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Saturday features a two-game MLB main slate, and the action on DraftKings gets underway at 4:20 p.m. ET. Let’s go position-by-position and break down everything you’ll need to know to set your lineups.
PITCHER
Stud
Nathan Eovaldi, Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros ($7,700) — It’s hard to trust any pitcher with the managers making every decision like it is game seven. Neither of the pitchers in Friday night’s matchup between the Red Sox and Astros made it to the fourth inning. Luis Garcia ($7,500) didn’t make it out of the third in his only playoff start — five earned runs versus Chicago. Eovaldi has a tough matchup, but so does everyone and at least he has lasted five innings in each of his two playoff starts this season. In 10 1⁄3 innings, Eovaldi has surrendered three earned runs on two home runs while striking out 16. Those are pretty good numbers given the matchups.
Value
Max Fried, Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers ($6,800) — The Dodgers have not announced their starter, and when they do, it could be another opener situation like Thursday. Throw in a manager, Dave Roberts, that has a quick hook, and it’s very difficult to roster a Dodgers starter. It could be Max Scherzer ($8,600), but he closed out Thursday’s win against the Giants, so it’s doubtful that he tosses very many innings on Saturday. Fried is the safest option, even if he is facing the Dodgers. Overall, the Dodgers are an above-average team against left-handed pitching. They should be better, but they’re still not a team that would be targeted during the regular season. Against a much easier opponent, Fried allowed three hits over six scoreless innings and struck out nine Brewers. Heading into the postseason, Fried had several good starts, and since the All Star break, he has turned out quality outing after quality outing in nearly every game.
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CATCHER
Stud
Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves ($4,200) — Against left-handed pitching, Smith had a .385 wOBA, .259 ISO, 144 wRC+ and 40% hard contact rate. In this postseason, he has collected six hits (two doubles and two home runs), four walks and three runs scored.
Value
Travis d’Arnaud, Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,500) — In the decisive game of the Milwaukee series, d’Arnaud knocked in a run off one hit, walked and scored a run. He was a below-average hitter this season, but he makes sense for DFS players that are rostering Max Fried and trying to avoid the obvious Will Smith play.
FIRST BASE
Stud
Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers ($4,900) — It’s been a quiet postseason for Freeman, but it’s only been four games. Furthermore, that’s usually the case for everyone. Only a select few each year have memorable postseasons. Nonetheless, Freeman scored 22 DKFP in his last game and could become that breakout star.
Value
Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves ($2,300) — Dust the old man off and get him out here. The Dodgers went with the 41-year-old when the Giants started a lefty (Rich Hill), and Pujols earned two hits. It makes sense, he has hit lefties all season — .387 wOBA, .309 ISO, 146 wRC+, 42% hard contact rate and a 14% K rate.
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SECOND BASE
Stud
Kiké Hernández, Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros ($4,300) — So far, Hernández has been the surprising MVP of the postseason with 14 hits (four doubles and four home runs) and 8 RBIs. Is tonight's matchup great? No, but those 14 hits where in tough spots, too.
Value
Christian Arroyo, Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros ($2,400) — In his final at-bat on Friday night, he hammered a pitch off of an Astros reliever. The exit velocity was 106.8 mph, but the launch angle was -29-degrees. Singles don’t usually win slates, but this is a two-game slate and he’s a punt, so stranger things have happened.
THIRD BASE
Stud
Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros ($5,200) — Left-handed batters have fared well against Luis Garcia this season — .348 wOBA, .195 ISO and 1.6 HR/9. As a left-handed batter, Devers is one of the best hitters vs. right-handed pitching in baseball — .401 wOBA, .341 ISO, 152 wRC+ and a 46% hard contact rate.
Value
Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers ($4,500) — He was a dark horse candidate to win the NL MVP and he’s a dark horse candidate to be the NLCS MVP. In the divisional series, Riley earned a hit in every game including a home run.
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Carlos Correa, Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox ($4,100) — The Astros just keep scoring runs (36 runs in five games). Correa has been a big part of that offensive production. In four games, Correa has eight hits, four walks, five RBIs and five runs.
Other Option: Xander Bogaerts ($4,200)
Value
Dansby Swanson Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,500) — Seeing that he is the only cheap shortstop on the slate, he’s the only value option. Paying down at shortstop has been a questionable move all season for DFS players, and tonight is no different. Swanson had a decent season (.322 wOBA and .201 ISO), and he could benefit from hit hitting at home where his ISO was .226 in the hitter friendly park.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves ($5,100) — The second hottest hitter this postseason has collected 11 hits, but only one extra base hit (home run). Despite the results, Betts is hitting everything hard. In the final game of the Giants series, Betts recorded three hard hit balls, but each were only singles due to launch angles of 12-degrees or less.
Value
Alex Verdugo, Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros ($3,800) — He’s recorded the third most hits this postseason. Playing six games helps the raw total, but take nothing away from Verdugo’s nine hits and six RBIs. Luis Garcia has a 4.09 xFIP vs. left-handed batters.
Other Option: Chas McCormick ($2,800)
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