This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Sunday is the first day of fall here in the Northern Hemisphere. Here in Detroit, we have a high of 82 degrees. There are 11 games on the DFS slate with the first pitch at 12:35 p.m. EDT. Here are my DFS recommendations! FanDuel decided to keep the Twins-Red Sox game in the mix even though the opener is now the first half of a doubleheader, but that did move up the first pitch of the schedule.
Pitching
Spencer Arrighetti, HOU vs. LAA ($9,400): It seems Arrighetti just needed some time to adjust. Though the rookie has posted a 4.68 ERA, he's managed a 3.19 over his last 12 starts. The Angels are 27th in runs scored and will be starting Griffin Canning, so I like Arrighetti's chances of picking up a win.
Bryan Woo, SEA at TEX ($8,700): Woo's 2.70 ERA at home this year really shines, but he also has a 3.00 ERA on the road in 57.1 innings. It would appear the Rangers are going to finish in the bottom-10 in runs scored with Corey Seager out for the year, so Woo has a good opportunity to further improve his road numbers.
Top Targets
My preseason pick for AL MVP was Kyle Tucker ($3,800), but unfortunately injuries ruled that out. But when he's played, he's been stellar with a 1.100 OPS versus righties and a 1.140 at home. I previously mentioned Canning going for the Angels, and he enters with a 5.93 ERA and 1.9 HR/9 rate on the road.
It's apparently a day for rostering players who have put up excellent numbers while missing significant time during the second half. Carlos Correa ($3,300) has slashed .313/.386/.519 as a shortstop and has already produced a four-RBI game since returning to the lineup in mid-September. Nick Pivetta has allowed multiple homers in six of his last nine outings while his fellow righties have hit .278 against.
Bargain Bats
Paul Goldschmidt ($3,000) is far from the hitter he used to be, yet he's still recorded 20 homers, 30 doubles, and 10 steals for the third time in four years. He's also notched an .808 OPS the last three weeks. Gavin Williams has posted a 5.12 ERA and right-handed hitters have batted .279 against.
Joey Ortiz ($2,600) couldn't find a home with the Orioles, but he's managed to emerge as the Brewers' third baseman. The righty has an .800 OPS versus lefties and an .824 at home. Jordan Montgomery hasn't allowed many home runs, though he's still struggled to a 6.23 ERA as righties have gone .320 against.
Stacks to Consider
Atlanta at Miami (Darren McCaughan): Marcell Ozuna ($3,900), Matt Olson ($3,700), Michael Harris ($3,300)
Nothing says "somebody has to fill out the rotation" like giving McCaughan a fifth start on the season. The 28-year-old has pitched 47.0 innings in MLB and has posted a 7.47 ERA. His career ERA at Triple-A is 5.14. Both righties and lefties have hit over .320 against, so there are plenty of options from Atlanta.
Ozuna's homer production has slowed, but he's gone yard 38 times and is over 100 RBI for the second straight season. With a .310 average, the slugger is going to go over .300 in a full season for only the second time and that first one was with Miami. Olson has put his slow start behind him. Though the lefty won't hit 54 homers or tally 139 RBI, there's a solid chance he'll rack up 30 home runs, 40 doubles, and 100 RBI like he did in his first year in Atlanta. Harris has gotten into a solid groove with an .888 OPS the last three weeks. Though he's missed time with injury, the lefty has 15 homers and nine steals while slugging .443 on the road.
Diamondbacks at Brewers (Frankie Montas): Ketel Marte ($4,100), Corbin Carroll ($3,800), Joc Pederson ($3,100)
While Montas has a 3.55 ERA in nine starts with the Brewers compared to a 5.01 over 19 outings with the Reds, it's not like changing teams made him a new pitcher. After all, this is a 31-year-old with a career 4.01 mark. Lefties have hit .270 versus Montas, so I grabbed three Diamondbacks who can go from that side of the plate.
Marte's a switch-hitter who's been better against lefties and at home. Even so, his .817 OPS versus righties and his .879 on the road both work. The second baseman also has an .847 from the last three weeks. Carroll is another hitter who put a cold start behind him and has now posted a 20/20 season with a whopping 14 triples. The lefty has registered an .828 OPS the last three weeks and has been stealing bases like he wants to get to 40 (after three on Saturday to get him to 32). Pederson has surprisingly batted .280, yet is unsurprisingly slugging .527. The Diamondbacks have used him against lefties even less than before, though he's managed a .926 OPS versus righties.
