This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have 10 MLB games on Sunday starting at 12:40 p.m. EDT or later. Yes, 12:40. Because the Guardians-Astros matchup was moved up due to the threat of rain. That means you have to get your DFS lineups in an hour earlier than expected. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Bryce Elder, ATL vs. WAS ($9,600): Elder has improved upon his 2022 performance as his strikeouts are up, his groundball percentage is higher, his walks are down, and he's posted a 2.26 ERA through 12 starts. The Nationals have outperformed expectations by not being in the bottom-five in runs scored, though sitting 24th for that category isn't exactly imposing.
Lucas Giolito, CWS vs. MIA ($9,400): Giolito is coming off an excellent road start where his ERA dropped to 3.75, but his home performance is what stands out to me Sunday as he's managed a 2.70 ERA in his own park this season. I mentioned the Nationals not within the basement when it comes to hitting, yet the Marlins are predictably light in that department.
Freddy Peralta, MIL vs. OAK ($8,800): Like Giolito, Peralta has been better at home with a 3.41 ERA. That's not great, though it's much better than the 6.04 on the road. Getting to face the Athletics helps as they're baseball's worst team with baseball's second-worst offense.
Top Targets
Seeing Paul Goldschmidt ($5,600) get on base three times Saturday was encouraging, and let's not forget he's slashed .284/.382/.486. He's just been a bit cold of late, but he doesn't tend to stay that way for long. Hunter Greene strikes out a lot of batters, but carries a 3.92 ERA partly because righties have hit .283 against. Goldschmidt is not an all-or-nothing swinger and is a righty, so this matchup plays to his strengths.
Catchers who get on base at a .390 clip always draw attention, and that's what Adley Rutschman ($5,400) has done. He's also a switch hitter with a career .870 OPS versus righties. Mike Mayers is in line to be the bulk pitcher Sunday and he enters with a career 5.06 ERA. He might not be in there long - two times through the rotation, tops - so hopefully Rutschman gets at least three at-bats against righties. Carlos Hernandez is another righty who's operating as the opener, so I think we're good there.
Bargain Bats
It's been a fun return to Pittsburgh for Andrew McCutchen ($4,500), who's registered a .379 OBP with eight homers and seven stolen bases. Carlos Carrasco is having a disastrous season with a 5.94 ERA and a 6.08 FIP. While right-handed, righties have gone .288 against him since 2021. And that's where the steady veteran McCutchen comes in.
We have seen strikingly little of elite prospect Elly De La Cruz ($4,300) in MLB, but it's been a lot of fun so far. Fun doesn't count for DFS, though a lot of players have helped when facing Adam Wainwright. The veteran doesn't strike out many batters and doesn't give up many home runs, yet lists a 5.97 ERA because he allows plenty of contact. Lefties have hit a staggering .379 against Wainwright, and De La Cruz is a switch-hitter.
Stacks to Consider
Atlanta vs. Nationals (Trevor Williams): Ronald Acuna ($6,500), Matt Olson ($6,100), Michael Harris ($3,200)
Williams is back starting after mostly pitching in the bullpen in 2022 with the Mets, and it isn't going well. Strikeouts are down, home runs are up, and his 4.15 ERA pairs with a 5.41 FIP. To make matters worse on Sunday, Williams has posted a 4.55 road ERA. Since he's a righty, I went with two southpaws in this stack.
Acuna may be right-handed, but he's also been the best fantasy player in 2023. I mean, a .333 average, 13 homers, and 28 stolen bases? Count me in, salary be damned! It's slightly anecdotal, but I feel like a few significant lefties (Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, and Olson, for three) have seen their overall numbers dip as they're struggling more than usual against southpaws. Olson has a .938 OPS versus righties this year and an .866 since 2021. To try and save some salary but still offer upside, there's the southpaw Harris. His sophomore season has been lackluster, but he's still produced three homers and five steals after 19 and 20 as a rookie. Williams, for his part, has allowed lefties to hit .286 against the last three seasons.
Dodgers at Phillies (Taijuan Walker): Mookie Betts ($6,400), J.D. Martinez ($5,600) Max Muncy ($5,000)
Walker has been much better at home in his first year with Philly boasting a 2.67 ERA at home. However, he's recorded a 6.75 on the road along with an overall career 3.97 and 4.19 FIP across five clubs. I opted to go with two righties as they've gone .273 against Walker this year. Lefties have hit .213, but both lefties and righties have managed five homers off him.
Betts leads off for a top offense, which has already helped him tally 52 runs and 41 RBI. He also boasts a .944 OPS the last three weeks. Martinez is another Dodgers' revitalization project who's batting .275, slugging .632, and crushing 16 homers - including a road OPS over 1.000. Muncy is a lefty, but his all-or-nothing, power-first approach is perhaps ideal against Walker. Even though he's hitting below the Mendoza line, he's racked up 18 homers alongside an .891 OPS versus righties.
