I remember a few days ago, when there were two MLB games on the docket, I said it was almost assuredly the last day with multiple MLB games we were going to get until next season. Why, to see two games on the same day again, we would need to see the Astros and Rangers go to a Game 7, and the Diamondbacks to force a Game 6 against the Phillies. Well, guess what happened? We've got two baseball games Monday! First pitch is at 5:07 p.m. ET. Here are my DFS recommendations.
Pitching
Aaron Nola, PHI vs. ARI ($10,300): I thought about it. I pondered it. Was it feasible to recommend a pitcher other than Nola to try and save some salary? Ultimately, looking at the other options, obviously I landed on that not being viable. Arizona's offense is the least impressive of these four. That was true in the regular season, and it has been true in the playoffs. Nola has a 0.96 ERA through three playoff starts, and he had a 2.60 ERA over his final three starts of the regular season, so he's been pitching as well any anybody.
Top Target
Even with the Astros suffering a tough night in Game 6, Yordan Alvarez ($4,300) picked up two hits, a walk and an RBI. He's hit .466 and slugged a staggering .949 in the postseason. I know it's about a dozen games or whatever, but that's still remarkable. If you like significant sample sizes, Alvarez has a .978 OPS against righties since 2021, and Max Scherzer is a right-handed pitcher.
Bargain Bat
It took a bit of time for Nathaniel Lowe ($2,800) to get into a groove, but he's picked up a hit in the last five games of the ALCS. This season he had a .360 OBP and also picked up 38 doubles. Lowe is a southpaw, and he had an .833 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. Cristian Javier, meanwhile, allowed lefties to hit a whopping .276 against him. Lowe's bat is heating up, and maybe this will be the denouement of that.
Stack to Consider
Phillies vs. Diamondbacks (Merrill Kelly): Kyle Schwarber ($4,200), Trea Turner ($4,100), Nick Castellanos ($3,300)
The Phillies are back to bask in the Brotherly Love that fills their home city, and to take advantage of a park in which many of the team's hitters thrive. Kelly had a 2.59 ERA at home this year, in a ballpark the announcers mentioned has become pitcher friendly thanks to a humidor roughly a dozen times a game, but he had a 4.07 ERA on the road. The righty has also tended to do a bit worse against right-handed hitters, which is why I decided to include a couple hitters of that ilk in this stack.
Schwarber is a lefty, but he's in this stack because, well, who is hotter when he gets on a streak? He's hit five home runs in this postseason, all against the Diamondbacks, two against Kelly in Game 2. Turner was playing well at home even before he got a standing ovation, but he picked it up after that and finished with an .878 OPS at home. Then, of course, there is his postseason play. The shortstop has hit .415 and slugged .756 thanks to three homers and five doubles. Castellanos has been streaky this postseason, but he's hit five home runs. During the regular season, though, he had a .900 OPS at home.
