As a Detroiter, my Sunday night will be all about Pistons-Cavaliers Game 7. Before that, my attention is focused on the MLB schedule and making DFS recommendations. There are 11 games on the slate with the first pitches at 1:35 p.m. EDT. Here are my lineup suggestions.
Pitching
Ryan Weathers, NYY at NYM ($9,700): In the last couple seasons with the Marlins, Weathers got his career on track as he posted a 3.74 ERA across 24 starts. And so far as a Yankee, he's registered a 3.00 over eight outings. There are currently four teams occupying the basement in terms of offense, and the Mets are one of them.
Kevin Gausman, TOR at DET ($8,500): Gausman is coming off a rough appearance, but he still has a 3.27 FIP and 5.33 K/BB rate. The Tigers have slightly scuffled and are now stuck being below-average for runs scored.
Bailey Ober, MIN vs. MIL ($8,200): I would say Ober's last start was encouraging. That is to say, he pitched a complete-game shutout. He's now down to a 3.46 ERA, with a 2.43 at home. The Brewers have been solid, though lefties have hit .181 against Ober this season.
See which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Top Targets
At home and against righties, Mickey Moniak ($4,000) delivers the goods with an OPS over 1.000 in both areas. While Michael Soroka has produced an 1.59 home ERA, he's struggled on the road with a 7.20 while lefties have gone .309 against.
If you believe in track record, counting stats, and favorable matchup, Gunnar Henderson ($3,300) could be worth rostering given the offensive level usually found at shortstop. He may carry a sub-.700 OPS, yet has delivered nine homers, eight doubles, and five swipes. Henderson also enters with a career .815 OPS, so things should be fine…hopefully. At the very least, this matchup is one to target as Miles Mikolas has struggled to a 6.00 K/9 rate, 2.25 HR/9 rate, and 7.00 ERA.
Bargain Bats
Though Vinnie Pasquantino ($2,900) has fallen into a hole against lefties from a production perspective, he's been able to handle righties enough to still register five homers and four doubles after going over 30 in both last season (to go with 113 RBI, but obviously part of that was due to his teammates getting on base). Andre Pallante is a righty with a 5.91 ERA at home. That may be only be from 21.1 innings, though he also posted a 5.77 on the road last year.
It only took a few games in Triple-A for Sam Antonacci ($2,800) to impress the White Sox enough to give him a shot in the bigs. And so far, so good as he's supplied a .380 OBP with five doubles, two triples, and three stolen bases through 27 matchups. Antonacci can't hit lefties, but he's already a viable starter against righties and a DFS option. Colin Rea comes in with a 6.55 ERA on the road while lefties have remarkably gone .327 against.
Stacks to Consider
Diamondbacks at Rockies (Michael Lorenzen): Corbin Carroll ($4,500), Ketel Marte ($3,600), Ildemaro Vargas ($3,800)
I'll keep it simple. Lorenzen has a 9.64 ERA at home and lefties have batted .419 against. I have three Diamondbacks who can hit left-handed. There you go.
It's been business as usual for Carroll with a .378 OBP alongside five homers, four triples, 10 doubles, and six steals. That'll work at Coors Field. Vargas's seven home runs already represent a personal-best. That means he may slow down, though hasn't yet 36 games in. And given he's a switch-hitter facing a pitcher who's turned lefty bats into Ted Williams, let's see if he can keep this going for at least another outing. Marte is a second baseman who's produced at least 25 homers in each of the previous three seasons. Given his position, that kind of power works for this matchup.
Guardians vs. Reds (Brady Singer): Jose Ramirez ($3,500), Chase DeLauter ($3,000), Travis Bazzana ($,400)
Last year, Singer's first with the Reds, went poorly as he posted a 4.88 road ERA. This season has been even worse with a 7.04 away even though he carries a 1.6 HR/9 road rate compared to a 3.3 at home. Lefties have also hit .388 against Singer. So here's a stack of three Guardians who can hit left-handed.
Ramirez is having his worst season in a decade, though he's still managed six home runs and a whopping 18 stolen bases. I'm not worried about his issues with righties as he's had a lengthy track record of success during those matchups where even last year he recorded an .849 OPS. DeLauter is one of two rookie southpaws I've included. He's hit .286 with six homers and 10 doubles. Though DeLauter has been subpar at home, he's in his first year. Bazzana was the 2024 first-overall selection. He notched an .897 OPS in Triple-A and has now gotten the call by Cleveland. The second baseman still needs to show some power, yet he's delivered a .406 OBP while swiping seven bases.
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