Sunday is obviously a big day for NFL fans, but don't forget about MLB with 10 games on the DFS docket and the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. EDT. Here are my recommendations.
Pitching
Luis Garcia, HOU at TEX ($8,200): Garcia recently made his first MLB start since 2023, and it went well enough as he allowed three runs alongside three hits and no walks in six innings. And for what it's worth, he looked quite good in four Triple-A starts while rehabbing. The Rangers are only just below-average in runs, though there's some missing production with Corey Seager, Adolis Garcia, and Marcus Semien all sidelined.
Clayton Kershaw, LAD at BAL ($8,000): The thing about being a future Hall of Famer on the mound is that when you are getting it done with guile, people can actually believe in your ability to keep doing that. Kershaw's fastball sits below 90 MPH and he's struck out under six batters per nine innings, yet he's posted a 3.28 ERA in 18 starts. The Orioles list an average offense, but they are lefty-dependent - and that plays into Kershaw's hands.
Patrick Corbin, TEX vs. HOU ($7,200): Corbin's improvement this year is entirely based on the fact he's enjoyed his new home park much more than the one he pitched in with the Nationals. That being said, he's managed a 3.20 ERA in Texas. The Astros are projected to win the AL West, and will likely do it as a team bottom-10 in runs scored.
See which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Top Targets
We have Riley Greene ($5,200), a batter who strikes out a lot, facing a pitcher with a 6.57 K/9 rate in Davis Martin. I'm not sure how that will go. However, Greene also offers a lot of power and has slugged .578 against righties while producing 29 home runs in those matchups. Martin is also a righty with a 1.40 HR/9 rate.
I find myself consistently looking to Freddie Freeman ($5,100) as I look for a Dodgers' lefty who can hit, and Shohei Ohtani always carries a massive salary. Freeman will probably get to 20 homers and 40 doubles this season and he's also recorded a .958 OPS the last three weeks. Tomoyuki Sugano has posted a 4.90 FIP and 6.08 K/9 rate during his first MLB season. Both righties and lefties have hit for average against him, yet lefties have decidedly displayed more power.
Bargain Bats
Though it's unlikely Bryan Reynolds ($4,500) will get to 20 home runs for the fifth straight year, he's currently at 15 to go with 35 doubles. While a switch-hitter, he's slugged .448 against righties the last couple campaigns. Remember when hype for Jacob Misiorowski was sky high and he was invited to the All-Star Game? We've turned around and suddenly here he is with a 7.23 road ERA.
We're still awaiting the outcome for Matt Chapman ($4,000) who is appealing his one-game suspension. In the meantime, he's going out there and raking by notching a 1.049 the last two weeks with an overall .818 OPS versus his fellow righties and an .873 on the road. Righties have gone .288 against Sonny Gray, who seems to be fading with a 6.44 ERA from his last nine starts.
Stacks to Consider
Phillies at Marlins (Adam Mazur): Kyle Schwarber ($6,100), Bryce Harper ($5,700), Bryson Stott ($4,200)
I get the feeling Mazur may not be cut out to be an big-league pitcher as he struggled to a 7.49 ERA in eight starts with the Padres last year and a 5.74 through three outings with the Marlins. Beyond that, he carries a career 5.03 ERA in Triple-A. Lefties have batted .321 against Mazur over his career, so picking these three Phillies was easy.
That four-homer effort has helped mask the fact Schwarber has been a bit cold of late, but he's going to reach 50 homers and 120 RBI while stealing double-digit bases. And you can't even neutralize him with a southpaw as he's slugged .501 against lefties since 2023. Even though injuries have limited Harper to 114 games, he's at 24 home runs and 11 swiped bags to go with a .373 OBP against righties. While Schwarber has cooled down, Stott has heated up having registered a .925 OPS the last three weeks. He's also racked up double-digit homers and 20-plus stolen bases as a second baseman.
Royals vs. Twins (Bailey Ober): Maikel Garcia ($4,400), Vinnie Pasquantino ($4,000), Mike Yastrzemski ($3,400)
Bobby Witt's back is tweaked, the Royals are bottom-five in runs scored, and yet I'm still happily stacking them. That's how much Ober's season has been a disaster. He's lost over 1.5 MPH on his fastball, his strikeout and groundball rates have plummeted, and his HR/9 rate is all the way up to 2.10. Ober also lists a 5.23 ERA and 5.33 FIP while lefties have hit .290 against, so I've offered two southpaws below.
Garcia is a righty, yet right-handers have averaged .277 against Ober. He's enjoying an out-of-nowhere career year and prefers facing lefties, though his .806 OPS versus righties is more than sufficient. Pasquantino is almost at 30 homers and 100 RBI with a .933 OPS the last three weeks. Yastrzemski has taken off since joining the Royals. He still hits for a mediocre average and seldom walks, but he's produced seven homers and eight doubles in only 31 games. The southpaw can't hit lefties at all while slugging .458 against righties since 2023.
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