This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Thursday, MLB is pulling back on the throttle. There are only four games on the slate in the evening, with the first pitches at 7:15 p.m. ET. Don't miss out on a DFS opportunity, though. Before you know it, the season will be over. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Tarik Skubal, DET at CLE ($7,200): These are two of the worst offenses in MLB, so don't expect much in the way of offense. The Guardians, for their part, are last in terms of home runs by a wide margin. Skubal has a 4.18 ERA through seven starts, but a 2.09 FIP with a 10.02 K/9 rate. He's also only allowed one home run, and it feels unlikely the Guardians will add to that, especially with Skubal being a lefty.
Top Target
It's been another steady season for Nolan Arenado ($5,500), who has hit .287 with 25 homers and 84 RBI. While he's been better against righties this year, since 2021 he's posted an .896 OPS against lefties. Jose Quintana has made five starts this season, and while he has absolutely dominated against his fellow lefties, righties have hit .303 against him. Righties are able to hit Quintana, and that is where Arenado excels.
Bargain Bat
The Diamondbacks are going to fall short of the playoffs, but Lourdes Gurriel ($4,500) has kicked it into high gear heading into the stretch run regardless. He has a .926 OPS over the last three weeks, including hitting four homers. Rich Hill's first two starts for the Padres have been a disaster, as he has a 12.79 ERA and hasn't gotten out of the fourth inning either time. This year, righties have hit .284 against the veteran southpaw as well. Gurriel did leave Wednesday's game with what is being called a hip contusion, and the Diamondbacks are a little wanting for right-handed hitters. However, trade addition Tommy Phams ($4,000) is a viable option if Gurriel can't go, or if you don't want to risk his health status.
Stack to Consider
Mets at Cardinals (Adam Wainwright): Pete Alonso ($5,300), Francisco Lindor ($5,000), Brandon Nimmo ($4,400)
The Cardinals really want Wainwright to get to 200 wins before the end of his final season. And yet, there has been talk of removing the 41-year-old from the rotation, even with nothing on the line for the franchise. That's how bad he's been. I mean, he has an 8.78 ERA with a 5.29 K/9 rate and 1.89 HR/9 rate. Righties have hit .355 against Wainwright, which is bad. Lefties have hit .403, which feels impossible. I'm definitely stacking Mets in what could be the penultimate start of Wainwright's career (I feel pretty certain he'll get a curtain-call start at the end of the year).
Even though he's made less contact in 2023, Alonso's power has still been there. He's slugged .522 with 36 homers in 113 games. Plus, a lot of his issues have been at Citi Field, as he has a .922 OPS on the road. Lindor has 22 homers and 20 stolen bases, and the switch hitter has an .800 OPS against righties, with the option there to take advantage of Wainwright's brutal season against lefties. The shortstop also has an .851 OPS on the road. Nimmo is the one pure lefty in this stack, and he has a .362 OBP. Sixteen of his 17 homers have come against righties, and since 2021 he has an .846 OPS on the road.
