This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Monday's one-game slate is a showdown contest, which allows us to choose six flex players. This puts the starting pitchers from each squad as well as relievers into play, as there are a few scoring rules that differ from the standard format. We will discuss these rules and go over some strategies in order to ensure that prospective owners make the best possible choices when it comes to roster construction.
Walker Buehler, LAD vs. MIL ($16,100): Buehler didn't quite look like himself in his NLDS start against the Braves but he will have a much more forgiving matchup against a Brewers team that finished 2018 with the sixth highest strikeout rate against right-handed pitching (24.3 percent). Buehler should be able to keep Milwaukee in check due to his penchant for throwing ground balls, as they hit the ball on the ground at a 45.6 percent clip during the regular season.
Max Muncy, LAD vs. MIL ($10,200): I have said throughout the playoffs that Muncy needs to be rostered against right-handers due to the .334 ISO and .417 wOBA he tallied against them in 293 at-bats during the regular season. Monday will be no exception, as he will face a hurler in Jhoulys Chacin who kept a 5.27 xFIP against lefty batters in 89.2 innings during the campaign.
Orlando Arcia, MIL at LAD ($4,400): Arcia was an afterthought for most of the season but showed promise in September, when he tallied a .346 wOBA in 70 at-bats. He appears to have carried this momentum into the postseason, where he has logged a .364 wOBA and two homers in 16 plate appearances. Small sample caveats apply but DFS players will need salary relief in order to turn out the most competitive roster possible. Not only can Arcia provide this relief, he is also capable of putting up a decent point total at what may be a low ownership percentage.
Yasmani Grandal, LAD vs. MIL ($6,000): Grandal has had a rough run so far in the postseason but he needs to be in consideration at this price due to the .240 ISO and .361 wOBA he logged in 333 at-bats against righty hurlers during the regular season. He also tallied a robust 20.2 RAA against the fastball, while Chacin's heater registered a -7.6 RAA in 192.2 innings.
Joc Pederson, LAD vs. MIL ($9,300): One swing of the bat can net owners a minimum of 14 points, which makes loading up on power critical in one-game slates. Enter Pederson, who ended his 2018 campaign with a .295 ISO and a .374 wOBA against right-handed pitchers in 342 at-bats. He is also likely to bat leadoff in the contest, which could get him a few more bites at the apple at the plate.
Josh Hader, MIL at LAD ($3,500): Those who are new to the showdown format should note that relief pitchers score more points for things like innings pitched and strikeouts in addition to receiving credit for saves and holds. This makes all relievers more valuable but manager Craig Counsell's trust in Hader could potentially make him a gold mine, as he put up 25 points in a three-inning performance against the Dodgers last week. DFS players should always have relievers on their radar when playing in this format, as they don't necessarily need to close out games in order to put up big scores.
