizona has. Nelson's brief cup of coffee in 2022 proved not to be predictive. He had an 8.40 ERA at home this year, and lefties hit .296 against him. Thus, a three-lefty stack.
Though Harper is incredible at home, any time he gets to face a righty, I'm happy to have him in my lineup, especially a homer-prone righty like Nelson, should he get the start. Harper has an 1.005 OPS versus right-handed pitchers since 2021. You likely noticed that Schwarber has gotten his swing in form in the NLCS, and the slugger has a reputation for streakiness. He also has a reputation for elite power, having hit over 45 homers in each of his last two campaigns. Now, he's added three home runs in this series. Stott is not the same sort of power hitter as his teammates, but he did hit 15 homers to go with his 32 doubles (and 31 stolen bases) this season. Also, from a parade-of-relievers perspective, in his career Stott has a .738 OPS against his fellow lefties, which will suffice.
