We're back at it on a Monday for what appears to be the last Free DFS article of the year for me. It was my pleasure this year to provide you with all free content here at RotoBaller, and I hope I made you some money along the way. We have Showdown baseball today, which is a different beast in its own right. I have already written a few premium articles for Showdown outlining the strategy behind this format. Sign up today and get all our content for the last week of baseball, and set yourself up for the NFL, NBA, NHL, or any other sport you prefer to play.
I will cover the Showdown slate starting at 8:03 p.m. in this article. This format is much different from the Classic mode when building lineups. Your lineup must tell how you believe the game will be played. If you think it will be a low-scoring affair, play both pitchers with a high-leverage reliever. If you think it will be an offensive explosion, play your favorite bat in the Captain and fade the arms. This format is all about going with a script and nailing it. If you're wrong, you're wrong, but if you're right, you can take down a contest.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 10/30/2023 and the slate locking at 8:03 p.m. ET. The lineup picks will range from some elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is also essential. Now that we got all that out of the way, it's onto the picks! Follow me on Twitter @CaseyW22 for more free betting and DFS advice.
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Pitchers - MLB DFS Showdown Picks
You can't roster pitchers on FanDuel, just five hitters. But both starting pitchers (and relief pitchers, too) are in the player pool on DraftKings.
Brandon Pfaadt, ARZ vs. TEX ($10,600 DK, 15,900 DK CPT, N/A FD)
I will be the first to admit that Pfaadt's leash this postseason has been concerning, but the strikeout upside is hard to pass up in this type of format. Despite only throwing 70 and 64 pitches in his last two postseason starts, Pfaadt has struck out 9 and 7 batters in those two outings. Pfaadt has a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 33.3% K%, and a 17.3% SwStr% through four starts this postseason. Because of the leash, I don’t know if I love Pfaadt in the captain spot tonight, but he has the upside to put up 25 and be optimal there.
Kevin Ginkel, HOU vs. TEX ($4,000 DK, $6,000 DK CPT, N/A FD)
First and foremost, this will be the most important section to read in this article. I will almost always play at least one reliever in my Showdown builds. This theory is also not just a plug-and-play. As I spoke about earlier, this is where we can find advantages and ways to get different. Play a script in your head and play the relievers based on that script. Knowing what relievers pitch in a particular situation is crucial to this. Make sure when playing relievers you find those who have strikeout upside.
The Diamondbacks will go to Ginkel late if this game is close, even in a losing script. I cannot say that for closer Paul Sewald. Sewald would become my priority in scripts where you think the Diamondbacks win. On the season, Ginkel had a 27.6% K% and a 12.9% SwStr%. This postseason, he has a 36.8% K% and an 18.5% SwStr%. He has been the most impressive pitcher in this Diamondbacks bullpen and someone I will continue to ride in Showdown.
Also Consider: Max Scherzer, Jose Leclerc, Paul Sewald, Aroldis Chapman, Josh Sborz
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Top Hitters - MLB DFS Showdown Picks
Adolis Garcia - TEX vs. Brandon Pfaadt ($9,600 DK, $14,400 DK CPT, $9,500 FD)
Garcia has slowly become one of my favorite players in MLB as this postseason has progressed. He is seeing the ball so well right now, and it's hard to ignore him. His 210 wRC+ and 1.153 OPS lead the Rangers this postseason. His eight home runs lead the Rangers this postseason. His 22 runs batted in lead the Rangers this postseason. Should I go on? Righties have hit Pfaadt to a .360 wOBA and a .241 ISO this season, and through the playoffs, he has allowed a .321 wOBA and a .229 ISO. Garcia is my favorite Captain and MVP play on the slate tonight.
Ketel Marte- ARZ vs. Max Scherzer ($9,000 DK, $13,500 DK CPT, $7,500 FD)
Talk about locked-in; Ketel Marte is on a different level for this Diamondbacks team. He has been the best hitter this postseason for this team, and I love him when he faces right-hand pitching, something this Rangers team is full of. Marte, this postseason, has a 143 wRC+ and a .909 OPS. He has a hit in every single game. Although Scherzer has been hit harder by right-handed bats in two postseason starts, he still has allowed a .337 wOBA, .286 ISO, and a 66.7% hard hit against lefties. Marte is a perfect option to stack up with my favorite value play tonight and will help get your lineups correlated.
Top Value - MLB DFS Showdown Picks
Gabriel Moreno- ARZ vs. Max Scherzer ($7,000 DK, $10,500 DK CPT, $5,500 FD)
Gabriel Moreno has been a young player on the rise this postseason. There has always been upside here since his time in Toronto as one of baseball's top catching prospects, but on the biggest of stages, he has flourished. Moreno will hit three with the Diamondbacks, and so far this postseason boasts a 118 wRC+ and a .816 OPS. His four home runs this postseason lead the Diamondbacks. Scherzer, in his two postseason starts, has allowed a .523 wOBA, .400 ISO, and a 73.3% hard hit against right-hand hitters. Moreno is my favorite value on the board tonight, especially on Fanduel, where he is mispriced for his production and lineup spot.
Josh Jung- TEX vs. Brandon Pfaadt ($7,800 DK, $11,700 DK CPT, $6,000 FD)
Jung is more a FanDuel play for me at the $6,000 price tag, but I still like his on DraftKings, as well as a contrarian option at low ownership. I mentioned above about Pfaadt struggling against right-handed power, and that is all Josh Jung is. So far this postseason, Jung has a 134 wRC+ and a .894 OPS. The power will play in this ballpark as well, and Jung, as a value, is the perfect hitter to put in your all-star spot or Captain spot to get different.
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