This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
I stayed up all night to watch the Tokyo Series kick-off, and I can't tell you how much it pleases me to see some baseball. Seeing just one game is the smallest of appetizers in a 162-game season, but there are still DFS contests to dissect. We had mixed results in the first slate of the season, so let's dive into the capper of this two-game set between the Dodgers and Cubs.
Pitching
We rarely want to fade both pitchers on a single-game slate, but we will do that here. Justin Steele is one of my favorite pitchers, but a matchup with the Dodgers is disastrous. That, paired with his preseason form, including a 9.35 ERA in spring training, makes Steele impossible to trust. What worries us about Roki Sasaki is that he might not pitch long enough to make him useful for fantasy purposes. You need at least 20 DK points for him to be worthy of his salary, and that'll be tough to reach since he might not even throw five innings in his MLB debut. It's also scary that these are Top 10 offenses.
Top Targets
Kyle Tucker, CHC ($9,600)
Tucker was quietly the best acquisition of the offseason, because this guy was in line for MVP votes before an injury derailed his 2024 campaign. He had a .408 OBP and .993 OPS across 78 games last year, collecting 23 homers and 11 steals as well. That means he could be a 40-20 player, and that type of potential makes him a worthy option against a rookie righty. Tucker tallied a .427 OBP, .655 SLG and 1.082 OPS against right-handers last year.
Tommy Edman, LAD ($7,200)
We had Edman in this section yesterday, and we're going back to him for all the same reasons. This guy blew up once he joined the Dodgers in the second half of last season, and he's projected to bat in the heart of this daunting lineup. The main reason for that is his superb splits, as he sported a .412 AVG, .882 SLG and 1.299 OPS against lefties last year. His .811 OPS against southpaws over the last three years is also impressive, making it hard to believe he remains affordable.
Pete Crow-Armstrong CHC ($5,800)
There aren't many prospects as talented as this guy, and PCA is expected to be among the best defensive outfielders in MLB. The bat was the one thing people were worried about, but it's impossible to overlook Crow-Armstrong's awesome spring training. The speedster had a .518 AVG and 1.500 OPS in 27 at-bats during that preseason surge. That ridiculous run is backed by 10 homers and 27 steals across 123 games in his rookie campaign, making PCA an enticing option since he has the platoon advantage against Sasaki.
Bargain Bats
Andy Pages, LAD ($5,400)
With Mookie Betts (illness) out of the lineup, Pages appears to be guaranteed a spot in this lineup. I have him projected to bat sixth or seventh, and there aren't many better spots than behind studs like Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and Will Smith. The biggest asset for Pages is his phenomenal splits, including a .396 OBP and .917 OPS against left-handers last year. Good luck finding that production from another player in this price range.
Enrique Hernandez, LAD ($5,200)
This guy has been a spark plug in LA for years, and he should be in the starting lineup against left-handers. In over 1,500 plate appearances against lefties, Hernandez has a .337 OBP, .453 SLG and .789 OPS. Those are absurd averages from such an affordable player, and they are paired with some elite form. Hernandez posted a .517 OBP and 1.089 OPS across 23 at-bats in spring training.
We also like Shohei Ohtani, Ian Happ, Teoscar Hernandez and Will Smith, but the guys mentioned are the best values on this slate.
