This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
This is an unusual Sunday for MLB as some teams have the day off. But there's still plenty of matchups with seven on the DFS slate and the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. EDT. Onto the lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Dylan Cease, SD at MIA ($10,100): Over the last 28.2 innings, Cease has allowed all of one run. It's not inconceivable he can go through Sunday's start without adding to that total. There's an interesting question related to the Marlins: Can they be the worst second-worst offense in MLB history? The White Sox are so remarkably bad, yet Miami has put up numbers that would be the worst in the majors during most years.
Albert Suarez, BAL at TAM ($6,500): Suarez is Baltimore's swing man, but is getting another turn in the rotation with Grayson Rodriguez banged up. He's been no slouch posting a 3.66 ERA and 0.65 HR/9 rate. Getting to face the Rays is nice as they're going to end up battling the Mariners for 27th in runs scored.
Top Targets
It seems likely Jose Ramirez ($6,100) will finish the campaign with 30 homers (check!), 30 doubles, and 30 stolen bases. As good as he is, this would be the first time he accomplishes that since 2018. The switch-hitter has smashed lefties this year, though he's also been great versus righties with a .860 OPS the last couple seasons (compared to a .850 against southpaws). David Festa's last start went well. Good for him. He still has a 5.55 ERA.
During a lost season for the Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero ($5,400) thought to himself: "You know, I think I'll become one of the best hitters in baseball again." Over the last three weeks, he's gone off for a 1.629 OPS with a .999 at home this season. Even though southpaw JP Sears has spent the bulk of his career with Oakland as his home park, he's produced a career 4.53 FIP while allowing 1.44 homers per nine innings.
Bargain Bats
Given the overarching unremarkability that has enveloped the Athletics in recent years, you can be forgiven for not being familiar with Lawrence Butler ($3,800). The 24-year-old outfielder has gotten his first real run with the club in 2024, and in 84 games he's accumulated 13 homers and nine steals. Chris Bassitt hasn't really had an issue with home runs overall, but he can thank righties for that with only three against. Lefties are batting .278 versus him while going deep 10 times.
"He gets on base well!" is perhaps not the most-encouraging appraisal of a first baseman, yet it's a skill and one that Nathaniel Lowe ($3,400) features. He holds a career .355 OBP, which is up to .359 this year. And lefties often find power at Yankee Stadium. Facing Marcus Stroman will also help based on his 5.34 home ERA while giving up 2.3 home runs per nine innings.
Stacks to Consider
Astros at Red Sox (James Paxton): Jose Altuve ($5,300), Yainer Diaz ($4,500), Jeremy Pena ($3,900)
Even if we write off Paxton's disastrous pitching in limited action during 2020 and 2021 before he missed all of 2022, let's just look at his last two years where he recorded a 4.46 ERA across 39 starts and the Dodgers gave up on him, leaving the Red Sox to offer a limb to grab onto. The lefty hasn't pitched well in MLB in over half a decade, so I think these three righties from the Astros can handle him at Fenway.
Altuve will be booed all day in Boston, and he won't be fazed. He is, after all, a 34-year-old veteran with a .299 average, 15 homers, and 15 stolen bases. And since 2022, he's managed a .936 OPS against righties. Diaz is a catcher who's hit .300 with 61 RBI and an 1.044 OPS the last three weeks. Pena has batted .269 with 12 steals. While his power is lacking against righties, he's slugged .466 against southpaws the last three seasons.
Padres at Marlins (Max Meyer): Manny Machado ($5,100), Jurickson Profar ($4,900), Jackson Merrill ($4,000)
After not pitching in 2023, Meyer posted a 4.34 ERA at Triple-A. Lacking for options, the Marlins brought him up and he's struggled to a 5.10 through six starts. Meyer's also conceded a whopping 2.10 homers per nine innings, so the Padres won't mind having traveled so far to face him.
Machado has posted a .970 OPS the last three weeks. While a righty, Meyer's fellow right-handers have gone a career . 300 against. Profar has registered a 1.025 OPS the last three weeks – a good time for the Padres' offense – so his hot start was legit. While a switch-hitter, his .854 OPS versus righties is solid. Merrill may be a lefty, but why not get him in the mix? After all, the rookie has hit .294 with 17 homers, four triples, and 13 stolen bases alongside an .883 OPS against righties and a .917 on the road.
