This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
The NLDS and ALDS series kick off Saturday, with all eight teams still holding World Series aspirations. In theory, this is where the four teams with a wild-card round bye hold an edge as they get to start atop their rotations rather than with mid-tier starters. That will go a long way to dictating who we're targeting Saturday.
Pitchers
Zack Wheeler ($9,300) has been strong all season, but he's really ramped up his strikeout rate of late by tallying at least eight punchouts in three of his last five outings. The Mets offer a solid lineup, yet list the second-highest K rate of any remaining playoff team.
Dylan Cease ($8,600) at least has to be mentioned as he's posted the highest strikeout rate among all the starters on Saturday. A matchup against the Dodgers is tough, so there's likely to be a lot of variance both ways. Cease is likely to go under-rostered, which makes him appealing to those willing to take on some risk.
Tanner Bibee ($8,000) endured some inconsistencies and the Tigers are a great story, though they're clearly the least productive lineup remaining. That makes Bibee an interesting value option as he's the lowest-salaried option.
Top Hitters
Michael Wacha is among the more flyball-heavy pitchers of the day, and he'll be starting in Yankee Stadium. To make matters worse, he's struggled mightily against lefties this season (.370 wOBA) paired with the short porch in right field. That makes Juan Soto ($6,100) a great player to build around, but also keep Alex Verdugo ($2,900) in mind as a value selection.
Of the top pitchers, Bibee has the most inconsistency. He's particularly struggled with the long ball against lefties (1.4 HR/9), making Kerry Carpenter ($4,300) an intriguing power bat. As a bonus, he's likely to hit second in the order.
Value Bats
This will depend on how Cleveland chooses to set up its lineup with the Tigers using lefty Tyler Holton as an opener before turning to Reese Olson as the bulk option. Assuming they use a lefty-heavy lineup to set themselves up for the majority of the game, Kyle Manzardo ($2,400) could be batting second. He didn't produce an impressive rookie season, yet his salary is tough to overlook based on his potential role.
Stack to Consider
Phillies vs. Mets: Kyle Schwarber ($5,600), Trea Turner ($5,500), Bryce Harper ($5,300)
This is exactly what was referenced in the introduction as the Mets will be forced to start Kodai Senga, who's only made one appearance this season. David Peterson will work the bulk of the innings and holds the worst K% and SIERA of Saturday's starters. There's some risk the Phillies' offense starts slowly due to a relatively long layoff, but the matchup and park make them a solid option.
