This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
The NL Wild Card game figures to be a good one. Despite winning 106 games during the regular season, the defending-champion Dodgers ended up with a Wild Card spot thanks to the Giants beating them by one game in the NL West. In the other dugout will be the Cardinals, who used a hot finish to earn 90 wins. The Dodgers have a much more talented roster, but with the Cardinals starting Adam Wainwright, this game could get very interesting. Let's dive into the DraftKings Showdown contest and highlight some players to consider for your lineups.
Captain Pick
For those new to this format, the player that is selected for the Captain's Pick in your lineup will receive 1.5X the fantast points. The downside is, whoever you select for that spot, you will also have to pay 1.5X their salary.
There are two ways to approach this spot. You can go with a safe player who has a high salary to build yourself a solid base. In that case, the man to target might be Max Scherzer ($17,100 Captain's Pick). He's been lights-out since being dealt to the Dodgers, posting a 1.98 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 89 strikeouts over 68.1 innings.
If you want to try a different approach in tournament play, Harrison Bader ($10,800 Captain's Pick) could be someone to consider. He caught fire down the stretch, hitting 29-for-82 (.354) with five home runs and nine doubles over his final 23 games. He showed progress at the plate, in general, reducing his strikeout rate for the season to 21.2 percent. That's nearly six percent points lower than his career mark.
Top Targets
Wainwright ($10,400) is a step below Scherzer in terms of appeal for this game since he doesn't carry the same strikeout potential. His strikeout rate was only 21.0 percent this season, which is basically right in line with his career mark of 20.4 percent. However, that didn't stop him from posting a 3.05 ERA that was supported by a 3.66 FIP. Once of his strengths has been limiting home runs, allowing just 21 of them over 206.1 innings. His 1.06 WHIP certainly helped matters, as well.
In terms of the top hitters to pursue, Trea Turner ($9,800) stands out. He can do it all, showing his versatility by slugging 28 home runs to go along with 32 steals during the regular season. His strikeout rate was only 17.0 percent, which helped him record a .386 wOBA.
With Scherzer on the mound for the Dodgers, it's difficult to have a lot of faith in any of the Cardinals' hitters. If there is one with a high salary to maybe consider, though, it's Tyler O'Neill ($9,400). He had a breakout season, posting a .274 ISO to go along with his .384 ISO. If there is a reason to pause, it's his 31.3 percent strikeout rate could cause problems against Scherzer.
Bargain Bats
In a lineup with so many big names around him, AJ Pollock ($7,400) doesn't garner a lot of attention. Still, he had an excellent regular season, posting a .240 ISO and a .374 wOBA. He tied his career high with 21 home runs despite only reaching 422 plate appearances. Add in his 19.0 percent strikeout rate and he could prove to be a tough out for Wainwright.
The Dodgers suffered a tough blow when Max Muncy (elbow) went down in their final game of the regular season. There is hope that he could return at some point during the playoffs, but he will at least be out for this matchup. The Dodgers could deal with his loss a few different ways. They could shift Cody Bellinger ($6,200) to first base and play Chris Taylor ($6,800) in the outfield. Another option would be to start either Albert Pujols ($5,400) or Matt Beaty ($4,400) at first base. Taylor has the highest upside of that trio, slugging 20 home runs to go along with a .344 OBP during the regular season. However, if Pujols or Beaty are in the lineup, they could be punt play options to help you load up on players with higher salaries.
