This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Unless the NLCS and ALCS both go longer than I expect, Friday is the last day with multiple MLB games until next spring-ish. Hopefully you can find the DFS success to make the most of it. First pitch is at 5:07 p.m. ET. These are my DFS recommendations.
Pitching
Jordan Montgomery, TEX vs. HOU ($9,900): I'm steering clear of the Phillies-Diamondbacks game when it comes to pitchers, so this was between Montgomery and Justin Verlander. In Game 1, both pitched well, but Montgomery went 6.1 scoreless innings with six strikeouts for good measure. Now, he did allow five hits, and he has allowed 20 hits in 17.1 innings of postseason pitching. However, he has a 2.08 ERA, and he's also a lefty, which is to his benefit. Sure, Yordan Alvarez may still do Yordan Alvarez things, but anything that improves the margins at a time like this.
Top Target
The Diamondbacks have not had any hitters blow the cover off the ball unlike the other three teams still standing, but Ketel Marte ($3,600) has delivered two homers, four doubles, and a stolen base from the second base position. Also, for what it's worth, apparently he's had a hit in every playoff game he's ever played in. Yeah, for past seasons that doesn't mean much, but it means he has a hit in every game of this postseason. He's a switch hitter that had an .879 OPS against lefties and an .828 OPS against righties. Marte also posted an .888 OPS at home. The Phillies have announced Cristopher Sanchez will start Game 4, which means Marte will get to face a righty.
Bargain Bat
Though his defense is his calling card, and has been on display in this postseason, Leody Taveras ($2,700) can hit as well. His speed surely helped him tally 31 doubles to go with 14 stolen bases, but he added 14 homers this season as well. A switch hitter, Taveras had a .768 OPS against righties, and also a .789 OPS at home. Justin Verlander doesn't allow anybody to hit him with any frequency, but righties have performed slightly better than lefties. Also, with his elite defense, Taveras is not a threat to be taken out late for a defensive substitute, meaning he's effectively locked in to a full complement of plate appearances.
Stack to Consider
Phillies at Diamondbacks (Joe Mantiply/Ryne Nelson): Bryce Harper ($4,500), J.T. Realmuto ($3,400), Brandon Marsh ($2,600)
The Diamondbacks seemed essentially left to start Nelson, or start fellow righty Zac Gallen on short rest. They have instead named Joe Mantiply the starter, but he is a one-inning reliever type. It's clear he's an opener, with Nelson thus the only real choice to pitch more than one or two innings. Either way, it doesn't bode well for Arizona, and it does bode well for the Phillies. Let's say it's Nelson, the safest bet at present. As a rookie he had an 8.40 ERA at home where he allowed 2.0 home runs per nine innings. Also, lefties hit .296 against him, so I have two southpaws in my stack.
Harper is one of those lefties, of course, and he's picked up 10 hits in the playoffs, including four home runs. Since 2021, he has an 1.005 OPS against right-handed pitchers. Realmuto is a catcher, and you don't explicitly need a catcher in your lineup on FanDuel, but I like him as much as any first baseman Friday. After all, Realmuto is a catcher with a career .273 average, and this year he struggled at home but posted a .951 OPS on the road. With a righty likely on the mound for the bulk of the innings, Marsh will presumably be in his corner outfield spot. He had a .372 OBP this season, and this year he had an .862 OPS against right-handed pitchers.
