This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
It's the first Sunday of June. While the NHL and NBA are in their respective endgames, MLB is primed to take over as the focus of American sports. It's a busier Sunday afternoon than we've had in a while with 10 games on the DFS docket and the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. EDT. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Joe Ryan, MIN vs. CLE ($10,600): Even if Ryan is coming off his worst start, he enters Sunday with a 2.77 ERA and a 2.78 FIP that says his traditional stat line is telling the truth. And he also boasts a 2.25 ERA at home. The Guardians have only been better than Oakland when it comes to scoring runs, and that kind of makes them the worst offensive team among those actually competing in 2023.
Sandy Alcantara, MIA vs. OAK ($9,000): It's been a baffling campaign for the reigning NL Cy Young holder, though his 3.88 FIP is better than his 4.93 ERA - even if it isn't exactly encouraging. We've seen what Alcantara can do at his peak. We've also seen what the Athletics can do offensively, which is nothing. Go ahead and use Alcantara - or almost any other decent MLB pitcher - against them.
Ben Lively, CIN vs. MIL ($7,500): Lively pitched bulk relief innings in his first two outings, but has started and gone at least 5.2 innings from his last three while compiling a 1.99 ERA through 22.2 innings. The Brewers rank bottom-six in runs scored and are dealing with the absence of Willy Adames.
Top Targets
When healthy, Luis Robert ($5,200) brings a lot of power. That's especially true versus lefties with a 1.084 OPS since 2021. Matthew Boyd is a lefty, and his return to starting for the Tigers has been a flop with a 5.96 ERA through 10 starts.
The heavy favorite for the NL batting title is Luis Arraez ($4,800), who's hitting .390 in his first campaign with the Marlins. He doesn't offer much pop, but carries a .430 slugging percentage versus righties the last couple seasons and has slugged .497 in those matchups this year. Paul Blackburn is a righty, and his 2.25 ERA is only off one start while his career mark sits at 5.04.
Bargain Bats
After 17 homers and eight stolen bases last season, Lane Thomas ($4,600) has eight and four in 2023. He's also adept at mashing lefties with an .884 OPS in those matchups the last three seasons. Ranger Suarez usually does better versus lefties than righties, but this year right-handers have let him produce a .339 average.
Sunday gives us a rare instance of a lefty facing a lefty in favor of the hitter. MJ Melendez ($3,300) has an .820 OPS versus his fellow southpaws during his career. Meanwhile, lefty pitcher Kyle Freeland has allowed fellow lefties to go .305 against. Don't chalk his numbers up to Coors since he also maintains a 5.40 road ERA this year.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Angels (Griffin Canning): Yordan Alvarez ($6,100), Kyle Tucker ($5,100), Jeremy Pena ($4,800)
Canning's stats in 2023 are in line with his career numbers. However, those numbers include a 4.76 ERA while giving up 1.54 home runs per nine innings. Canning missed all of last season and has posted a 5.40 road ERA in his return. A trip to Houston doesn't bode well for him, especially as a righty.
Alvarez boasts a career .589 slugging percentage. He's also crushed 15 home runs this season, and he's not an all-or-nothing hitter based on his .278 average and .391 OBP. Tucker has slowed down a bit, but he still has seven homers and eight steals. Being at home has generally benefited the lefty in his career with an .866 OPS there since 2021. Pena still rarely walks, but is up to eight homers and six stolen bases, and unlike last year his hitting hasn't been reliant on facing lefties. He's also been much better away in 2023 while maintaining a career .727 home OPS and a .720 on the road.
Mets vs. Blue Jays (Yusei Kikuchi): Pete Alonso ($5,600), Francisco Lindor ($4,900), Starling Marte ($3,800)
Kikuchi has been brutal for the Blue Jays, but he's still getting trotted out there. He had a 5.61 FIP in 2022, and this year it's up to 5.95. His biggest problem? Allowing over two home runs per nine innings with Toronto.
Alonso has displayed less power at Citi Field throughout his career, but he's still slugged .458 at home the last couple campaigns. And he's still accumulated 20 home runs this year. In every full season since 2017, Lindor has produced at least 20 homers. And this year, the switch hitter has been particularly good against lefties with an .847 OPS. Marte is less of a heavy hitter, but has 17 stolen bases and stole 47 back in 2021. His dip in power is a concern, though he's registered a .792 OPS versus righties since 2021.
Rays at Red Sox (Tanner Houck): Randy Arozarena ($5,600), Yandy Diaz ($5,000), Josh Lowe ($4,900)
I'm always somewhat hesitant to dip into a team the day after a doubleheader, but I'm still stacking Rays. It helps that Houck was slotted in to start Sunday early to provide a clearer picture. Returning to starting, the righty has struggled to a 5.30 ERA. Whether in the bullpen or starting, Houck has posted a 4.44 ERA at home the last two seasons.
With his speed, Arozarena is the kind of batter you imagine smashing a ball off the Green Monster for double after double. Or maybe he just clears the wall considering his .294 average in 2023 while slugging .500 with 11 homers. Diaz is unsurprisingly hitting for average and is currently at .310. However, he's also brought power this year by slugging .576 with 12 home runs. Lowe is enjoying a breakthrough campaign that includes 11 homers and 13 stolen bases. And in his career, he has an .848 OPS versus righties and an .878 on the road.
