The NLCS was not terribly competitive. While we got some great pitching performances from the Dodgers, and a three-homer game from Shohei Ohtani, it was a sweep for the defending champs. At least the ALCS has been an exciting affair to balance things out. Monday we get a Game 7 between the Blue Jays and the Mariners. Seattle is trying to make the World Series for the first time. Toronto is trying to return for the first time in more than 30 years.
Game 7 from Toronto starts at 8:08 p.m. ET. Shane Bieber and George Kirby are starting for the Jays and Mariners respectively. For DFS purposes, you get $60,000 in salary and you have to set a six-player lineup. One player is your MVP, and he earns 1.5 times the points at 1.5 times the salary. The winner of this game is going to the World Series. Monday is going to be an exciting day for baseball, and here is the lineup I landed on.
MVP
Vladimir Guerrero, TOR vs. SEA ($19,200): Guerrero has been the hottest hitter in this postseason. It really is that simple. Having an OPS of 1.000 would be impressive enough as is. Guerrero has slugged 1.000 in the playoffs, and he just hit his sixth homer. However, if you need any extra push to make him your MVP, Kirby had a 5.16 ERA on the road this year.
Utility
Julio Rodriguez, SEA at TOR ($11,600): Bieber has only made nine regular-season starts over the last two seasons, but he's been hit by his fellow righties in those nine outings. Rodriguez is a righty who hit .271 against right-handed pitchers this season, but on top of that he had a .912 OPS on the road on the campaign.
Josh Naylor, SEA at TOR ($10,400): Yes, Naylor is a lefty, and I just talked about how Bieber has done less well against righties than lefties the last couple years. That's just how well Naylor has been hitting though. Plus, you know, you need to roster six batters build out of two lineups. Naylor has hit .341 and slugged .591, and he has five multi-hit games over his last eight outings. I'll take a shot on him managing against Bieber (or any bullpen arms that follow).
Daulton Varsho, TOR vs. SEA ($7,400): Kirby's profile is more as you might expect, in that lefties have hit for a higher average and for more power against him. This season southpaws hit .264 against him. With Varsho, odds are he hits a home run or he makes an out, and there is almost no chance he walks. However, he managed to slug .591 and hit 18 homers against righties in 215 plate appearances during the regular season, and he's slugged .500 in the postseason.
Nathan Lukes, TOR vs. SEA ($6,000): I'm staying on the Lukes train! He's been Toronto's answer to Enrique Hernandez, i.e., the guy who suddenly starts hitting up a storm when the playoffs start. While the lefty Lukes doesn't deliver a ton of power, he's hit .343 in the playoffs, and even a couple well-placed singles would deliver for your lineup at this salary.
J.P. Crawford, SEA at TOR ($5,400): Slotting in the guy slugging 1.000 as my MVP ate into my salary allotment quite a bit, but the power potential in my top-four hitters was worth it. I don't mind rounding things out with Crawford. You know the lefty will be out there at shortstop, and he hit .279 against righties this year. Once I get down to this level salary wise, I am happy just to get a steady regular I can probably count on for at least four plate appearances with any skill with the bat.
