Game 1 of the NLCS will begin tonight with the Toronto Blue Jays hosting the Seattle Mariners. Seattle earned its way into this series with a 15-inning thriller to defeat the Detroit Tigers with a walk-off single, thanks to Jorge Polanco. But the stage completely resets, and the series will start back at 0-0. The Blue Jays defeated the Yankees in four games and last played on Wednesday. Bryce Miller and Kevin Gausman will be the starting pitchers tonight. There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action on the baseball diamond. One of the more unique ways to play is with one of the newest features on DraftKings this year in Pick6 Fantasy Baseball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for today’s action. You simply choose whether each set statistic will be more or less than the set number. With the stage set, here are my top picks on today’s MLB playoff slate.
Josh Naylor More Than 0.5 Hits
After starting the season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Josh Naylor was traded to the Mariners midseason and has become a notable part of the team. Across his 54 games in Seattle, Naylor slashed .299/.341/.490 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs. He has six hits across the opening five playoff games and 24 plate appearances.
Naylor also has a strong track record against Kevin Gausman. He has hit .364 in his career against the Blue Jays starter with only two strikeouts in 11 career at-bats. He has also hit .314 with four extra-base hits across his 12 games played at the Rogers Centre. Naylor is coming off back-to-back games with three hits and is seeing the ball well at the plate. Look for this to carry into a more favorable pitching matchup and extend his postseason hit streak.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to Record More Than 1.5 Total Bases
The Mariners were forced to dig deep into their pitching staff in the previous series, making a favorable outlook for Toronto. In just the 15-inning ALDS finale alone, Seattle used seven different pitchers to survive. Expect there to be a short leash for each pitcher on the mound because of the level of usage that was required in the previous series.
For Vladimir Guerrero Jr, it has not mattered who is on the mound. In the series victory over the Yankees, he slashed .529/.550/.1.059 with a ridiculous 1.609 OPS. The five-time All-Star logged nine hits and three home runs across the four games. He slashed .292/.381/.467 across the regular season and is still the same Vlad Guerrero Jr. who has led the MLB in home runs and the AL in OPS over a season. Expect him to be at his best when the lights are the brightest and feed off the home crowd behind him. The Blue Jays go as Guerrero Jr. takes them and look for the star to tally more than 1.5 total bases for the fourth time this postseason.
Anthony Santander More Than 0.5 Hits
The raw numbers do not look great for Anthony Santander to start the postseason. He hit just .200 in the ALDS with just two hits across his 10 at-bats. But he forced 6.4 pitchers per plate appearance and will be back in the lineup with right-hander Bryce Miller getting the start. He is posting a .606 OPS against right-handed pitchers this year compared to a .442 OPS against lefties.
While Miller will likely not be in the game for long, this is a strong matchup for Santander. He has the most at-bats against Miller of anyone on the team and has four hits across 10 at-bats, including one home run. I am backing the platoon split to be effective and for Santander to notch a hit in the third game of this postseason.
Eugenio Suarez to Record More than 1.5 Total Bases
Another trade deadline addition for the Mariners was Eugenio Suarez. The two-time All-Star has slashed just .189/.255/.428 across his 53 games played in Seattle. This comes after the first half of the season with the Diamondbacks, in which he slashed .248/.320/.576 with a .897 OPS. Suarez has just two hits across the first five playoff games, one of which was a home run.
The third baseman has had success against Kevin Gauseman in his career, hitting .318 with one home run and four RBIs across 22 career at-bats. It has been a slow start to the postseason, but he finished the regular season in the 89th percentile in barrel rate. The strikeouts are a risk, but Suarez was brought in to be a difference-making power hitter, and Seattle needs him to deliver as such. Look for him to get hold of one today and capitalize on the past success he has had against the Toronto starter. Count on Suarez to tally more than 1.5 total bases and look to put the opening series behind him.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of 2+ players and select whether you believe each will outperform their listed stat projection. Enter your Pick Set in Pick6 contests to compete against other users. Get enough picks correct and win a share of cash prizes.
How to Play
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing 2+ players from the same sport and Pick Group (a set of picks available from a group of set competitions). For each player, simply select if you think they’ll have more or less than their listed stat projection. In each Pick Set, you cannot pick the same player twice and must pick players from at least two different teams.
Enter an Amount
Once you finalize your Pick Set, choose your entry fee amount. Your entries will be automatically distributed into available contests, subject to your confirmation.
Sweat Your Picks
When the games go live, use the My Picks tab to follow your picks in real time to track how your players are performing against their projections and how they stack up against other users.
Compete for Prizes
Make enough correct picks and win a share of the contests’ guaranteed prizes. Any prizes won will be credited to your DraftKings account after contests are finalized.
Play at DraftKings Pick6 or by downloading the DraftKings Pick6 app on Apple or Google!
