The World Series is just around the corner, and the first team could punch their ticket to the Fall Classic this Friday. Both League Championship Series continue, with Game 5 of the Mets-Dodgers series starting at 5:08 p.m. ET followed by Game 4 of the ALCS between the Guardians and the Yankees.
Friday could be the final day with multiple baseball games on the slate until next spring, so get your MLB DFS lineups locked in place for the main slate on DraftKings. It’s been so much fun to dig through the bargain bin this season and identify low-cost players with big-time upside. Let’s take a look at three options that can stretch your salary cap space this Friday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $125K Relay Throw [$25K to 1st]
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1B/OF Kike Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets, $3,300
Since David Peterson ($6,500) probably won’t pitch many innings and Gavin Williams ($6,900) is in a brutal matchup after not pitching for weeks, I don’t think there’s great value on the mound. Instead, it makes sense to pay for pitching and go cheap at a different roster slot. As a result, all three of my picks this Friday are hitters, starting with Hernandez, who continues to show the ability to deliver big hits when it matters most.
Hernandez only hit .229 with a .285 wOBA during the regular season. But he has caught fire in the postseason, going 9-for-26 (.346) with two home runs and a .406 wOBA. He raised his postseason career average to .283 with a .377 wOBA. Against the Mets, Hernandez has averaged 10.25 fantasy points per game and picked up three multi-hit games in the four games in this series. The fact that he can fit at either 1B or OF makes him a flexible option that fits in many roster builds, allowing you to spend up or down in other spots as you want to.
1B Kyle Manzardo, Cleveland Guardians vs. New York Yankees, $2,500
Manzardo is a bargain option that I’ve been hyping this postseason whenever the Guardians face a right-handed starting pitcher. He is extremely cheap and usually bats second in the order in that situation. While it’s frustrating when he gets lifted for a pinch-hitter against lefties, he still brings enough savings and upside to be worth a look at this price. He showed his upside in September, smashing five homers and hitting .270 with a .373 wOBA. He was also much better at home this season with a .379 wOBA and 152 wRC+ in Cleveland.
The 24-year-old delivered the big, early home run that the Guardians needed on Thursday, although it was later overshadowed by heroics from Jhonkensy Noel ($2,900) and David Fry ($3,400). Manzardo’s finished with two hits and 19 fantasy points. He has hit safely in each of his last three games and is 4-for-15 (.267) in the postseason.
SS/OF Tommy Edman, Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets, $3,700
Edman is more expensive than Manzardo and Hernandez, but he has brought very good value at his salary this postseason. He still seems under-priced under $4,000. He’s an especially good fit against the lefty Peterson and could hit cleanup, like he did against Jose Quintana in Game 4.
Edman has hit safely in all four games this series, going 7-for-17 (.412). He’s also logged at least seven fantasy points in each contest, matching his series-high 18 fantasy points in Game 4. The switch-hitting veteran was acquired from the Cardinals in July and hit .412 with a .532 wOBA against lefties after being activated from the IL for his season debut back on August 19. His consistent production is worth a look at this price. Like Hernandez, he brings extra versatility with his outfield eligibility.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $125K Relay Throw [$25K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
