This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
I have to assume if you're still reading this column, you watched games last night, but if you didn't, man did you miss a fantastic night of baseball. Do we have an encore in store?
A pivitoal Game 5 in Arizona is on tap Saturday evening for FanDuel's single-game contest. Arizona turns to Zac Gallen to push them ahead in the series. He was roughed up for three homers in Game 1 and comes with an elevated 4.96 ERA in three postseason starts. He'll face Phillies' ace Zack Wheeler, who's been brilliant, allowing six runs and 11 hits in 19.0 postseason innings, striking out 26 while walking only one. The Diamondbacks scratched for two runs thanks to a homer in Game 1. It will be intereting to see how many innings he can provide after the Phillies used their bullpen heavily Friday.
Yesterday's game came with a 9.5 run total and went over. Tonight we're sitting lower at 7.5 or 8 depending on where you look, so offense is expected to be a bit more challenging.
MVP
Trea Turner, PHI at ARI ($8,500): I remain a firm believer that it's important to not miss with your multiplier spots rather than swing for the fences. That's exactly what Kyle Schwarber ($9,000) is doing, with four homers in the series, causing his price to rise to an uncomfortable level. You have to assume Bryce Harper ($9,500) is many's default here, so I'll lean on Turner for stability while still offering upside. He's hitting an obscene .459 in the postseason, with three homers, five RBI, four steals and nine runs scored in 10 games. He is just 5-for-21 (.238) off of Gallen, so maybe that further lowers his usage here. He has just one playoff game with less than 9.2 FDP.
Chris Star
Ketel Marte, ARI vs. PHI ($7,500): As with most days where Philadelphia has been on a single-game slate, most lineups are going to go heavy on their side. We can potentially differentiate here by using Marte, which is a tad more budget friendly. He's had success off Wheeler in limited exposure, going 4-for-13 (.308) with a homer. Marte has a hit in all nine postseason games and multiple hits in three straight and five of six, and similar to Turner, has only once failed to reach nine FDP.
Utility
Christian Walker, ARI vs. PHI ($7,000): The purpose of this column is to not give you an actual lineup, but some thoughs on who to play, and potentially where. But if we use the two names above, that leaves $6,333 per player for our final three slots, potentially allowing for a more balanced build. Walker isn't enjoying a great postseason, hitting just .200 with one homer and 11 Ks in 30 ABs. He counters that having gone 9-for-19 (.474) off Wheeler with a homer and four doubles, while having also been 0-for-3 in Game 1. He's a cheaper power reach than Schwarber, and if Marte or Corbin Carroll can reach in front of him, he'll be in position to produce runs.
Brandon Marsh, PHI vs. ARI ($6,000): Marsh seems like a low-upside, stable non-zero point option due to his spot lower in the order. But he's hitting a solid .333 in the postseason, with five of his nine hits going for extra bases. He's 3-for-6 off Gallen, but all those hits were singles. For the same price, you can seek more upside from Alec Bohm, or pay a little more for a struggling Bryson Stott, who are a combined 2-for-15 off Gallen. It's all about your strategy and seeing who steps up in the clutch.
Gabriel Moreno, ARI vs. PHI ($5,500): I'm not at all suggesting your primary strategy should be to go D'Back heavy in your builds. I will say they've shown great resilency in their two home games to even this series, we just don't often know who the hero will be. Moreno remains underpriced for his opportunities, as he's now moved into the three-hole in the lineup. He has four postseason games of double-digit FDP, including last night, reaching base four times in five plate appearances and driving in two runs. He is 0-for-5 off Wheeler, but hasn't fanned against him. Quality at bats atop the order give him a chance to return ample value.
