This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Here we go! MLB has to love getting a World Series matchup between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Those are two massive markets and these are two storied franchises. Also, the likely AL MVP and NL MVP are both in this series. Of course, to try and add even more personal enjoyment to this series, you want to find some DFS success.
Game 1 sees Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty starting. The first pitch is at 8:08 p.m. ET. For DFS purposes, you get $50,000 in salary for six players. Your Captain earns 1.5 times the points, but also carries an elevated salary. On DraftKings you are allowed to roster starting pitchers, but I won't be doing that Friday. The bullpens have had a few days off, and pitchers rarely go more than four innings in the postseason these days. Oh, and these lineups are loaded with talented hitters and these teams finished second and third in runs scored during the regular season. Thus, I ended up liking this lineup.
Captain
Giancarlo Stanton, NYY at LAD ($12,600): Cole is a better pitcher than Flaherty. Also, in Flaherty's last season, he allowed eight runs in three innings. Meanwhile, Stanton has been the buzziest player for the Yankees. He has an 1.179 OPS and hit a whopping five home runs in the postseason. With how he is swinging, and with here his salary level sits, I wanted to roll the dice on him as my Captain.
Utility
Juan Soto, NYY at LAD ($9,200): How intense is Soto going to be in the World Series? Can he possibly bring more intensity to the plate? We'll find out, but nobody will be more locked in Friday than Soto. In his first (and possibly only) season as a Yankee, he had a .999 OPS versus righties and an 1.017 OPS on the road. In the postseason he's hit .333 with three homers and two doubles.
Teoscar Hernandez, LAD vs. NYY ($8,000): Hernandez has not been great in the playoffs thus far, but he has hit two home runs. Plus, his track record extends beyond a handful of postseason games. During the regular season he hit .272 with 33 home runs and 32 doubles. He also had an .884 OPS at home in his first season as a Dodger.
Max Muncy, LAD vs. NYY ($7,800): Since 2022, Muncy has an .820 OPS versus righties and an .823 OPS at home. In the playoffs he's managed an 1.014 OPS with three homers, and that includes a stretch where he got on base in 12 consecutive plate appearances.
Tommy Edman, LAD vs. NYY ($6,400): Edman missed most of the regular season, and now he's been swinging a hot bat for the Dodgers in the playoffs. He hasn't walked at all, literally, but he's hit .341. That is the highest average among every player in the World Series. Hitting like that in this lineup has yielded 12 RBI, and Edman has stolen three bases for good measure.
Anthony Volpe, NYY at LAD ($5,800): Being able to round out a single-game roster with a guy who hit 12 home runs and stole 28 bases this season is nice. While Volpe has shown little power in the playoffs, he has remarkably completely changed his approach at the plate. A guy with a reputation for swinging freely and not walking much (an earned reputation, I will note) has walked eight times in the playoffs. The shortstop has hit .310 with a .459 OBP. I'll happily take that for my final roster slot.