The first post-All-Star break weekend comes to a close on Sunday with eight games on the MLB DFS docket and the first ones scheduled to start at 1:35 p.m. EDT. There's a fair amount of rain in the forecast. Well, at least there's room for rain delays without postponements. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
MacKenzie Gore, WAS vs. SDP ($9,200): Through 19 starts, Gore has posted a 2.90 FIP and 11.26 K/9 rate. He'll face his former team on Sunday, one that's quietly scuffled offensively as they're in the bottom-10 and would really have to pick it up to climb out of that range.
Janson Junk, MIA vs. KAN ($6,100): Junk came into his age-29 season with limited MLB experience and a poor track record. His 50.1 innings pitched this year are more than he totaled coming in while he's also produced a 2.68 ERA and 2.12 FIP. That certainly wasn't expected from Junk, where it's reasonable to have doubts. The Royals sit 29th in runs scored, so I'll take a shot on Junk at this salary to continue his solid run.
See which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Top Targets
There's a good chance Jose Ramirez ($5,600) compiles another campaign with 30 homers, 30 doubles, and 30 stolen bases. Though he's a switch-hitter, the third baseman has a .918 OPS against lefties since 2023. Jeffrey Springs is a southpaw who's given up 1.55 homers per nine innings during his first season with the Athletics.
Now as an outfielder, Oneil Cruz ($5,200) doesn't offer the same positional upside. But someone with 16 home runs and 30 steals through 87 games still carries DFS cache. It's not surprising the lefty has been much better against righties over his career and has also slugged .499 at home the last couple years. Aaron Civale has pieced together a poor season across two teams with the righty coming in with a 5.60 FIP, 1.64 K/BB rate, and 1.71 HR/9 rate.
Bargain Bats
You have to roster a catcher, and Austin Wells ($3,400) is a decent option with career marks of slugging .443 against righties and .444 on the road. Wells has also dispatched 14 home runs in 2025, and that kind of power works well at his position. Grant Holmes' 3.77 ERA isn't too shabby, yet lefties have hit .256 against throughout his career and he's coming off his worst start of the season.
A top prospect, Brady House ($2,900) recorded an .872 OPS at Triple-A to earn him a shot in the Majors. It's been something of a struggle, though he's managed five doubles and two stolen bases and produced his first two big-league homers right before the break. Nick Pivetta holds a career 4.58 ERA, so how does he currently have a 2.88? Chalk it up to Petco Park with the first-year Padre going 4.09 on the road. I also wanted a righty against Pivetta as that side has recorded nine of the 12 home runs that he's allowed this year.
Stacks to Consider
Atlanta vs. New York (Marcus Stroman): Matt Olson ($5,300), Ozzie Albies ($3,400), Michael Harris ($2,700)
Stroman's second season with the Yankees has been no better than the first as he's at a 6.66 ERA from six starts after a 4.31 ERA last year while lefties are batting .302 following a .296. So that's why I've included three Atlanta hitters who can hit left-handed.
Olson has bounced back from a season where he still registered 29 homers with 17 so far alongside a .364 OBP with 24 doubles and an .840 OPS against righties. Albies has managed a below-average campaign, yet he's gone deep eight times to go with eight stolen bases. He's a switch-hitter and a second baseman, so I figured he's favorable at this salary and in this matchup. Harris is basically only delivering counting stats as his production has been sporadic. And he does have seven home runs, three triples, and 12 steals. Atlanta's lefty bats aren't the best bunch, but this matchup is worth the stack.
Athletics at Guardians (Gavin Williams): Brent Rooker ($4,500), Jacob Wilson ($4,100), Tyler Soderstrom ($4,000)
Williams' ERA has dropped from 4.86 last season to 3.70, yet his FIP is still 4.81. His career home ERA is also 4.24. Two of the following recommendations are righties, like Williams, but that's because righties have gone .302 against him during 2025.
With 21 homers, Rooker is likely to get to 30 for the third straight season. He really got into gear before the break with a 1.163 OPS the last three weeks. Wilson started to go cold during that time, but became the All-Star Game starter at shortstop due to his great start and has hit .327 with 10 homers and five stolen bases. I noted Williams has let righties bat .302 against, but even last year they went .275. Soderstrom has popped 18 home runs, and even picked up his first six career steals. He's also slugged .509 against righties and .473 on the road.
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