This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We're a quarter of the way through the MLB season, so by this point we kind of have a sense of what's going on. And there are 10 games Sunday on FanDuel's main DFS slate. It's 10 because Cleveland's trip to Citi Field isn't included as the first half of a doubleheader. The first pitch is at 1:35 p.m. EDT. Here are my lineup suggestions.
Pitching
Clayton Kershaw, LAD at STL ($11,400): Kershaw still has it with a 2.52 ERA this season, in line with his career 2.48 mark. The Cardinals carry a decent offense, but also rely a lot on lefties. Kershaw is a southpaw, and since 2021 has held his fellow lefties to a .201 average.
Framber Valdez, HOU vs. OAK ($11,200): One of the top groundball pitchers in MLB, Valdez is at it again having posted a 2.84 ERA over nine starts with more strikeouts and fewer walks than before. The A's sit near the bottom in runs scored and have a brutal record that makes likely for Valdez to earn a home win.
Merrill Kelly, ARI at PIT ($9,900): Kelly has built upon last season's 3.37 ERA with a 2.92 this year and a 1.19 on the road. The Pirates are middling in offense, but have been sliding after their hot start and could end up with a below-average attack when all is said and done.
Top Targets
Once again, Freddie Freeman ($4,200) is delivering at the plate having slashed .323/.394/.554 with eight homers and six steals. While he's performed well against both lefties and righties, since he's recorded a .950 OPS versus right-handers since 2021. With a 14.4 walk percentage, Jack Flaherty might just put Freeman on base through inaccuracy, but he's also allowed southpaws to hit .341 against.
After producing 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases last season, Kyle Tucker ($3,100) has seven and six of each in 2023 to go with an .871 OPS versus righties the last couple years. James Kaprielian is a righty with a career 4.71 FIP even while pitching his home games in Oakland. In fact, his career road ERA is also 4.71.
Bargain Bats
It's nice to be at Coors Field, but Kris Bryant ($2,800) won an MVP on the Cubs. He's also posted a .909 OPS against lefties since 2021. Andrew Heaney has given up 1.63 home runs per nine innings over his career, and lists a 6.66 home ERA in his first season as a Ranger.
Over the last two seasons, Matt Mervis ($2,300) managed a .973 OPS in Triple-A, which earned him the promotion. It's been tough so far, but his real struggles have come against fellow southpaws, and it's only been 12 games. Mervis gets to face righty Taijuan Walker on Sunday, who's produced a 6.53 ERA in his first season with the Phillies.
Stacks to Consider
Diamondbacks at Pirates (Roansy Contreras): Corbin Carroll ($3,300), Lourdes Gurriel ($3,200), Josh Rojas ($2,900)
After a 4.37 FIP as a rookie, Contreras has posted a 4.42 through eight appearances. And after not allowing any home runs from his first five starts, he's allowed four in his last three. Since the righty has let lefties to hit .295 against, I've included two lefties in this stack.
Carroll is having a Rookie of the Year-level campaign having slashed .281/.369/.486 with six homers and 11 steals. He's also registered a .910 OPS versus righties during his career and a .991 on the road. Gurriel has gone .307 in his first year as a Diamondback. While right-handed, he's notched an .801 OPS versus his fellow righties since 2021 - including a .951 this year. Rojas has hit .266 over the last three seasons and often leads off for Arizona, which gives him more opportunities to score runs. He doesn't have any homers, but has stolen five bases after 23 in 2022.
Rays vs. Brewers (Freddy Peralta): Randy Arozarena ($4,100), Wander Franco ($3,800), Yandy Diaz ($3,600)
Coming off a brutal start in St. Louis, Peralta now has a 4.11 ERA. That's another tough road outing with the righty now at a 7.16 in away starts this season. Once again, Peralta is showing reverse splits, but this time righties are hitting better then ever him than ever with a .272 average against.
Arozarena has recorded a .403 OBP with 10 homers and four stolen bases. While he tends to mash against lefties and does OK against righties, he's posted an .863 OPS at home since 2021. Franco has slashed .283/.343/.483 with seven homers and 14 steals. He's also enjoying his best season at home with a .946 OPS in Tampa. Diaz is back from injury, and as usual is hitting for average (.333) while getting on base (.436 OBP). However, he's also displayed more power having slugged .618 with 11 homers.
Royals at White Sox (Lance Lynn): Bobby Witt ($3,500), Nick Pratto ($3,400), Vinnie Pasquantino ($3,200)
Last year, Lynn was mediocre with a 3.99 ERA. Now in his age-36 season, the righty has unraveled with a 6.66 ERA while giving up 1.93 home runs per nine innings. Lefties have aso hit a whopping .358 against, which is why I've selected two southpaws here.
Witt's sub-.300 OBP isn't ideal, but frankly his numbers are largely in line with his rookie campaign when his 20 homers and 30 stolen bases made him a DFS darling. He's already at seven and 13 this year, not to mention four triples. Pratto has really shown improvement from his 49-game run in 2022 with a .329/.417/.493 slash line. While he's only produced two homers, there's value to hitting for average and getting on base. Pasquantino has racked up eight homers and carries a .282/.369/.462 slash line. He's also a lefty who can hold his own against southpaws with a career .849 OPS.
