This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
For Thursday, DraftKings has thrown a curveball. The evening slate of contests only covers the four games starting at 9:38 p.m. EDT or later. I certainly wasn't expecting that, and the options are slim compared to most days. However, I have still delved in to deliver these DFS lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Carlos Rodon, SF vs. COL ($10,100): If you thought Rodon's 2.98 ERA was impressive enough, know that he has a 2.34 FIP. Also, at home he has a 2.08 ERA. The Rockies' offense always looks different on the road, of course, so catching them away from Coors tends to go just fine, especially for a true ace like Rodon.
Jon Gray, TEX at SEA ($8,500): I didn't want to just go with Rodon and Shohei Ohtani ($10,500) and call it a day. You might want to save a smidge of salary on your pitcher. Later, I will be recommending a Mariners stack, but all in all the Mariners rank 21st in runs scored and have a .228 average as a team. They are also missing Julio Rodriguez and have a couple other hitters such as Jesse Winker banged up.
Top Targets
With 35 home runs and 12 stolen bases to his name, Mookie Betts ($5,800) has had another fine season. Versus lefties, though, he's posted a robust 1.014 OPS. Sean Manaea's first season as a Padre has gone poorly. He has a 5.23 ERA, and the southpaw has allowed 1.76 home runs per nine innings as well.
While Juan Soto ($5,600) has seen his average drop, he still has a .405 OBP and 26 home runs. Additionally, since 2020 he has an 1.026 OPS versus righties. Andrew Heaney is following an opener Thursday, and he has a 4.81 ERA and has allowed 12 home runs in 33.2 innings across his last eight starts.
Bargain Bats
Though Wilmer Flores ($4,200) has struggled on the road, he has an .801 OPS at home. That's not a surprise, as he has an .805 OPS in home games since joining the Giants. Ryan Feltner may be a Rockies pitcher, but his bad numbers aren't all about Coors. He has a 5.86 ERA on the road. On top of that, righties have hit .319 against him in his career.
Called up as the Rangers' top prospect, Josh Jung ($2,300) has at least shown power. He has five home runs and has slugged .500 in 18 games. The lefty Marco Gonzales has a 5.01 FIP, and if he stays above the 5.00 threshold, it will be the second season in a row he's done that.
Stacks to Consider
Angels vs. Athletics (Cole Irvin): Mike Trout ($6,000), Luis Rengifo ($4,300), Taylor Ward ($4,100)
Irvin is indicative of the power of Oakland's ballpark to benefit a pitcher. He has a 4.05 ERA this season, but his road ERA is 5.17, and he's allowed 2.1 home runs per nine innings away from home. This game is at the Angels' park, and there are enough bats of note for a stack from that squad.
Trout needs no introduction, but I will note that he has an 1.058 OPS versus lefties and an 1.123 OPS at home. This matchup is ideal for the switch-hitting Rengifo. He has a .948 OPS against southpaws, and also an .898 OPS at home for good measure. Ward's breakout season started to fly under the radar due to the Angels' generally not being very good, but he's slashed .276/.359/.465 with 22 home runs. Plus, over the last three weeks he has an 1.018 OPS.
Mariners vs. Rangers (Jon Gray): Ty France ($4,400), J.P. Crawford ($3,000), Adam Frazier ($2,300)
Gray is allowing fewer homers now that he's not with the Rockies, but he has a 3.86 ERA on the road. He's kept righties in check, but lefties have hit .247 against him. Thus, I have two lefties in this stack, which is a lower-salary stack that is more about potential bang for your buck.
France has the first 20-homer season of his career, and he's hit .276 this year while sporting a career .279 average. He also has an .813 OPS at home since 2020. Crawford has an .801 OPS over the last three weeks. He's also hit .261 and posted a .346 OPS against righties over the last three seasons. Frazier is having a tough season, but he has nine stolen bases, all against right handers. Additionally, since 2020 he has a .273 average in matchups with righties.
