It took until after midnight, but the Tampa Bay Rays extended the Major League Baseball season for at least one more day, avoiding a sweep and forcing a Game 5 tonight against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers still have a 3-1 lead in the series with another chance to close out the Rays in Tampa and claim the first World Series title in franchise history. The Brewers will give the ball to their ace Jacob Misiorowski in Game 5, while the Rays will be in an “all hands on deck” situation as they try to force a Game 6 on Friday back at American Family Field. It should be another fascinating matchup stuffed with plenty of drama, and DraftKings has a full slate of DFS fantasy baseball MLB Showdown contests to consider, so let’s take a look at some Brewers-Rays showdown picks to help set your rosters for Game 5.
Overall, the Brewers are a -157 favorite on the moneyline to win Game 5 on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Rays are +130 to pull the upset and extend the series. The over/under is 6.5 runs, and Jackson Chourio has emerged as the favorite to win World Series MVP just ahead of William Contreras and Aaron Ashby.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB Showdown $80K Bat Flip [$20K to 1st] (MIL @ TB).
Captain’s Picks
Jackson Chourio ($14,700 CP) – With the starting pitchers not expected to work especially deep in the game, it seems like building around bats is the best option for showdown lineups. Chourio has been the best hitter in the series, tying a World Series record (held by some guy named “Babe”) for most hits in the first four games of any World Series. He is 10-for-20 (.500) with two doubles, three stolen bases, two RBIs and four runs scored.
In the four games in the World Series, he has averaged 15.3 FPTS per contest with at least 8.0 FPTS in every contest. He is averaging 9.6 FPTS for the team’s postseason run, and the 22-year-old has already proven that he can perform on the biggest stage. He has the potential to set all kinds of records by the time he wraps up his career, but he can already cement his legacy with a big Game 5 and an MVP.
Chandler Simpson ($10,800 CP) – Simpson is another exciting young star who has risen to the occasion so far this postseason, and the 25-year-old speedster brings a very different skill set but still a very good ceiling. Simpson has reached double-digit FPTS in five of his last six games after going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI in Game 4. He stole a base in each of the first two games of the series to produce 11 and 12 FPTS in the Rays’ two losses in Milwaukee. Simpson is also 2-for-4 in his career against the Miz.
For the playoffs, the lefty is hitting a solid .293 with five stolen bases in 12 games and an average of 7.8 FPTS per contest. His speed always gives him the potential to produce a big fantasy game even in a low-scoring, hard-fought contest where both teams are scratching out runs any way they can.
UTIL Plays
William Contreras ($8,400) – Contreras is a key producer and contributor to the Brewers’ lineup in many ways, and the catcher could claim the MVP if he has a big Game 5. He had double-digit FPTS in each of the first three games of the series before going 0-for-4 with a walk in Game 4. He has been effective throughout the playoffs, hitting .383 with three homers and an average of 10.3 FPTS in his 12 postseason games. Contreras and Chourio have been the heart of the Brew Crew, and building around them makes sense on Wednesday if you expect the Brewers to close out the championship.
Liam Hicks ($6,600) – Hicks was a key trade deadline acquisition for the Rays, and he has gone 3-for-11 in his three games in the World Series. He had a huge homer in Game 2 on his way to 18 FPTS and has averaged 9.0 FPTS per game over his last five contests. He is a lefty and could be lifted for a pinch-hitter at some point, but he has been productive enough to still be a strong option at this price point.
Sal Frelick ($5,000) – Frelick has hit safely in each of the four games in the World Series and has scored a run in each of the last three games. He is averaging 10.25 FPTS per contest over the four games, and he had a pivotal home run in Game 2, when the Brewers really seized control of the series.
Fades
Brice Turang ($9,000) – In most of my showdown picks, I’ll be fading both starting pitchers, but I’ll probably sprinkle in a little bit of The Miz. As a hitter, though, Turang is one of the biggest names I’m passing on. Turang had a big game in Game 3 with 17 FPTS, but he is only 1-for-10 in the other three games of the series with four walks. He is only hitting .238 in the playoffs and has only had more than 7.0 FPTS in four of his 12 postseason contests. His salary is a little high relative to his recent production, and the other hitters around him have more upside compared to their salaries.
