This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
It's a busy Sunday for baseball, and it got even busier when the Yankees and Red Sox had to schedule a doubleheader. There are more late afternoon matchups than usual, but the Peacock game is also an 1:05 p.m. EDT start instead of later in the morning to leave nine in total on the DFS docket. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Charlie Morton, ATL vs. COL ($10,500): Here's a case of hoping for some offensive support giving a pitcher what he needs to get a win. Morton has a good chance of handling the Rockies as this game isn't at Coors Field. While the veteran pitcher has been better on the road this year, he's posted a 3.53 home ERA and a 4.04 on the road since joining Atlanta.
Jon Gray, TEX vs. TOR ($10,100): This is the worst slate of pitchers I can recall on a DFS slate so far this season. The Blue Jays aren't an easy matchup, but Gray has been stellar and has baseball's best offense behind him. Presuming his blister issue is gone, he's been on an excellent run with a 0.84 ERA in his last six starts.
Louie Varland, MIN vs. DET ($8,700): This is definitely a matchup play. The Tigers carry the second-worst offense in baseball, with only the Athletics being worse. Detroit was shut out Saturday and maybe that doesn't happen again Sunday, but I'll take a shot on Varland and hope that I can get a nice return on salary.
Top Targets
The inverse of questionable pitching choices is that there are plenty of hitting options. Ronald Acuna ($6,600) isn't exactly under-the-radar, but this is the "Top Targets" section for a reason. He's been perhaps the best player for fantasy purposes - and maybe by any measure - this season. The righty has also slashed .326/.401/.565 with 15 homers with 30 stolen bases. However, I'm also recommending Acuna because you might see Chase Anderson with a 2.72 ERA and think that's imposing if he can do that while pitching his home games at Coors. But note his first two appearances were with the Rays. Since joining the Rockies, Anderson has made six starts and has produced a 3.16 ERA combined with a 5.25 FIP.
Kyle Tucker ($5,300) has registered a .281 average to go with nine home runs and 12 steals, so maybe he'll follow up a 30/25 season with a 25/30 season. The lefty also has an .872 OPS at home since 2021. In his first year starting for the Reds, Luke Weaver has slumped to a 6.23 ERA while allowing 2.08 home runs per nine innings.
Bargain Bats
The overall numbers are lackluster, yet Garrett Cooper ($3,200) has managed an .870 OPS versus lefties and a .788 the last couple campaigns. Not only is he facing a lefty Sunday, that lefty is Patrick Corbin. While Corbin's ERA has dropped from 6.31 to 4.81, his FIP has risen from 4.83 to 5.03. And over the last three seasons, righties have hit .311 against.
In his first year with the Mets, Tommy Pham ($3,000) has notched six homers and six stolen bases. He's also maintained an .833 OPS versus lefties, and Matthew Liberatore is a lefty. Once a notable prospect, Liberatore has been overwhelmed by MLB hitters with a career 5.66 ERA. His big problem? Righties have smashed him to the tune of a .323 average.
Stacks to Consider
Cardinals at Mets (Carlos Carrasco): Paul Goldschmidt ($5,800), Nolan Gorman ($4,700), Jordan Walker ($3,000)
Carrasco was coming off a season of solid mediocrity, but 2023 has been a disaster for the veteran with a 5.71 ERA and a 6.24 FIP. He's also struck out a mere 5.27 batters per nine innings and has given up 1.76 home runs per nine innings. There are two righties in my stack as they've gone .287 against Carrasco since 2021.
It's been a bit of a down year for Goldschmidt, yet he's still slashed .287/.381/.493 with 12 homers and seven stolen bases. He's struggled to figure out lefties this season, but he's posted an .896 OPS against right-handed pitchers. Gorman has been cold, though I like his power against Carrasco considering he's gone deep 29 times across 154 MLB appearances, and 27 of those have come against righties. Walker is one of the top hitting prospects and has slashed .294/.349/.445 with four home runs and two steals. While right-handed, lefties have handled him and he's recorded an .844 OPS versus righties.
Brewers vs. Pirates (Luis Ortiz): Christian Yelich ($5,400), Rowdy Tellez ($4,400), Jesse Winker ($2,700)
Ortiz has been brutal on the road during his career with a 6.20 ERA away from home. He's also been roughed up by lefties, who have gone .325 against. That's why I decided to stack three Milwaukee southpaws.
Yelich enters with a .361 OBP alongside nine homers and 16 stolen bases. He lost his power due to injury, but he can still show some of that old pop versus righties based on his .466 slugging percentage against them. Tellez doesn't hit for average or walk, though he produced 35 homers last year and has 12 so far in 2023. He can't hit lefties at all, but has slugged .469 against righties since 2021. Winker is just returning from injury. We haven't seen much of the southpaw with the Brewers, though he's managed an .813 OPS versus righties the last two seasons.
