After a wild eight-game slate yesterday, we now get five more games today. Four National League teams face elimination – Reds, Cubs, Padres, and Brewers – while the A’s and White Sox play a win-or-go-home Game 3. With that in mind, let’s get right into some pitchers and bats for your lineups.
Pitchers
Yu Darvish ($9,700) vs. Miami Marlins
Darvish is a top-three Cy Young candidate this season. In the Postseason, however, he has struggled in his last two starts. In the 2017 World Series, he lasted just 1.2 innings in Game 3 and Game 7 while surrendering four earned runs in each. Keep in mind, though, that that came against the trashcan-banging Houston Astros, with Game 3 in Houston. This season, he had a 2.01 ERA, 0.961 WHIP, and a 93/14 K/BB rate. At home this season he has struck out over 12 batters per nine over 56 innings pitched. The Marlins lineup is right-handed heavy, and Darvish has given up just a .230 wOBA against righties. The Marlins struck out at a 24.8% rate and had a .308 wOBA in the regular season. In an elimination game, go with Darvish looking to keep the Cubs’ season alive.
Ian Anderson ($7,500) vs. Cincinnati Reds
The rookie right-hander Anderson has been very good in the six starts he made in the regular season. He struck out 41 and walked 14 while surrendering just seven earned runs on 21 hits over 32.1 innings. The Reds were unable to muster any runs in several opportunities in their 1-0 13-inning loss yesterday. They held a 25.2% strikeout rate, .311 wOBA, and 91 wRC+ during the season, which were all within the lower half of the league.
Bats
Jose Abreu ($4,800)
Take the righty power bat who is an MVP candidate against the lefty Sean Manaea with very limited, but tough, postseason experience. In his only postseason start last season, Manaea lasted two innings while surrendering four runs on four hits including three homers against the Rays in the Wild Card game. Abreu has gone 3-for-9 with two RBI so far in the series and will look to have a big game to help the White Sox get to the American League Division Series against the Astros.
Mookie Betts ($5,900)
Betts is well worth this price as he faces a right-hander in Brandon Woodruff and he kills righties. Against righties this season he had a 1.026 OPS, .339 average, and 15 homers in 202 plate appearances. Betts went 2-for-4 in Game 1 last night and looks to stay hot as the Dodgers go for the series sweep. He hit 11 of his 16 homers at home in Dodger Stadium this season. While he struggled in his postseason career with the Red Sox, he is off to a good start in that regard with the Dodgers.
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