This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Thursday's light MLB slate is strewn about the day. There are two MLB DFS slates getting equal weight. There are four afternoon games, with the first pitch at 1:10 p.m. ET. Then, there are three games in the evening, with the first pitch at 6:35 p.m. ET. For this unusual slate, I decided to give a couple of recommendations for both collections of contests.
Afternoon Slate
Pitching
Jose Quintana, NYM vs. OAK ($7,200): Since joining the Mets, Quintana has been a different pitcher at home. He has a 3.38 ERA at Citi Field this year and had a 2.76 ERA there last season. In his career, Quintana has allowed fewer than one homer per nine innings. The Athletics are in the top five in home runs, but in the bottom 10 in runs scored, so clearly they are all or nothing. The Mets lefty is capable of holding them to "nothing."
Top Target
Since earning a regular role, Randy Arozarena ($4,900) has been a 20/20 guy. This year, even with some struggles with the Rays, he has 16 homers and 16 stolen bases. The move to Seattle has seemingly rejuvenated the Cuban outfielder, who has a .955 OPS over the last three weeks. Kenta Maeda is in line to start for the Tigers on Thursday. He has been doing the bulk reliever thing after a disastrous run in the rotation, but the Tigers are in a tricky situation, pitcher-wise. Maeda has a 5.06 ERA over the last three seasons.
Stack to Consider
Mets vs. Athletics (Mitch Spence): Francisco Lindor ($5,500), Pete Alonso ($4,900), Jesse Winker ($3,600)
At home, in Oakland's spacious ballpark, Spence has a 3.86 ERA and 0.7 HR/9 rate. On the road, he has a 4.96 ERA and 1.8 HR/9 rate. Well, this game is not on Oakland. Righties and lefties have hit Spence almost evenly, so there's space to mix and match here.
It feels like Lindor quietly had 30 homers, 30 stolen bases and 30 doubles last season. That shouldn't be possible for a shortstop in New York. He already has 30 doubles this year, and with 23 homers and 24 stolen bases, there's a chance he replicates his 2023 performance. Alonso is going to fail to slug .500 for the first time in a full MLB season, but he still has plenty of power. He has 26 homers, and over the last three weeks, he's slugged .514. With a righty on the mound, and Starling Marte likely not returning until the weekend, Winker should be in the lineup. He hasn't played a ton since making the move to the Mets, but on the season he has an .820 OPS versus righties.
Evening Slate
Pitching
Zack Wheeler, PHI vs. WAS ($9,600): The Nationals are kind of the opposite of the Athletics. They are middle-of-the-pack in terms of runs scored, but last in home runs. Yes, last. As in, below the White Sox. Wheeler doesn't allow many home runs as is, which is a big reason why he has a 2.78 ERA, putting him on pace to finish with an ERA below 3.00 for the fourth time in five seasons.
Top Target
The closest thing the Orioles have to a right-handed power hitter is Anthony Santander ($5,600). Oh, he has plenty of power. Santander has tallied 36 homers and slugged .538. The caveat is that he is a switch hitter, so while he's teed off plenty against righties (.539 slugging percentage), that's being accomplished from the left side of the plate by and large. That being said, Nick Pivetta has allowed two home runs in each of his last three starts. He's allowed 2.2 homers per nine innings on the road this season. Also, Pivetta has let his fellow righties hit .270 against him in 2024. I figure I'll just go with Santander and let him figure it out at the plate.
Stack to Consider
Phillies vs. Nationals (Mitchell Parker): Trea Turner ($5,800), Alec Bohm ($4,900), Nick Castellanos ($4,000)
Like many a promising rookie pitcher, Parker has had his ups and downs. On the road, though, he has a 4.78 ERA on the campaign. His lefty/righty splits are interesting as well. Parker is a southpaw, but righties have hit .232 against him, while lefties have hit .277. So why am I stacking three righties? Well, because to be more specific, lefties have hit a punchless .277 (eight extra-base hits, only one homer), while righties have hit 15 doubles and 13 homers off Parker.
Turner has been scuffling a bit, but he's hit .297 on the season with 13 homers and 14 stolen bases in 79 games. Additionally, he has a .873 OPS versus lefties and a .880 OPS at home. Bohm is a doubles machine. His 43 doubles comfortably pace MLB. The third baseman has consistently hit lefties with gusto, as he has a .892 OPS versus southpaws since 2022. Castellanos struggled early this year, but he has a .826 OPS over the last three weeks. He's struggled with righties, but his .796 OPS against lefties is viable, especially since he's hit better the last few weeks.
