This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
A polarizing Fall Classic gets started Friday evening from Dodger Stadium, where the hosts welcome the Yankees. We've had ample days off, which I'd be happy to vent about given how rapidly the league forced action in the earlier rounds, but this isn't the space. It's allowed pitching to be set and injured bats to hopefully regain full health. Gerrit Cole is set to face Jack Flaherty, where there are some BvP trends we'll highlight below.
The Dodgers are slight favorites at (-125) and the over/under sits at an elevated 8.5 runs. It's too early for weather reports, but it's Los Angeles. It will be dry with a reasonable chance of a slight outbound wind.
MVP
Mookie Betts, LAD vs. NYY ($8,000): The pricing on this slate overall feels soft, which is going to bait managers into using as many stars as possible. That's fine, but don't get overly excited and leave yourself with one dead spot; there are too many secondary options to punt. Betts, for me, belongs in all lineups. It's just a question of if you use the multiplier, but I'm all in. He had eight hits over the final four games of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), including three doubles and two homers, driving in six, scoring four, walking three times and stealing two bases. If you need more convincing, he's 7-for-17 with a .915 OPS off Cole.
Star
Freddie Freeman, LAD vs. NYY ($6,000): If you've read my showdown columns throughout the playoffs, you'll know this is the spot where I like to get different. Yes, you can use several stars here as we noted the favorable pricing. Freeman qualifies as a star but is priced down given his paltry playoff output while dealing with an ankle injury. No one needed the time off more than he did. If he's fully healthy, he's a contact machine that creates a nice floor with immense upside. Is it a risk? Absolutely. We don't want to lean too heavily on BvP, but he's 7-for-20 with four extra-base hits off Cole and a 1.059 OPS.
Utility
Juan Soto, NYY at LAD ($8,500): It feels blasphemous to use this kind of salary and not get a multiplier, but here we are. Soto has been elite, with eight hits, three homers, seven RBI, five runs and four walks in his last six games. If he goes yard and you don't have him in the MVP or Star spot, you're at a disadvantage. He's also 1-for-9 with three strikeouts (and six walks) off Flaherty. As such, I'm willing to let others gamble on the upside. We assume he's highly rostered, and bank on him not exploding.
Gleyber Torres, NYY at LAD ($7,000): Torres surged late in the year, hitting .333 in September. He was 8-for-22 in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) with five runs scored. But he homered just four times since September 12, so there's minimal upside and the price isn't super cheap. He looks like a stable option to help build out lineups and can always benefit from hitting leadoff in front of the Yankees' top sluggers.
Anthony Rizzo, NYY at LAD ($6,000): This is a strict BvP play I couldn't omit from the column. Rizzo is 9-for-21 (.429) with three homers off Flaherty. He's playing through fractured fingers, which has completely zapped his power, so we're not looking for that big potential. But just like Freeman, the time off should help, making him a Game 1 target rather than someone who should be regurgitated here as the series progresses. He did go 6-for-14 in the ALCS, so there's a reasonable floor.
As always, a reminder that this column isn't meant to provide a lineup. It's food for thought on an individual basis. Attempting to submit this lineup as constructed puts you $500 over the salary cap. Alex Verdugo ($5,000) stands out as a cheap floor play, while Will Smith ($5,500) is an upside, low-floor option. You can also move off of one of the bigger names to free up salary space for more balance.
