This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Saturday was a huge day for college football. Monday is Labor Day. Sunday belongs to baseball. There are 15 games, most of it on what is hopefully a nice afternoon wherever you are. To make today as memorable a part of your holiday weekend as any other day, here are some recommendations for your DFS lineup.
PITCHING
Corbin Burnes, MIL vs. STL ($11,500): If Burnes had pitched more innings, I think he'd be running away with the NL Cy Young. We're talking a 2.27 ERA, 1.57 FIP, and 12.24 strikeouts per nine innings. Over his career, Burnes has fanned 12.04 batters per nine, making him an elite strikeout artist in an era full of them. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are nestled in the bottom-10 in runs scored.
Dylan Cease, CWS at KC ($9,300): Cease has only allowed one run in each of his last two starts, and has posted a has a 2.85 ERA across his last seven starts. His strikeouts have also soared averaging 11.78 per nine innings this year. Kansas City ranks just outside the bottom-five in runs scored, so I like Cease's chances of picking up a win in this matchup.
Corey Kluber, NYY vs. BAL ($8,600): Kluber's not the pitcher he used to be, but he does have a 3.61 ERA this year and a 2.49 mark at home. This is about the opponent for me. The Orioles are 26th in runs scored and have produced the majors' worst record. If Kluber goes five innings, I fully expect him to pick up a W.
Zach Davies, CHC vs. PIT ($7,400): Davies is at home against the Pirates, who come in with the worst offense in MLB sitting last in runs scored and team OPS. The Buccos also maintain a .360 slugging percentage, which is stunning. Davies is a way to save some salary by focusing on the matchup, not the pitcher.
TOP TARGETS
Jose Ramirez, CLE at BOS ($4,400): If you can quietly hit 32 homers and steal 20 bases, Ramirez has done it. The offense hasn't been great, but Ramirez has been raking and that's not surprising for someone with a career .278/.353/.502 slash line. Nick Pivetta's 4.67 ERA isn't good, but his 5.60 number at home is even worse.
Ozzie Albies, ATL at COL ($4,000): Albies is a switch hitter, but he definitely prefers to face lefties with a .949 OPS versus southpaws in 2021 and a .981 against lefties since 2019. The lefty Austin Gomber enters with a 4.53 ERA and has given up 1.56 home runs per nine innings. Throw Coors Field into the mix and the recipe looks good for Albies.
VALUE BATS
Austin Meadows, TAM vs. MIN ($3,400): Meadows has become a lefty who may need to be platooned. He struggles mightily with fellow southpaws, but he's posted a .912 OPS against righties since 2019. This year, 21 of Meadows' 22 home runs have come against right-handed pitchers. Griffin Jax is a righty, and the rookie pitcher has also struggled to a 6.73 FIP.
Luis Urias, MIL vs. STL ($2,400): In his first full season getting regular playing time, Arias has shown some potential at shortstop. A .338 OBP may not be great, but slugging .451 with 19 homers will do nicely at that spot on the field. Urias should be able to tee off on Jon Lester, as the lefty is getting pummelled by righties this year to the tune of a .314 average.
STACKS TO CONSIDER
Yankees vs. Keegan Akin: Aaron Judge ($4,400), Giancarlo Stanton ($4,100), DJ LeMahieu ($3,600)
Akin has logged a couple good starts in a row, which has lowered his ERA all the way down to…6.90. He's still underwhelming, especially on the road where his ERA registers at 7.46. Akin has also allowed 1.67 home runs per nine innings, and I've got two sluggers here who always have the potential to go deep.
Judge has hit 30 homers this year, is encouragingly on pace to produce the best average of his career and may even hit .300 for the first time. Stanton should join Judge in the 30-homer club with nine long balls over the last month. LeMahieu's power has completely left him this year, but he's still hitting .267 with a .348 OBP. Leading off for the Yankees also yields the potential to score runs.
White Sox vs. Brady Singer: Jose Abreu ($4,100), Luis Robert ($4,200), Eloy Jimenez ($3,600)
Singer doesn't allow a lot of home runs, but he still has a 4.87 ERA. The problem is that righties hit .300 against with lefties going .267. Singer gets batted around, especially at home where he's registered a 5.23 ERA. The White Sox boast a few guys who can do some real damage when making contact. And clearly you don't have to worry much about handedness with Singer, as everyone hits off him.
Abreu accumulates the traditional fantasy stats. He's got 28 home runs, 102 RBI, and has even scored 78 runs. His numbers are actually a bit low by his standards, but the .503 slugging percentage being down for him shows how impressive he's been at the plate. Robert has been limited by injury and may only have accumulated seven homers and five stolen bases, but he's also hit .343 with a .381 OBP. Jimenez has missed more time that Robert, but has a longer track record with a career .275/.320/.525 slash line. He doesn't walk much, but clearly can put the bat on the ball and do damage.
