This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
It's hot here in Detroit. And if you're dealing with a heat wave Sunday, stay safe! Remain inside if you can and watch some MLB action. Oh, and set your DFS lineups. There are seven games on the docket with the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. EDT. And now, onto the recommendations.
Pitching
Chris Bassitt, TOR vs. CWS ($9,600): Bassitt has a 3.75 ERA, with a 2.74 at home. More importantly is the matchup against the White Sox, who sit bottom-four in runs scored and team OPS.
Jack Leiter, TEX at PIT ($8,600): Leiter walks way too many batters and his 4.40 ERA isn't remarkable. However, at this salary, he's worth using as the Pirates are both last in offense, team OPS, and homers.
Find out which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Top Targets
It speaks to how remarkable Elly De La Cruz ($4,100) has been on the basepaths that he's running less yet still has 21 stolen bases. It's been more about the power with the shortstop already at 17 home runs. De La Cruz has also slugged over .500 against righties and on the road. Since 2023, Miles Mikolas has struggled to a 5.70 home ERA while surrendering a homer in six of his last eight starts.
Though Jackson Chourio ($3,700) still doesn't walk, he's really stuffing the stat sheet this season. The sophomore sensation has picked up 22 doubles, three triples, 12 homers, and 15 steals from only 75 games. While Chourio has signficantly improved against lefties this year, he was way better against righties as a rookie. David Festa, a righty, has let right-handed bats average .255 against him over his career alongside a 4.86 ERA.
Bargain Bats
This is the circumstance that Matt Wallner ($2,900) is built for. He's slugged .550 against righties the last three seasons and .549 at home. Quinn Priester carries a career 5.01 FIP while lefties have gone .292 against.
We are still quite early in the tenure of Cole Young ($2,300) with the Mariners, yet the lefty has been starting at second base. He earned the chance after an .853 OPS at Triple-A. Young has had to face a couple lefties already while also playing at Seattle's pitcher-friendly park. I'd take a shot on him at Wrigley Field on Sunday as Colin Rea enters with a career 4.48 ERA while lefties have batted .307 against this year.
Stack to Consider
Diamondbacks at Rockies (Antonio Senzatela): Corbin Carroll ($4,300), Eugenio Suarez ($4,200), Josh Naylor ($3,900)
Senzatela has slumped to a 7.88 home ERA the last three seasons where lefties have also hit .370 against. That's why I'm hoping to included two lefties in this stack and another powerful bat to make it work at Coors Field.
Carroll is at 20 homers, 10 stolen bases, and a whopping nine triples. He also has a hand injury and is expected back soon, so he's well worth rostering against Senzatela and at Coors. If he can't go, switch-hitter Ketel Marte lists the same salary and would be easy to swap in - though he's a second baseman. Suarez has already delivered 25 home runs, including three this series. He also hit 49 once with the Reds and could do that again this year. Naylor is batting .302 and has surprisingly stolen 10 bases to go with nine homers and a .922 OPS against righties. While he's been much better at home, this is his first year with the Diamondbacks and all his prior success wasn't a product of their ballpark. And don't forget, they're still playing at Coors on Sunday.
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