RADIO
Happy Monday and happy Halloween, Rotoballers! On a happy note: its Game 3 of the World Series. On a sad note: it's my last baseball DFS article of the season. It's been a fantastic third year with the Rotoballer MLB team, and I hope my picks have brought you some DFS joy across the last six months. We've got Lance McCullers Jr. versus Noah Syndergaard tonight, and we can expect some runs to be scored at Citizens Bank Park.
For showdown mode on DraftKings, we pick one captain who costs 1.5x his normal salary but also scores 1.5x the points. We must have at least one player from each team, and relievers are fair game if you think you have a bead on which relievers will pitch. On FanDuel, the format is a bit different. Player salaries aren't multiplied, but you get one MVP who scores double points and one start that scores 1.5x points, along with three utility slots. Oh...and it's only hitters.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 10/31/22. The lineup will range from some elite players to mid-priced options, and value plays. It's also important to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter.
MLB DFS Captain Options
Bryce Harper ($15,000 DraftKings; $9,500 FanDuel)
It's not ideal for our lineup construction to plug the most expensive hitter in as your Captain on DK, but Bryce Harper's matchup with Lance McCullers Jr. is one to watch on Monday. This season, McCullers threw his curveball 24.9 percent of the time. Of those 189 curves, 186 of them were against left-handed hitters. In the regular season, Harper produced a .317 batting average and a .512 slugging percentage versus that pitch.
While the NLCS MVP saw his 11-game postseason hit streak end in Game 2, he's still having a phenomenal playoffs. Across 55 plate appearances, the two-time NL MVP sports a 1.230 OPS with five home runs, 11 RBI, and 11 runs while averaging 12.07 DK FPPG and 15.82 FD FPPG. There are cheaper captaincy options on DK, but none with a higher floor or ceiling than Harper.
Alex Bregman ($13,800 DK; $7,500 FD)
Over the last three seasons, Citizens Bank Park has been the fifth-best park for right-handed power. Alex Bregman already showed us what he could do with a short left field in Game 2, and DFS managers can expect more of the same across these next three games in Philadelphia.
SEE YA!
Bregman with his 3rd home run this postseason and the @astros lead 5-0! pic.twitter.com/7N02aD8NBt
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2022
The all-time leader in postseason RBI for third basemen has four extra-base hits in his last five games. This game has a Breggy Bomb written all over it, whether it comes off Noah Syndergaard or the Phillies bullpen. Harper has the highest ceiling of any batter on this slate, but Bregman is my favorite play.
Star/MVP options: Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins
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DraftKings/FanDuel DFS Utility Options
Lance McCullers Jr. ($11,400 DK)
Of the two pitchers starting the game, Lance McCullers is the one likely to qualify for a win. The electric righty has 13 strikeouts over 11 postseason innings, but he'll have to be careful against this powerful Philadelphia lineup. It could all come down to how the right-handed hitters in this Philly squad do against his slider and sinker.
This season, he threw his slider 193 times, with 173 of those pitches coming versus righties. He limited the damage to a .185 batting average and .220 slugging percentage. However, those numbers climbed to a .421 average and .842 slugging with the sinker. If LMJ can walk the line and stay clean, he could smash this slate. He's a better Utility option on DK than a Captain because of the risk. And he's undoubtedly the better pick over Thor if you have to roster a pitcher on your Showdown squad.
Jose Altuve ($9,000 DK; $8,000 FD)
A 3-for-4 outing in Game 2 is precisely what Jose Altuve needed to bust out of his postseason slump. His spot at the top of the lineup has been questioned, but Dusty Baker has stuck by his man, and it paid off. Noah Syndergaard throws his sinker 31.7 percent of the time, but, per baseball savant, it was worth a -12 run value. In 2022, Altuve hit .345 and slugged .643 versus sinkers. It feels like a match made in heaven as the second baseman looks to make it back-to-back big games.
Alec Bohm ($7,000 DK; $6,000 FD)
Before this series started, the Phillies' defense was a critical weakness. Well, it's not due to Alec Bohm. he made a fantastic, run-saving play in Game 1, and he's also been getting it done with the bat. Across the first two games, Bohm is 2-for-8 with two doubles, two RBI, a run, and a walk. The third baseman is never an easy out and makes this Philadelphia squad much more challenging from top to bottom.
Other Options: Kyle Tucker, J.T. Realmuto, Nick Castellanos, Yuli Gurriel
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