This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We've got one MLB game on the slate for Thursday, and it's Game 2 of the ALCS emanating from Houston. The Astros will look to get a big home victory with Framber Valdez on the mound, while the Yankees are starting Luis Severino. On FanDuel, you get $35,000 in salary for five players. Your MVP nets you double points, while your Star gets you 1.5 times the points. Here is a lineup worth considering.
MVP
Aaron Judge, NYY at HOU ($9,500): This is not so much about Judge's elite power, or that he slugged .622 against lefties or .708 on the road. I do like him as a righty versus Valdez, who held lefties below the Mendoza line collectively, but Valdez is also elite at suppressing home runs. No, what's most enticing about Judge in this matchup is the fact he hit .311 with a .425 OBP. He's maybe the best hitter in baseball.
STAR
Alex Bregman, HOU vs. NYY ($7,000): I definitely want to grab Bregman before this series heads to New York. He had a .972 OPS at home. On top of that, Bregman posted an .881 OPS versus his fellow righties. Severino pitched regularly this year for the first time since 2018, and in his return to action he had a 3.69 FIP.
UTILITY
Gleyber Torres, NYY at HOU ($7,000): Torres picked up 28 doubles and 24 home runs this year, and he'll be particularly happy about the Astros' starting pitcher. The second baseman had an .829 OPS versus southpaws in 2022. Valdez has long been a bit better on the road than at home, and this year his home ERA was 3.54.
Harrison Bader, NYY at HOU ($6,000): This isn't about the home run against Justin Verlander in Game 1, though that was nice, or even Bader's impressive postseason power surge in general. It's more about lineup logistics, as with this salary slot it came down to him or Oswaldo Cabrera, who hit the bench for Game 1 of this series. I know Bader will be patrolling center field for the Yankees, and getting the opportunity to hit yet another surprise home run.
Yuli Gurriel, HOU vs. NYY ($5,500): Gurriel ended the regular season on an upswing, and he carried that into the playoffs. After hitting .400 against the Mariners, he blasted a home run in Game 1 of this series. While the Cuban had a down year, he has a career .776 OPS, so it's not like he can't hit.
