Looking to bring your weekend to a conclusion with a bang? There are a few ways to do that. Watching MLB action, for example. And of course, playing MLB DFS. There are nine games included on the DFS slate, with the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. EDT. To try and help you have a fun Sunday, here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Paul Skenes, PIT vs. TAM ($10,400): Baseball's brightest young pitching star takes the mound again on Sunday. Skenes has posted a 2.29 ERA and a 7.57 K/BB rate through seven outings. Both offenses are lacking and rank bottom-10 in offense. And while Aaron Civale has struggled on the mound, Skenes has excelled and comes in as my recommendation.
Nestor Cortes, NYY vs. ATL ($8,500): Cortes has been much better at home, but that's business as usual as he's recorded a 2.39 ERA at Yankee Stadium since 2022 with a 4.28 on the road. Atlanta's average in terms of runs scored, though don't have Ronald Acuna or Michael Harris to diminish their offensive potential.
Reese Olson, DET vs. CWS ($8,300): With a 3.03 FIP and 0.47 HR/9 rate, it's a bit surprising Olson lists an 1-8 record on the season. He's gone at least five innings and allowed one run or fewer eight times. There's a decent chance Olson can get a second win as the White Sox sit last in OPS and comfortably last in runs.
Top Targets
The reason Corey Seager ($3,600) doesn't find himself in the MVP race again is that he's struggled with his fellow lefties. But against right handers, he's managed an .882 OPS. Alec Marsh is a righty who's starting on Sunday for the Royals. Over his last six outings, he's registered a 6.55 ERA and just allowed seven runs in three innings on the road against the Athletics.
From an overall perspective, Jazz Chisholm ($3,200) strikes out too much, doesn't walk enough, and has a chase percentage of 31.9. From a DFS focus, his dynamic moments provide enough counting stats to be enticing. This year, he's at 10 homers, four triples, 13 stolen bases, and his .264 average would be a career-high. Since the Marlins are so bad offensively, I'd consider rostering Bryce Miller if it wasn't for the fact he's produced a 5.33 road ERA during his career.
Bargain Bats
Now starting for the Blue Jays, Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($2,500) hit two homers Saturday to give him six on the season. He doesn't usually bring a lot of power, yet he's hit .281 and is leading off for Toronto. Triston McKenzie's 4.48 ERA isn't remarkable, though his 5.89 FIP is even worse. The righty has also posted a 7.04 ERA across his last five outings.
After a slow start, Rowdy Tellez ($2,300) has an 1.030 OPS the last three weeks. The Pirates don't play him against lefties, but he's viable when a righty is on the mound Aaron Civale has proven much less viable with a 6.75 road ERA while letting lefties go .281 against.
Stacks to Consider
Guardians vs. Blue Jays (Yusei Kikuchi): Jose Ramirez ($4,000), David Fry ($3,000), Tyler Freeman ($2,800)
The Guardians don't have a great lineup for stacking against lefties, but this is still worth it. Kikuchi has recorded a career 4.59 ERA and 1.60 HR/9 rate. He's at a 6.17 ERA from his last five starts, bolstered largely by righties. Southpaws are hitting below the Mendoza line against the lefty while righties have batted .281 against.
Ramirez has 19 homers and 14 stolen bases, putting him on pace for another 20/20 performance. He's notched an .891 home OPS with a .959 OPS versus southpaws in 2024 even though he's a switch-hitter. Fry has gone cold after a torrid start, but he's still slashed .307/.426/.523 overall - including a 1.231 OPS against lefties. Freeman doesn't hit much, but he's a righty with six home runs and eight steals through 67 games. At his salary and in this matchup, he's worth rostering.
Tigers vs. White Sox (Jonathan Cannon): Riley Greene ($3,200), Colt Keith ($2,600), Zach McKinstry ($2,200)
Somewhat surprisingly, Cannon has posted a 3.34 in the bigs. I say that because down in Triple-A, he struggled to a 5.50 ERA in eight starts and a 5.77 over 11 appearances last year at Double-A. There's something that certainly stands out about Cannon's profile, which is that righties have only hit .159 against while lefties have gone .390. That's why I've included three southpaws for this stack.
Greene broke through with an .826 OPS versus righties last year, but this season he's been even better with a .910. Rookie second baseman Keith hasn't hit as hoped, yet got on base twice Saturday - including his eighth double of the campaign. He's also recorded a .748 OPS the last two weeks, and of course he's a lefty. McKinstry is enduring a tough year aside from stealing four bases with two triples, though managed nine homers, four triples, and 16 steals in 2023.
