All playoff Division Series are in full swing with games each and every day, and it has been fun so far. Although it was nice to see some amazing pitching in the first round, the abundance of baseballs clearing the fences is a welcome sight. Will the trend continue? Well, other than staff ace Clayton Kershaw going for the Dodgers, the starting pitchers expected to start aren’t exactly all that imposing. Let’s break it all down and mix and match some high profile bats for this edition of MLB DFS Diamond Picks.
PITCHER
Ian Anderson (SP – ATL)
Even though Kershaw is the stud pitcher of the evening, Ian Anderson ($8,200) is someone we should be paying attention to. Anderson has arguably the most favorable matchup on the docket tonight. Kershaw is the most pricey on today’s DraftKings slate, but his matchup isn’t nearly as good as what Anderson has to deal with. The Braves will be playing Game 2 of their series against the Miami Marlins. Anderson faced the Fish twice this season and allowed just a single earned run over 8 2/3 innings. He also fanned 10 Marlins in the process. Anderson was fantastic in his only ever postseason appearance on October 1st. He pitched six innings, striking out nine and allowing just two hits in a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
INFIELD
Carlos Correa (SS – HOU)
Correa at $4,000 on DraftKings is a very generous price point. If you want to save even more, Dansby Swanson at $3,800 is worth a look. Swanson hit the Marlins very well during the regular season. As for Correa, he and the Astros have got their swagger back in this series versus the Athletics. No matter how you spin it, the talent is undeniable. They are motivated and are almost destined to move on to the next round. Correa cranked two big-flies in Game 1 and has mashed 14 homers in 54 career playoff games.
Joey Wendle (2B/3B – TB)
In order to load up on outfield, we need to insert spark plug pieces such as Joey Wendle. Wendle is mostly a low-risk option to fill out your lineup, and tonight won’t likely be different. $3,500 is pretty fair, considering he hit .286 during the regular season. If teammate Mike Brosseau cracks the lineup, he is also worth your consideration. Brosseau hit an impressive .429 with two doubles and three homers against the Yankees this season.
OUTFIELD
Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF – ATL)
The Atlanta bats came to life yesterday, and you can expect them to do damage again today. Miami is expected to hand starting pitching duties to Pablo Lopez. Lopez pitched to a 6.39 ERA in 12 innings during regular season play versus the Braves. Once the game gets handed over to Miami’s relievers, the party should continue. The Marlins’ bullpen registered a season’s worth ERA of 5.35. As for Acuna’s head-to-head with Lopez, he has gone 5-for-14 with a couple of dingers. Since his return to the Braves lineup on Aug. 26 after being on the injured list with wrist inflammation, Acuna has a .642 slugging percentage (including playoffs). Heading into yesterday, he was hitting .333 along with .646 slugging in 15 career postseason games.
Giancarlo Stanton (OF – NYY)
Do the Rays have an answer for the Yankees devastating designated hitter? Make it four straight games with a homer for Stanton, and possibly five, as the Rays will look to 36-year-old Charlie Morton to limit this ultra-deep lineup. Morton hasn’t looked anything near last year’s version of himself. He has pitched to a 4.74 ERA this season and has seen a drop in velocity. His four-seam heater has gone from 94.7 mph to 93.4. This has resulted in a big dip to his strikeout rate, 30.4 percent down to 24.7. Stanton, who cannot stop hitting homers in the playoffs has also tagged Morton over his career. He has gone 9-for-26 with a homer and a .538 slug.
If manager Aaron Boone includes feisty outfielder Brett Gardner in his lineup, make sure you find a spot for him. He is 8-for-26 with three taters off of Morton over the course of his career.
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