MLB DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, October 8

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Published on October 8, 2023

After four games of MLB action kicked off the Divisional Series on Saturday, the action will be split over the next couple days with only the American League playing Sunday. First pitch is at 4:07 p.m. EDT. Here are my DFS recommendations.

Pitching

Framber Valdez, HOU vs. MIN ($8,700): Valdez took a step back this year, but he remains one of the best pitchers at avoiding homers having only allowed a career 0.75 per nine innings. The Twins ranked 10th in runs scored, but tied for third in home runs. That speaks to an offense reliant on the long ball, which isn't ideal in this matchup.

Top Target

While Corey Seager ($6,500) got cold down the stretch, his 1.075 OPS against righties still stands out. Grayson Rodriguez pitched much better after a stint in the minors, so his 4.35 ERA may not be indicative of what to expect. However, lefties hit .277 against him, so I'll trust Seager here.

Bargain Bat

The Orioles got incredible production from Ryan Mountcastle ($4,000) against lefties in 2023 with a 1.052 OPS in those matchups. Jordan Montgomery, a southpaw, is in line to start Game 2 for the Rangers. Mountcastle may only see him a couple times before a righty comes out of the bullpen, but that's the kind of gamble to take with a bargain bat.

Stacks to Consider

Astros vs. Twins (Pablo Lopez): Yordan Alvarez ($5,800), Kyle Tucker ($5,500), Michael Brantley ($3,600)

Lopez pitched well against the Blue Jays in the opening round, yet posted a 6.46 ERA across his final three starts of the regular season coming against the White Sox, Angels, and Athletics. While he held righties to a .205 average this year, lefties have gone .271 against. So here's a three-southpaw stack.

Alvarez slugged .583, but he actually fell short of his career .588 mark. While he can handle his fellow lefties, he produced an impressive .625 versus right handers. Tucker finished one homer short of his first 30/30 season, but did contribute 37 doubles and five triples. He also entered the postseason hot with a .990 OPS the previous three weeks. Brantley has said he has no limitations in this series after missing most of the regular season. He's also registered an .873 OPS against right-handers since 2021.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Chris Morgan plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: cmorgan3, DraftKings: cmorgan3.