This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Game 1 of the World Series was an instant classic. Game 2…also happened. Hey, it gave us a split series, at least, as the action heads to Arizona for Game 3. We've got future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer and rookie Brandon Pfaadt pitching, and single-game DFS lineups to set. At FanDuel, you put together a lineup of five players with a salary cap of $35,000. Your MVP earns double the points, and your Star 1.5 times the points. Here's the Game 3 lineup I landed on.
MVP
Corbin Carroll, ARI vs. TEX ($8,500): Scherzer's resume is great. Pfaadt had a rough rookie season. However, if you've been watching Diamondbacks games in the playoffs, you've surely heard talk of Pfaadt improving each time he returned from a stint in the minors. The righty has a 2.70 ERA in the playoffs, and while he hasn't gone deep into games (16.2 innings over four starts), Pfaadt has struck out 11.9 batters per nine innings. Scherzer, meanwhile, hasn't looked great in the playoffs after returning from his shoulder injury. Anyway, this is my preamble to say that I am favoring Diamondbacks in Game 3, starting with Carroll. The lefty had a .921 OPS against righties and a .902 OPS at home this year, and he's added four stolen bases this postseason to the 54 he had during the regular season.
STAR
Ketel Marte, ARI vs. TEX ($7,500): Speaking of oft-repeated talking points from the commentary booth, Marte has set a (somewhat silly) "record" of hitting in his first 18 career playoff games, but that means he has a hit in every game of this postseason. The switch hitter has six doubles and two homers, helping him put up 11 RBI. He also had an .888 OPS at home this year.
UTILITY
Lourdes Gurriel, ARI vs. TEX ($6,500): One more Diamondback for you. Gurriel has been spottier in terms of his performance in the playoffs, but all in all, he's hit .268, which is solid. In his first season with Arizona, he had 24 homers and 35 doubles. Gurriel also took to his home park, where he put up an .830 OPS. Crucially, with the bullpen likely involved given Scherzer's health and recent pitching, since 2021 he has a .772 OPS against righties and a .755 OPS against lefties.
Nathaniel Lowe, TEX at ARI ($6,500): It always pays to balance a single-game lineup in a circumstance like this, especially since Pfaadt's tenure as a viable pitching option is brief in the big picture. Lowe is a bigger-picture play as well, given that his playoff production has been unremarkable at times. This year he had an .833 OPS against right-handed pitchers and, unlike some other Rangers, he's been decent, as opposed to ice cold, in the playoffs.
Josh Jung, TEX at ARI ($6,000): While Jung has shown a heavy preference for facing lefties thus far in his young career, at this salary he's worth taking a shot on. His power (.467 slugging percentage, 23 homers in 122 games) gives him upside. On that front, Jung has slugged .566 in the playoffs, and hit .302 as well. You know who else has hit .302? Corey Seager, and people are showering him with praise for his postseason performance.
