All 30 MLB clubs are in action on Sunday, highlighted by an eight-game afternoon slate loaded with firepower to fuel your DFS lineups.
From bona fide stars to stealthy value plays, let’s take a look at three must-starts for Sunday afternoon.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
SP Jesus Luzardo, Philadelphia Phillies at Miami Marlins ($8,600)
Don’t let Jesus Luzardo’s bloated 5.50 ERA fool you — this guy can deal. The Phillies left-hander, 28, is just one year removed from a seventh-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting. And a quick glance under the hood reveals that his ace-level stuff hasn’t magically eluded him.
Luzardo currently sports MLB’s fifth-highest BABIP at a whopping .352, underscoring some gnarly batted-ball luck through his first six starts (34.1 IP). He ranks 20th leaguewide in xERA (3.25), eighth in FIP (2.76), and second in xFIP (2.58). His Baseball Savant profile? About as red as his Philadelphia ballcap.
Luzardo has surrendered just one earned run over his last 11.2 innings of work, punctuated by seven shutout frames — on two hits with eight strikeouts and zero walks — against the Giants on Tuesday. Expect him to shove some more Sunday afternoon against the division rival Marlins, who sit 24th in wRC+ (81) and 29th in home runs (2) against southpaws this season.
OF Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros at Boston Red Sox ($6,400)
A healthy Yordan Alvarez is a bad omen for the rest of the league. Houston’s superstar slugger, 28, is hitting .331 with a 1.123 OPS, a 208 wRC+, 12 home runs, and 27 RBIs through 34 games in 2026. Video game numbers.
Naturally, same-side pitching advantages mean bupkis when he’s in the box. Alvarez has actually been even better against southpaws, boasting a .348 average, a 1.132 OPS, and a 231 wRC+ across 46 at-bats.
While he’s gone quiet through the first two games at Fenway, the former World Series champ should get back on track Sunday afternoon against Red Sox lefty Ranger Suarez. The ex-Phillies starter, 30, has gotten crushed in his new home ballpark to the tune of a 4.32 ERA — compared to a 1.96 mark when pitching anywhere else. Alvarez is 4-for-8 (.500) with a home run, two doubles, and a pair of RBIs in his career against Suarez.
OF Trent Grisham, New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles ($3,700)
To the chagrin of Yankee fans, Trent Grisham stumbled out of the gate after accepting his $22 million qualifying offer to return to The Bronx in 2026. However, Grisham’s ugly surface-level stats are a lot easier to stomach after looking at his promising advanced metrics. The lefty slugger, 29, has showcased a far more disciplined approach, while hitting the absolute seams off the ball — reassuring that the man who mashed 34 homers last year is still in there somewhere.
And at long last, it seems that the “Big Sleep” has finally awoken.
Grisham has gone 3-for-8 (.375) with three extra-base hits — including a galactic two-run blast, his fifth homer of the season — across the first two games against the Orioles. With the help of MVP-caliber lineup protection and Yankee Stadium’s inviting right-field porch, Grisham is well-positioned to deliver a “Welcome to the majors” moment to debuting right-hander Trey Gibson. Baltimore’s No. 3 prospect, 23, held a 4.01 ERA, 4.50 FIP, and a 1.62 WHIP across six starts (24.2 IP) with Triple-A Norfolk this season.
