This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
This is actually an unusually busy Thursday for MLB. However, because of the way the schedule is laid out over the course of the day, here's the scoop for the main slate of DFS contests on DraftKings. It's an afternoon affair. There are six games on the docket, with the first at 1:05 p.m. ET. Here are my lineup recommendations. Good luck!
Pitching
Carlos Rodon, NYY vs. LAA ($10,700): Rodon's last couple starts, both against the Red Sox, have been dicey. Before that, though, he had an 1.27 ERA over his prior nine starts, and on the season he has a 3.01 ERA. The Red Sox are in the top six in runs scored, but the Angels are on the fringes of the bottom 10 on that front and have a sub-.300 OBP. This is a good chance for Rodon to get back to his pre-Boston form.
Erick Fedde, STL at CWS ($7,000): Fedde doesn't strike anybody out, but he does keep the ball in the park, and he has a 3.65 ERA. That's not great, but it suffices for a mid-rotation starter, and Fedde's road ERA drops down to 3.13. His salary and this matchup, though, are a worthwhile combination. The White Sox are basically locked into finishing in the bottom five in runs scored and team OPS once again.
Top Targets
Even though the matchup isn't great, Pete Crow-Armstrong ($6,100) is still worth considering for your roster. In his breakthrough campaign, PCA has 19 home runs and 23 stolen bases, not to mention a .940 OPS against righties. Freddy Peralta has a 2.60 ERA, but his FIP is actually 3.74. Not only that, but he has a 3.86 ERA on the road. Now, Peralta is good enough I wouldn't run any-old lefty out there against him, but Crow-Armstrong is worth it.
All-in-all, Anthony Volpe ($4,100) has put up the best power numbers of his career. Even though he only has eight homers through 71 games, he has two triples and a whopping 20 doubles. The shortstop has also slugged .487 both against lefties and at home. Tyler Anderson is a lefty, and he has a startling 6.31 road ERA with a 2.0 HR/9 rate on the road as well.
Bargain Bats
Every season of his career, Alec Burleson ($3,500) has improved. This year he's hit .305 with six homers and three stolen bases. Over the last three weeks he has an .875 OPS as well. I don't believe in Adrian Houser's 2.15 ERA through five starts. One, he has a 3.47 FIP. Two, over the prior three seasons he had a 4.76 ERA. Three, lefties have hit .296 against Houser this season, which will make it hard for him to continue to avoid allowing runs.
While he's only been in the lineup intermediately, Mickey Moniak ($3,100) has nine homers and an impressive five triples for the Rockies. He doesn't really play against lefties, but he's earned an opportunity to play when a righty is starting for the opposition. Trevor Williams allowed lefties to hit .301 against him over a full season in 2023. I mention that to add some validity to bolster the fact that this season lefties have hit, no joke, .363 against him.
Stack to Consider
Nationals vs. Rockies (Chase Dollander): James Wood ($5,800), CJ Abrams ($5,600), Brady House ($3,000)
Dollander's rookie season has been disastrous. He has a 6.57 ERA, a 4.44 BB/9 rate and a 2.31 HR/9 rate. I grant you Coors Field has really hindered Dollander, but he still has a 4.50 ERA and 1.5 HR/9 rate on the road. Since he is right-handed, I have two lefties in this stack, and then I am taking a shot on House for reasons I will get into shortly.
Wood has built upon his promise he showed in 2024, as this year he's slashed .282/.380/.545 with 18 home runs and nine stolen bases. Even last year, though, he had an .858 OPS versus righties. Do you recall that Abrams had 20 homers and 31 swiped bags last season? It's true, and he has nine of the former and 15 of the latter this year. The shortstop also has an .898 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. House was a first-round pick in 2021, and after posting an .872 OPS in Triple-A to start this season he solidified himself as one of Washington's best prospects. We don't know what he is at the MLB level, but he's worth a roll of the dice. Part of that is the fact Dollander has let his fellow righties hit .280 against him.
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