This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
I've made the move to looking at this year's performance from a team perspective. While the sample sizes aren't significant, it just makes sense as teams are fundamentally different each season in ways a hitter or pitcher's profile often isn't. There are 10 MLB games on the DFS docket, with the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. EDT. Here are my DFS lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Garrett Crochet, BOS at CWS ($9,400): Last year, Crochet had to toil pitching for the White Sox. He went out there and posted a 2.68 FIP and 12.88 K/9 rate for a team that gave him as little offensive support as a pitcher has ever gotten. Crochet now gets to face his former club, who are struggling offensively again bottom-10 in runs scored with a sub-.300 OBP. And by the way, he has a 2.98 FIP through three starts with the Red Sox.
MacKenzie Gore, WAS at MIA ($8,100): Gore made significant strides last year by dropping his FIP to 3.53 and notably lowering his homer rate. I wasn't fully sold coming in, and then he went six innings against the Phillies allowing zero runs and one hit alongside 13 strikeouts. The lefty has stayed strong with a 2.28 ERA and 8.33 K/BB rate across three starts. Could Gore be emerging as an ace? Even if he isn't, he should be fine against a Marlins team likely to finish once again bottom-five in offense.
Cade Povich, BAL vs. TOR ($6,900): It's Southpaw Sunday! Povich's sophomore season is off to a strong start by recording a 1.24 FIP and 6.00 K/BB. I'll grant you that last year he had a 5.20 ERA over 16 starts, yet his home mark was 3.60. Povich also compiled a 3.06 FIP in 15 Triple-A appearances, so perhaps he was simply a 24-year-old pitcher who was too good for the minors but not quite ready for the Majors. He also was hindered by an issue allowing home runs. While some teams have already gone deep 25 times, the Blue Jays have only managed seven. Yes, seven.
Top Targets
On the one hand, Elly De La Cruz ($5,800) seems like he holds a limited ceiling as he's undisciplined at the plate and really can't hit lefties. On the other hand, it's not really going to hurt DFS players too much. After all, he still managed 25 homers and 67 stolen bases last season. He also has a career .849 OPS against righties, and righties are easier to steal on. Carmen Mlodzinski has moved from the bullpen to the rotation, and I don't know if it'll work out as he gave up seven hits and four runs across 3.2 innings to the Rays during his first outing.
Mike Trout ($5,600), may you stay healthy and may you keep ripping the cover off the ball. While injuries now seem primed to leave him with a career legacy of "a great" as opposed to "one of the greats", he still boasts power slugging .577 with six home runs. Since 2023, when healthy, he's slugged .554 against his fellow righties. Hayden Wesneski has always had an issue with the long ball conceding 1.65 homers per nine innings.
Bargain Bats
Though Alec Bohm ($4,100) is off to a slow start, I think he can turn things around based on his .842 OPS versus southpaws the last couple campaigns. He's also the rare Phillies' righty who doesn't have decidedly better numbers at home. In fact, over that same time frame, he lists a .772 road OPS. Matthew Liberatore enters with a career 5.04 ERA while allowing righties to hit .288 against him since 2023.
The Giants didn't necessarily plan on having Wilmer Flores ($3,200) in a key role, yet he has with six home runs so far. While he's not much of a fan of his home park, he's produced an .875 road OPS the last two years. I think Carlos Rodon is in trouble. Not only has he surrendered over 1.5 homers per nine innings since joining the Yankees, his fastball is down 2.3 miles per hour from last season.
Stacks to Consider
Nationals at Marlins (Cal Quantrill): James Wood ($5,100), Nathaniel Lowe ($3,500), Paul DeJong ($2,600)
Quantrill has posted a 6.00 ERA, to which you might say: "It's only two starts". Well, last season, he sported a 4.98 ERA. And then you might say: "He was with the Rockies". But he was also with Cleveland and struggled to a 5.24 ERA. So wherever he goes, an elevated ERA seems to follow. With CJ Abrams banged up, I decided on this Nationals stack.
Wood enjoyed a splashy rookie campaign in only half a season posting a .354 OBP (in his age-21 campaign) with nine homers and 14 stolen bases. This year, he's at a .367 OBP and has already notched five home runs to go with two swiped bags. Lowe is coming off a down year to end his time with the Rangers, but for him that means a .360 OBP with 16 homers and 16 doubles in 140 games. And since 2023, the lefty has registered an .812 OPS versus righties. Quantrill actually has quite an issue with his fellow righties as they've batted .285 against the last three seasons. DeJong is off to a slow start, though playing shortstop last year resulted in 24 home runs and he once produced 30. I'll take a shot on his power in this matchup.
Tigers at Twins (Simeon Woods Richardson): Riley Greene ($4,400), Kerry Carpenter ($3,800), Spencer Torkelson ($3,600)
Woods Richardson got a couple cups of coffee before last year, but 2024 was his first proper MLB experience. And he was fairly mediocre with a 4.26 home ERA and a 2.33 K/BB rate while letting lefties go .252 against. Right now, the Twins would love mediocrity from the hurler as he's at a 5.59 ERA from two starts having faced the White Sox and Royals. Those are two of the teams in the bottom-10 in runs scored. The Tigers have come out of the gate strong offensively, and this stack looks solid.
Even with a low number of walks here early, Greene is producing thanks to a .250 average with three homers and four doubles. And since 2023, he has an .858 OPS versus righties - including a .365 OBP - so things should improve for the lefty from an on-base perspective. Last season, Carpenter was largely glued to the bench against lefties, yet recorded a .994 OPS versus righties. It's only two starts and only 18 batters, but lefties have hit .533 so far against Woods Richardson. As a Tigers fan, I'm hoping Torkelson sustains his hot start as he's slashed .314/.419/.647 and is reminding people he produced over 30 homers and 30 doubles during 2023.
