This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Sunday's main DraftKings contest slate takes place in the early afternoon. You still get 11 games worth of players to choose from, but the first game starts at 12:10 p.m. ET because the Tigers wanted to get going early to accommodate the Detroit Lions' season opener. Get your lineups in early and consider these lineup recommendations.
PITCHING
Logan Webb, SF at CHC ($9,600): Webb has been absolutely on fire since returning from injury with a 1.79 ERA in his last 12 starts. The Cubs rank 20th in runs scored, but we have to remember that includes the time before the trade deadline when they still had Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo.
Aaron Nola, PHI vs. COL ($9,300): Nola definitely prefers pitching in Philadelphia. He's managed a 2.97 ERA in his home ballpark and a 5.17 ERA on the road since 2019. The Rockies also hate being away from home as they've gone 20-51 in road games.
Max Fried, ATL vs. MIA ($8,000): Fried scuffled early in the season, but eventually turned it around. In fact, he's posted a 1.73 ERA over his last eight starts. Facing the Marlins should help Fried stay hot as they enter 28th in runs scored.
TOP TARGETS
Juan Soto, WAS at PIT ($5,900): Soto has preternatural skill with the bat. How else to describe a 22-year-old with a .308 average and .454 OBP? And that's with Soto getting off to a slow start with a 1.008 OPS across the last three weeks. He should be able to tee off on Bryse Wilson, who has a career 5.15 FIP.
Freddie Freeman, ATL vs. MIA ($5,300): Freeman is the definition of a "professional hitter" as his career .295/.383/.509 slash line indicates. And like most lefties, he prefers to face righties with a 1.017 OPS since 2019. The Marlins are expected to start Edward Cabrera and his 7.11 ERA through three starts this season.
VALUE BATS
Ke'Bryan Hayes, PIT vs. WAS ($4,300): The Pirates have the MLB's worst offense, which means anybody that can hit in the Steel City feels overlooked. Hayes has looked worse than he did in 2020, but has a .284/.351/.444 OPS during his career and has barely played over 100 games at this point. Besides, Patrick Corbin makes righties look like his teammate Soto since they're hitting .303 against Corbin in 2021 after hitting a whopping .321 last year.
Jonathan India, CIN at STL ($4,200): India could be the NL Rookie of the Year in a campaign where he's hit .273 with 20 homers and nine stolen bases. He doesn't mind being on the road with a .905 OPS in away games. J.A. Happ has been less, well, hapless since joining the Cardinals, but he still has a 4.72 ERA with the Redbirds and a 6.24 mark on the season.
STACKS TO CONSIDER
White Sox vs. Nick Pivetta: Luis Robert ($4,500), Jose Abreu ($4,300), Eloy Jimenez ($3,700)
Pivetta is returning from COVID-19 and stepping into a rough matchup. It's not like he looked good before that with a 5.91 ERA over his last nine starts. The righty has also allowed eight home runs during that time and 1.56 per nine innings in his career.
Robert missed plenty of time with injury, but has been making contact when available. The 24-year-old is hitting .344 with seven homers and five stolen bases from 51 games. Abreu has raked as usual with 29 home runs and 107 RBI to his name. The Cuban is also hitting .353 over the last 21 days. Jimenez has missed a lot of time, but in limited action has a .931 OPS versus righties. He doesn't walk, but his career .520 slugging percentage shows he does damage when he connects.
Phillies vs. Ryan Feltner: Bryce Harper ($6,000), J.T. Realmuto ($5,000), Didi Gregorius ($3,700)
Feltner has only made one start in his MLB career, and admittedly it was at Coors Field. However, he allowed six runs in 2.2 innings. Prior to being called up, Feltner had never pitched above Double-A. Now he has to make his first road start? I don't think that bodes well.
Harper has a lot of power, as his .606 slugging percentage will show. He's also been red hot with a 1.248 OPS over the last 21 days. Even though his power is a little down, Realmuto is still one of the best hitters at catcher. His OBP is at .345, and how many backstops combine 14 homers with nine stolen bases? Gregorius has not been great offensively this year, but there is one place where he hasn't struggled and that's at home where he's produced an .841 OPS.
