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Welcome to Monday baseball on FanDuel! With a great NFL Sunday in the rearview, we look toward sone of the best baseball days of the year. The quadruple-header Monday slate. We have four great games with four teams facing a plane ride home for good. We have some great pitching and some offenses that should put up a few runs. This is playoff baseball, however, and anything can happen.
Let's get to it!
Be sure to also check out all the Vegas Odds for today's slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports too. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @DFSVarney
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Starting Pitchers
Max Scherzer - WAS vs. LAD - $11,000
Scherzer pitched an inning of relief in game two, so his start was pushed back to game four. He's fully rested now and will be able to go out there for a full workload against the Dodgers as they try to close out the series. Scherzer should put up quite a fight, as it's win or go home mode at this point. With that being said, we expected vintage Scherzer in the Wild-card game and he gave up three runs. It's playoff baseball and the best pitchers in the world still have trouble. on the season, Scherzer has struck out 11+ batters per nine innings with a sub .280 wOBA against both sides of the plate. I expect him to right the ship today against the Dodgers and force this series to a game five in Los Angeles.
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Zack Greinke - HOU @ TAM - $10,300
If you think Scherzer is going to get beat up by the Dodgers or you don't want to pay all the way up, Zack Greinke is cheaper and has a better match-up with the Tampa Bay Rays in pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field. Greinke might be the best third starter we've seen in quite some time, posting a 3.67 xFIP and striking out eight batters per nine innings. He's held both lefties and righties to a sub .270 wOBA and allowed just 20 homers in over 200 innings of work. The Rays are a solid offense, but they're one of the weakest in the playoffs. Greinke is a great cash-game play and I don't see any reason to go cheaper.
Infielders
Edwin Encarnacion - NYY @ MIN (Odorizzi) - $3,800
If you're playing on this slate, you need exposure to the Yankees. They hold the highest implied total on the board and face off with a guy in Jake Odorizzi that is far from scary. On the season, Odorizzi has posted a 4.33 xFIP and walked over three batters per nine innings. Edwin Encarnacion on the other hand, has been better against righties this season and should be hitting third or fourth. His price isn't very high on FanDuel and he's easily my top first baseman. For value, Howie Kendricks is a great option against a lefty.
Ozzie Albies - ATL @ STL (Hudson) - $3,300
Dakota Hudson is one of the other weakest pitchers on this slate, so you'll want some Braves exposure as well. Ozzie Albies is a switch-hitter that's better against lefties, but he's still posted a .325 wOBA against righties with 13 home runs and 34 doubles. Dakota Hudson has allowed a .347 wOBA to lefties on the season and his xFIP is sitting all the way at 5.35. Albies will be slotted between two of the best hitters in baseball and deserves consideration in all formats. Luis Arraez is my favorite value at the position.
Anthony Rendon - WAS vs. LAD (Hill) - $4,300
Anthony Rendon is a guy I played 100% of the time this year against lefties, and it paid off. I'm not willing to stop in the playoffs. Rich Hill is a good pitcher, but Rendon cranked curveballs to the tune of a .434 wOBA this season and will be ready for whatever tricks Hill has to work with. Rendon is my favorite hitter on the slate and you won't find a lineup of mine without him. Hill has given up nine home runs to righties in just 45 innings of work. Rendon is also a .400+ wOBA hitter against righties, so it doesn't matter if the bullpen comes in. I expect the Nationals to get to a game five on the backs of Scherzer and Rendon.
Jorge Polanco - MIN vs. NYY (Severino) - $3,400
Trea Turner is a great play here as well, but we just touched on the Nationals and Jorge Polanco can save you a big chunk of change at shortstop. He's a switch-hitter that's far better against righties, sporting a .372 wOBA with 16 home runs and 30 doubles on the season. He's facing off with a great pitcher in Luis Severino, but he still allowed a .302 wOBA to lefties in 2018. Polanco is hot right now and I could see him taking Severino deep for a solo shot. Turner is the safer option and Didi and DeJong are excellent pivots.
Outfielders
Aaron Judge - NYY @ MIN (Odorizzi) - $4,500
If you're paying up in the outfield, Aaron Judge is an easy choice for me. He's seeing the ball great right now, and faces off with a pitcher in Jake Odorizzi that's far from intimidating. We already touched on him with Edwin Encarnacion at first, but the Yankees shouldn't have any problem putting up a few early runs before getting to an average Twins bullpen that's pretty tired. It's hard to fit Judge on this slate, but he's the top raw option if you can do so.
Marcell Ozuna - STL vs. ATL (Keuchel) - $3,700
Ozuna is way too cheap for this match-up. Keuchel gave up a .350+ wOBA to right-handers and has major home run issues. Marcell Ozuna on the other hand, has historically crushed lefties. He's struggled this season, but the Cardinals have done a very smart thing by sticking by his side and keeping him in the heart of the lineup. He now has two hits in four straight games, totaling eight over a four-game stretch. The Cardinals are going to put up some runs and Ozuna should be involved.
