Here we are! The final day of the MLB regular season. We've made it through 161 games for every team, and we're now left with one more. All 30 teams are included in the DFS docket, what with every matchup starting within a 15-minute timeframe and the first ones at 3:05 p.m. EDT. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Chris Sale, ATL vs. PIT ($10,200): Charlie Morton is set to start Sunday before retiring, but it has been announced that will be a one-inning sendup to be followed by Sale as the bulk reliever. Getting four-or-five innings against the Pirates would give Sale plenty of opportunity to pad his stats in a lost season affected by injury. And even with all the the issues, the reigning NL Cy Young winner has still posted a 2.63 ERA and 11.70 K/9 rate. The Pirates, of course, will end the year as MLB's worst offense.
Logan Webb, SFG vs. COL ($10,100): The pitching decisions are murky for Sunday. A lot of teams have been slow to commit to a starter or how long any of them will go, especially for those in the playoffs. Fortunately, the Giants tapped Webb early without any postseason needs to consider. He's also recorded his best career campaign with a 2.67 FIP and 4.70 K/BB. Facing the Rockies and their staggeringly-low .293 team OBP should only boost those numbers.
Brad Lord, WAS vs. CWS ($5,700): Lord has a 3.99 FIP on the season with a 3.13 ERA over his last four starts. The White Sox are going to end up either 27th or 28th in runs scored. I don't expect much offense in this matchup. So if Lord can go five innings at home, there's a solid chance the rookie ends the year with a win.
See which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Top Targets
In his healthiest season, Fernando Tatis ($5,400) has popped 25 home runs and swiped 32 bags. He's also managed an .845 OPS against his fellow righties and an .871 at home. Brandon Pfaadt has endured a disastrous season on the road by registering a 7.29 ERA and 2.5 HR/9 rate.
Among the few silver lining for the Nationals this year, the surge in power for James Wood ($5,400) certainly stands out. His OBP dropped and he's stolen essentially the same number of bases in double the games, yet he's produced 31 homers and 38 doubles while slugging .477. Wood's career slugging percentage against righties is also .475. Shane Smith, a righty, comes in with a 4.39 road ERA.
Bargain Bats
While Christian Walker ($4,000) has disappointed during his first year with the Astros, he's got enough power where he's still hit 26 homers. His new home park has been the primary culprit when it comes to his issues as the first baseman has slugged .463 on the road. Sam Aldegheri has only pitched 21.0 MLB innings, but he's struggled to a 6.14 ERA while righties have gone .319 against the southpaw.
With a lefty slated to start for the opposition, Jonathan India ($3,100) should draw into the lineup for the Royals. He hasn't delivered what the team hoped for, though he's a right-handed second baseman who could get to 30 doubles on the campaign. Jeffrey Springs has had issues pitching in Sacramento with a 4.81 ERA and 1.9 HR/9 rate at home.
Stacks to Consider
Atlanta vs. Pirates (Johan Oviedo): Ronald Acuna ($6,200), Matt Olson ($5,200), Michael Harris ($3,500)
Oviedo has a 3.57 ERA through eight starts after missing last season, yet he also lists a 4.72 FIP and 1.95 K/BB rate. That tracks given the righty posted a 4.48 FIP and 1.90 K/BB in 2023. This was a tough season for Atlanta, but this trio can end the season on a high note and deliver a fine DFS stack.
Acuna has notched a 1.079 OPS the last three weeks, a .971 against his fellow righties, and a .993 at home. Olson is also finishing the year in fine form with a 1.049 OPS the last three weeks to help him get to 29 homers and 40 doubles. Even though Harris has endured his worst campaign, he finally stayed healthy enough to get to 20/20. That'll work from a DFS perspective, especially since he's a righty.
Giants vs. Rockies (McCade Brown): Rafael Devers ($5,600), Jung Hoo Lee ($3,400), Patrick Bailey ($3,000)
In six MLB starts, Brown has a 7.54 ERA. Coors Field has played its part, but he's also struggled on the road by recording a 4.85 ERA and 2.1 HR/9 rate. All three of the following Giants can hit left-handed as Brown has allowed lefties to bat .349 against.
Devers hasn't done as well since arriving from the Red Sox, yet he's still gone over 30 homers and 100 RBI. He's also notched a .900 OPS versus righties and a .911 since 2023. Lee has shown he can play against MLB pitchers, though doesn't aim to go yard as evidenced by his eight home runs. That being said, he's at 31 doubles and 12 triples while hitting .271 against righties. Bailey is a switch-hitter, so I assume the Giants will have him behind the plate on Sunday. He's not one of the best hitting catchers, but he's slugged .472 the last three weeks and hopefully can do some damage against Brown.
Try our DraftKings MLB Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
