This past Monday was busier than usual for MLB. Well, Thursday is the payment due for that. There are only four games on the DFS docket — out of five total games on the day — and the first pitch is at 6:40 p.m. ET. Hey, you still have a chance to play MLB DFS, though! Here are my recommendations.
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Pitching
Yusei Kikuchi, LAA vs. SEA ($8,300): Kikuchi, a former Mariner, has found a home he really enjoys. His 3.13 ERA this season is bolstered largely by an 1.98 ERA at home. The Mariners may be in the top 10 in runs scored, but with the lack of options Thursday I'd still go with Kikuchi at home. If nothing else, he'll make things hard on every Seattle lefty at the plate.
Yu Darvish, SDP at STL ($7,500): It's only been three starts, as Darvish has been working back from an elbow injury. With each start he's lasted a bit longer, and while he has a 6.08 ERA, he has a 3.91 FIP. Last year he managed a 3.31 ERA in 16 starts prior to his injury. Seeing a pitcher with Darvish's track record at this salary against an above-average, but not remarkable, offense is worth a roll of the dice to me.
Top Target
It hasn't been the best campaign in the (likely) Hall of Fame career of Jose Altuve ($4,600), but things look better thanks to an 1.182 OPS over the last three weeks. He has an .887 OPS at home this year, but he also has an .829 OPS against his fellow righties. Luis Severino's issues have been largely at home, but he has a 3.10 ERA on the road, which is not terribly imposing. Plus, he's allowed nine home runs over his last eight starts.
Bargain Bat
As he did in 2023, before struggling in 2024, Spencer Torkelson ($4,100) is likely to finish this season with 30 homers and 30 doubles. He's bolstered by a stellar 1.042 OPS against southpaws. Eric Lauer has a 2.80 ERA, but six of his 15 appearances have been in relief. Additionally, he's allowed 1.4 homers per nine innings on the road, and six of the seven homers he's allowed this season have come from the bats of righties.
Stack to Consider
Angels vs. Mariners (Logan Evans): Zach Neto ($5,300), Nolan Schanuel ($4,000), Logan O'Hoppe ($3,500)
Though Evans has a 5.40 ERA in Triple-A this year, he has a 2.74 FIP at that level. Sure, he's been able to hack it in Triple-A this season, his first time competing at that level, but he doesn't seem set to handle MLB players yet. Evans has a 3.81 ERA and 4.87 FIP in 10 MLB starts. He has a 6.63 K/9 rate and 1.49 HR/9 rate. Plus, away from Seattle's pitcher-friendly park, he has a 5.06 ERA on the road. Lefties have hit .301 against Evans, but since Schanuel is really the only notable lefty the Angels have, there are two righties in this stack.
Neto has built upon his breakthrough campaign in 2024, as he has 15 homers and 18 stolen bases through 83 games. He has an .850 OPS at home, but on top of that he has an .836 OPS versus his fellow righties. Schanuel has a .365 OBP, and while he only has eight homers, the lefty has hit 19 doubles and stolen four bases. Granted, he doesn't have as much power as your usual first baseman, but he's hit .285 against righties this year. I figured O'Hoppe was worth having as my second righty as he's a catcher, and you need a catcher. O'Hoppe has popped 18 home runs in 82 games, and he has an 1.100 OPS over the last two weeks.
