This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Look, it's pretty straightforward. You get your MLB DFS lineups set before the first pitches at 1:35 p.m. ET. Then, you watch a bunch of baseball action from these 10 games. You follow that by watching Tom Brady's debut as an announcer and later the Lions beating the Rams on Sunday night (okay, so I am a little biased on that last point). Sounds like a good Sunday, right? Here are my MLB DFS lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Freddy Peralta, MIL vs. COL ($9,600): Regarding gearing up for the playoffs, Peralta has a 1.61 ERA over his last four starts. He's also on pace to average double-digit strikeouts per nine innings for the sixth time in his seven MLB seasons (the other time he averaged a paltry 9.92). The Rockies are average in runs scored and 18th in home runs. When you factor in where they play half their games, that's a lack of power.
Caden Dana, LAA at TEX ($7,100): Just 20 years old, Dana cruised through Double-A hitters to the tune of a 2.59 ERA through 23 starts and got the call right to the big leagues, skipping Triple-A entirely. In his first MLB start, Dana went 6.0 innings and only allowed two runs. Sure, it was against the Mariners, but the Rangers aren't much better. They are currently in the bottom 10 in runs scored.
Seth Johnson, PHI at MIA ($6,100): Johnson will be making his first MLB start. Like Dana, Johnson was mowing down the competition at Double-A (though he is 25, not 20), but that was in the Orioles system. Philly acquired his services, and after a 0.56 ERA in three Triple-A starts, Johnson earned the call. The Marlins seem primed to finish 29th in runs scored and team OPS. The best-case scenario on either front for them is ranking 28th. So, another Triple-A offense for Johnson to face.
Top Targets
On the one hand, Jameson Taillon has been much better at home this year, posting a 2.64 ERA at Wrigley Field. On the other hand, Juan Soto ($4,500) is Juan Soto. He's going to have his first 40-homer season and his second campaign with an OPS over 1.000. Lefties have hit .265 against Taillon this year, and for what it's worth, Taillon's ERA at Wrigley in 2023 was 4.62. There was no home cooking for him last season.
The Red Sox have two elite lefty hitters, but while Rafael Devers has been going through it recently, Jarren Duran ($3,900) has a .965 OPS over the last three weeks. Also, he sports a .955 OPS versus righties and a .866 OPS at home. The righty Chris Flexen has a 6.99 ERA on the road and has allowed 1.8 homers per nine innings in away outings. That's why I was looking at lefties for the Red Sox.
Bargain Bats
Maybe J.P. Crawford ($2,900) didn't turn a corner last season, but this year he has been hindered by injury, so perhaps that has been the issue. What I do know is that through it all he's managed a .774 OPS on the road. Miles Mikolas is no threat to strike anybody out (career 6.51 K/9 rate) and he has a 5.97 ERA at home. Also, lefties have hit .286 against him over the last two seasons.
With Ke'Bryan Hayes out, Jared Triolo ($2,300) is starting at third base for the Pirates. He's stepped up with a .851 OPS over the last 21 days. While that's unusual for him, he steps into a matchup with Patrick Corbin, who has performed as usual. That is to say, he has a 6.26 ERA on the road and has let righties hit .316 against him.
Stacks to Consider
Brewers vs. Rockies (Kyle Freeland): Willy Adames ($3,600), Jackson Chourio ($3,300), Rhys Hoskins ($2,900)
You might be saying, "But this game is in Milwaukee, not Denver! Good job, idiot!" First, you are a very rude, straw man. Second, since 2022 Freeland does have a 5.13 ERA at home, but also a 4.63 ERA on the road. This season, his road ERA is up to 6.75. No Coors Field? No problem. Since Freeland is a lefty, one who has allowed righties to hit .292 against him over the last three years, this is a three-righty stack.
Adames has a .911 OPS over the last three weeks and just got to 30 home runs for the second time in his career. Not too shabby for a shortstop. His environs should help him stay hot, given he has a .843 OPS at home. Chourio has been the second-best rookie named "Jackson" this season. Take that, Jackson Holliday. He has 19 homers to go with 20 stolen bases and has a .824 OPS against righties and also at home. Hoskins has been all-or-nothing in his first season with the Brewers, but the "all" does stand out. He's hit 23 home runs in 114 games, and Freeland has allowed 1.9 homers per nine innings in away games.
Phillies at Marlins (Edward Cabrera): Kyle Schwarber ($4,200), Bryce Harper ($3,800), Bryson Stott ($2,900)
Cabrera may or may not start Sunday, as he has been dealing with migraines, which is not a condition you can pinpoint with tremendous accuracy. Even if Cabrera can't go, a below-average righty will be starting for the Marlins. That's essentially all the team has available at the moment. Even if Miami gets cute and tries a bullpen-heavy mix-and-match scheme, all three of these Philly southpaws are viable against left-handed pitching. In essence, I don't care what the Marlins deploy in this one. I want these three Phillies in a stack.
Unless he really goes on a tear (and he's certainly trying), Schwarber will fall just short of hitting 40 homers for the third season in a row. However, he's going to have over 100 RBI and runs scored for the second year in a row. Nobody is going to quibble with, say, 36 homers on the campaign. Also, since I mentioned the whole "viable against lefties" thing, Schwarber's OPS versus his fellow southpaws is a robust .927. Harper, who has slashed .283/.372/.519, hits well in basically every scenario. While he has been better at home, his .818 OPS on the road is still quite good, and his .885 OPS versus righties is sufficient. While Stott's numbers have dropped this year, mostly he's just hit fewer doubles. He has 11 homers and 29 stolen bases. He also has a .871 OPS over the last three weeks.
