This article is part of our DFS MLB series.
We had a thrilling World Series opener, so even those disheartened by the big-market matchup have to be encouraged to tune in to Game 2. And with only one matchup on the slate, we have a showdown contest to work with.
As a brief primer for Showdown contests, there are no positions. Instead, each team selects a "Captain", who has their score multiplied by 1.5 but at an increased salary. The remaining five positions are all utility and can be filled in any way that fits within the salary cap.
Captain
We had a pitching duel Friday between Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty, and we could be in for a similar result Game 2. Carlos Rodon ($16,800) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($16,500) aren't quite in the same tier, yet both produced strong years with some inconsistency during the postseason. Rodon has performed well in each of his last two appearances, though the Yankees had a quick hook as he's managed to complete five innings only once in three starts. Yamamoto faces the same issue, but has shown some improvement as the postseason has progressed.
Strategic choices become particularly important in Showdown slates, so that could be the differentiating factor between the duo. Yamamoto doesn't have any clear flaws or obvious ways to stack against him. Rodon struggles against righties (1.8 HR/9 during the regular season), offering a clearer path to a build. Yamamoto may be more popular because of that, in which case I'd be willing to pivot to Rodon
We had a thrilling World Series opener, so even those disheartened by the big-market matchup have to be encouraged to tune in to Game 2. And with only one matchup on the slate, we have a showdown contest to work with.
As a brief primer for Showdown contests, there are no positions. Instead, each team selects a "Captain", who has their score multiplied by 1.5 but at an increased salary. The remaining five positions are all utility and can be filled in any way that fits within the salary cap.
Captain
We had a pitching duel Friday between Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty, and we could be in for a similar result Game 2. Carlos Rodon ($16,800) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($16,500) aren't quite in the same tier, yet both produced strong years with some inconsistency during the postseason. Rodon has performed well in each of his last two appearances, though the Yankees had a quick hook as he's managed to complete five innings only once in three starts. Yamamoto faces the same issue, but has shown some improvement as the postseason has progressed.
Strategic choices become particularly important in Showdown slates, so that could be the differentiating factor between the duo. Yamamoto doesn't have any clear flaws or obvious ways to stack against him. Rodon struggles against righties (1.8 HR/9 during the regular season), offering a clearer path to a build. Yamamoto may be more popular because of that, in which case I'd be willing to pivot to Rodon in larger-field contests.
Due to the splits for Rodon, my choice among Dodgers' hitters to build around would be Mookie Betts ($13,500). There are other solid alternatives. The first is Teoscar Hernandez ($11,700). He endured a tough NLCS, but obliterated southpaws to a .284 ISO and .391 wOBA during the regular season. The story is nearly identical for Will Smith ($9,600), who would certainly be a unique captain selection.
As was noted above, there's no obvious split or weakness in Yamamoto's profile. Aaron Judge ($14,100) and Juan Soto ($14,400) are the obvious choices and aren't valued that aggressively. Giancarlo Stanton ($12,900) has been the Yankees' postseason standout and was moved into the cleanup spot against a righty for Game 1.
Utility
The choices for hitters are interesting for the same reasons that selecting a pitcher on this slate is difficult. Without an obvious weakness to target in Yamamoto, looking to lineup position is a primary way to try to identify value. Gleyber Torres ($7,400) and Jazz Chisholm ($7,200) stand out in that area as they hit leadoff and fifth while also being surprisingly cheap.
The Dodgers are more intuitive because we can target righties who hit in prime spots in the order. Tommy Edman ($6,800) and Enrique Hernandez ($6,000) check those boxes. Edman should bat fifth with a lefty on the mound and Hernandez sixth. Edman was the hero of the NLCS, so his postseason track record is certainly strong. Another name to consider that will really open things up budget-wise is Andy Pages ($4,800) as he's played against lefties while starting in center.
The final name to mention is Freddie Freeman ($7,000), simply due to his salary point. He likely isn't playing at full strength while recovering from an ankle injury, but his walkoff homer Friday emphatically illustrated he's healthy enough to impact the game.
