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The days of four-game MLB slates are fast dwindling as the American League and National League Division Series take centerstage at once beginning Tuesday. With no elimination scenarios on the table yet, starting pitchers should have a reasonable leash, although as you’ll come to read, some may have longer ones than others.
As can usually be ascertained from postseason baseball, there’s no clear edge when it comes to stacking against a particular pitcher. For as gaudy as the New York offense looked Monday, they’ll be tasked with Tyler Glasnow’s hellacious pitch mix, and vice versa. Mix in that all eight clubs are playing away from their home yards and you’ve got a cauldron of DFS volatility.
I'll provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 10/6/2020. Be sure to check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Walker Buehler - LAD vs. SDP ($8,900)
Some may see Glasnow as the premier boom-or-bust selection on the slate due to his matchup against a Yankees offense that makes a living demolishing baseballs, but Buehler, his blisters, and his pitch count are the true high-upside, high-risk kings of Tuesday. His Game 1 start during the Wild Card Series versus the Brewers was Buehler perfectly embodied -- eight strikeouts with three hits and two runs allowed. But he threw just 73 pitches and went only four frames as the fingers on his pitching hand received a nearly inning-by-inning camera close-up to check for blisters.
The non-injury factor that makes a perfect boom-or-bust pitching candidate is home runs. When Buehler faced San Diego back on Aug. 3, the only hits that he allowed were home runs. Unfortunately for him, the Padres clubbed three, but San Diego also was a different enigma inside of their home yard this season; now, they’ll play at Globe Life Field. If the Dodgers take the gloves off Buehler, his upside is immense; if they choose to play it safe and continue monitoring his workload, his potential for not delivering on fantasy investment is considerable.
Max Fried - ATL vs. MIA ($8,700)
Atlanta’s breakout ace had not allowed a home run over his first 10 starts of the 2020 season until Miami came clobbering in his final regular-season tuneup. After yielding two long balls in the first, and sustaining a sprained ankle, Fried was pulled from the outing; so why is he a recommended selection? His most recent outing was a masterful seven-frame performance versus the Reds, in which he struck out five batters in his playoff starting debut.
Additionally, the first time that Fried and Miami squared off this season resulted in 6 ⅓ frames of scoreless ball that saw the southpaw strikeout seven. Of the four offenses available to choose from during Tuesday’s slate, it’s readily apparent that the Marlins’ packs the least punch, which makes Fried an upside selection when considering that he’ll be the fourth-highest priced arm.
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Jesus Aguilar - 1B, MIA vs. ATL ($2,800)
Immediately after saying nice things about Fried, I present you with a masher that will be facing him. Aguilar not only cranked a homer in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series versus the Cubs, he bopped lefties to a .956 OPS during the regular season -- including one of those two aforementioned home runs that Fried allowed in his final start before the postseason. Additionally, Aguilar’s price tag lends itself to getting some higher-priced bats in other spots.
Jake Cronenworth - 2B, SDP vs. LAD ($2,500)
So long as Cronenworth’s price tag stays this ludicrously low, he’ll be almost a daily addition to this space. He spent the Wild Card Series versus St. Louis averaging 22.6 FD points per game, which would be astounding no matter his cost. Sure, the matchup against Buehler isn’t ideal, but he’ll still receive a plethora of interest in all formats after having delivered elite Statcast metrics (.324 xBA, .383 xwOBA) during the regular season and not having slowed for a beat since.
Chad Pinder - 3B, OAK vs. HOU ($2,200)
Third base is chock full of talent Tuesday, although it’s worth noting one of the top punt plays on the slate with the utility slot also available for FD. Facing left-hander Framber Valdez will likely mean that Pinder enters the starting nine, and having reached base five times in 12 postseason plate appearances this year, his odds of hitting value on his miniscule price tag are reasonable.
Pinder remains a roll of the dice selection as he noted that he is still dealing with hamstring issues, which may make him susceptible to early removal either due to defensive replacement or offensive matchup.
Willy Adames - SS, TAM vs. NYY ($2,600)
Tampa Bay may be serving as the home team for Tuesday’s Game 2 against the Yankees, but Petco Park certainly isn’t Tropicana Field. And for Adames, that’s a best-case scenario; on the road this season, the shortstop -- who has discussed having vision troubles at his home yard -- has hit .330 with a 1.035 OPS. Factor in that his FD price is drastically below where he sits on DK, and managers can feel as if they’re getting a player at a price point far under expectation.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Ronald Acuna Jr. - OF, ATL vs. MIA ($4,500)
There is a premium associated with paying up to roster Acuna on Tuesday, and understandably so after he collected four hits in the Wild Card series against a stout Cincinnati pitching staff. But unlike many of the other stars on the slate, Acuna isn’t tasked with facing a dominant strikeout arm, which adds to his cash play appeal. Having mashed 13 of his 14 regular-season home runs against righties, Acuna has played into the reverse splits narrative this season.
Cody Bellinger - OF, LAD vs. SDP ($4,200)
As of Monday night, San Diego was yet to announce their starter for Game 1, thus the absence of Dodgers from this post, until now. Bellinger has been coming on strong to conclude 2020, and while his regular-season numbers will remain an aberration, he has slashed .350/.536/.700 in his last seven games.
Despite an early-season rep of not playing to offense, Globe Life Field finished the year as down-the-middle as a yard can play, comparing favorably to Dodger Stadium, which should also work in Bellinger’s favor.
Randy Arozarena - OF, TAM vs. NYY ($3,200)
The secret is out of the bag -- Arozarena is the real deal. Tampa Bay has made an organization out of unearthing gems such as the young Cuban is proving to be, and he now appears to have played his way into an everyday lineup spot. Following a home run in Game 1 on Monday off Gerrit Cole, there’s little reason to stray away for Game 2 when considering his price tag and postseason success (7-for-12) to this point.
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