On Thursday night, we have the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees opening up a four-game set at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Red Sox currently lead the season series 6-0 over the Yankees. This matchup features a ton of great DFS plays on both teams that could end up making or breaking your lineup.
However, where you can really separate yourself from your opponent is with the FLEX picks, in which both teams have some interesting choices. Let’s go over the Showdown fantasy outlook for the game for contests on DraftKings.
Captain’s Picks
1. Aaron Judge ($14,700) - Usually, when it comes to the captain spot, a pitcher would be a great option since they contribute a ton of points. However, neither starter in this game is appealing, hence why we are going with Yankees OF Aaron Judge.
The right-handed slugger is hitting .279 with 21 HRs, 47 RBI and averaging 8.7 FPPG this season. Rodriguez has had trouble against right-handed hitters, allowing them to hit .290 with 10 HRs. In his last five games, Judge is averaging 10.2 FPPG.
2. Xander Bogaerts ($14,400) - On the Red Sox side, All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts is another solid option for the captain slot in DFS. The 28-year-old is hitting .321 with 15 HRs, 51 RBI and averaging 9.2 FPPG in 2021. He currently has a four-game hitting streak going on, where he produced 10 or more fantasy points three times. The last time Bogaerts faced the Yankees, he scored 13.3 FPPG in that three-game set.
FLEX Plays
1. Eduardo Rodriguez ($10,800) - Despite his struggles this season, the southpaw would not be a bad FLEX play. Outside of his last start against the Angels, where Rodriguez only put up 7.9 FPPG. In his previous four starts, the 28-year-old pitcher recorded 19.7 FPPG. One of those starts came against the Yankees, where he had 26.5 fantasy points.
2. Gio Urshela ($6,800) - If you are looking for cheap FLEX play, then Urshela is a great option. The 28-year-old has solid career numbers against Rodriguez, hitting .316 with 1 HR and 3 RBI in 19 at-bats. Urshela has recorded a hit in 10 out of his last 11 games, providing New York with a consistent bat in their lineup.
Fades
1. Giancarlo Stanton ($9,200) - Stanton is an easy fade here based on roster construction and how he’s fared against Rodriguez in his career. If you are going to roster Judge in your showdown lineup at his price, then there’s no need for Stanton. The veteran outfielder is also hitting .100 in 10 at-bats against the Red Sox’s southpaw.
2. Kike Hernadez ($8,000) - The only reason why I believe you should fade Hernandez is he’s hitting .237 and averaging 7.2 FPPG at his value. Also, I think you can find cheaper and more productive value plays in Alex Verdugo, Christian Vasquez, and Gleyber Torres.
The Outcome
It’s hard to predict the outcome since we do not know who will be starting for the Yankees. But I think the Red Sox, who have lost 4 out of their last 5 games heading into the All-Star break, will get a victory on Thursday night.