This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
The Mets are waiting. New York's Grimace-fueled baseball team has reached the NLCS, but its opponent needs to be decided Friday. The Dodgers host the Padres in a definitive Game 5. That means a single-game DFS contest slate. You have $50,000 for six players. One is your Captain and he earn 1.5 times the DFS points, but at an elevated salary. First pitch is at 8:08 p.m. ET. Here is the lineup I personally liked best.
Captain
Fernando Tatis, SD at LAD ($14,100): We have a matchup of Yu Darvish versus Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mount. Yamamoto had a 3.88 ERA at home this year, and he was hurt heading into the playoffs. Additionally, his fellow righties hit .263 against him in his first MLB season. Tatis had an .881 OPS versus right-handers this year, and he's been the hottest hitter in the playoffs. Through six games he has an 1.759 OPS.
Utility
Teoscar Hernandez, LAD vs. SD ($8,600): The Dodgers have only played in four playoff games, so the fact Hernandez's .945 OPS is the best for the team only says so much. It is nice to know he's been in form in the postseason, though, and that comes after he had an 1.139 OPS over the final three weeks of the regular season. Darvish had no significant splits in terms of lefties versus righties, but he allowed 1.32 homers per nine innings, and Hernandez has the power to take advantage of that.
Max Muncy, LAD vs. SD ($8,400): Obviously, with neither of these pitchers particularly enticing as a matchup, you want to try and find some nice balance in your lineup. Shohei Ohtani has a hefty salary, and Freddie Freeman is dealing with an injury, so Muncy is the lefty for the Dodgers I like the best. Not only did he have an .891 OPS against right-handed pitchers this season, he had a .964 OPS at home.
Jackson Merrill, SD at LAD ($7,600): While Yamamoto has had more of an issue with righties than lefties, this is a classic case of, "Just roster the guy who is really good." Sometimes, it's that simple. Merrill batted .292 with 24 homers and 16 stolen bases in his remarkable rookie season, powered by an .891 OPS against righties. He has not been cowed by the playoff pressure either, as he has a .375 OBP with a double, a triple and a home run.
Gavin Lux, LAD vs. SD ($5,600): With a few top players on this roster, a dip in salary was necessitated. Fortunately, Lux has some real bang-for-your-buck potential against a righty pitcher. He had an 1.129 OPS across the last four games of the regular season and has continued that form into the playoffs. He's batted .333 and slugged .533. While the fact he's a second baseman doesn't mean anything from a positional standpoint in a single-game contest like this with no positional requirements, his hitting form is sufficient in a lefty-versus-righty matchup.
Kyle Higashioka, SD at LAD ($5,200): There are reasons to like Higashioka at this salary. For starters, as San Diego's starting catcher, he's essentially locked into being in the lineup. At this salary level, that is not a guarantee with every option. Two, he happens to have three home runs this postseason. While Higashioka had a woeful .263 OBP, he slugged .476 and hit 17 homers in only 84 games. If I were a manager of an actual baseball team, I'd be worried about the catcher's profile at the plate. For DFS purposes, the potential for him to go yard is more than enough. I'm not looking for walks at this salary. I'm looking for all-or-nothing upside.
