Daily Fantasy MLB Baseball Picks for Playoffs FanDuel and DraftKings 10/7 -10/8

With these writeups through the playoffs, you will probably see a lot of repeated content from the previous article. That's often the rub with these overlapping, two-day slates. I'll highlight those instances just for clarity.

Also, on a slate this short, writing any picks at all is basically giving you access to our projection system. That won't be the case for all of the nights of the playoffs, but it's true tonight. We do offer access to our NFL and NBA projection systems as well, though, so you should go get a trial for those as well! Sign up now and get a free 3 day trial to our lineup construction tool for FanDuel, DraftKings and Starsdraft.

Note: You're going to see a lot of hitters who we are recommending against the same pitchers. Obviously, if you're trying to win a big tournament, you probably shouldn't play hitters against the same pitchers. You might need to take less orthodox guys in those cases. Still, though, these are the best value plays that we can come up with for tonight.

Pitchers

FanDuel (From Tuesday)
Gerrit Cole - FD 10000 DK 10600 StarsDraft
Opponent- CHC (Arrieta) R Park- @Pit
He's projected for the (second) highest raw total in our system today, and he's the second cheapestthe third most expensive guy. Cole struck out 17 batters in 13 innings in his last two starts against the Cubs, and it was no accident - the Cubs struck out at the highest rate in the majors against right handed pitching this season. Their 24% rate is historically bad, and this is a match-up you won't often get come playoff time. The Cubs obviously hvae a ton of upside here as well, but every team has offensive upside in the playoffs. Arrieta is obviously a beast on the mound for the Cubs, but these teams are equal enough that I don't think you can weigh Arrieta against Cole's chances any more than you can any other pitcher going tonight. On a night where financial flexibility will make a huge difference, I love Cole in any format on FanDuel.

David Price - FD 12300 DK 11700
Opponent- Tex (Gallardo) R Park- @Tor
Price is highest expected pitcher today with the best money line win percentage. The problem with Price, as I see it is, for starters *ahem* price. He's much more expensive than Cole on both sites and has a few more things working to his disadvantage. He is going in a great power park which could cause issues considering the Rangers have been in the top ten against lefty pitching this season. Having to face the DH as opposed to the pitcher's slot is also another advantage for Cole over Price. This is a dicey spot and I'd go NL whenever the factors lined up.

Catchers

This position remains the same as the other night.
Russell Martin - FD 3200 DK 3700
Opponent- Tex (Gallardo) R Park- @Tor
If you are able to middle some of your salaries across the board on this slate, I think you can get solid value if not tremendous upside. Martin, as the starting catcher for the Blue Jays stands the best opportunity to put up points considering the matchup and the park. Gallardo is the worst arm on the slate and only the pricing on the other Jays makes them tough to play. Martin is fine enough on the offensive end and does have some power though his better split is against lefties.
Good Cheap option: Miguel Montero, against the right handed Cole. Arguably safer than Gattis, with similar upside, and cheaper.

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First base

Again, we had Rizzo the other day and will stick to that one, though it's a little easier getting away from him if you are playing Cole.
Anthony Rizzo - FD 4400 DK 4500 StarsDraft 5600
Opponent- Pit (Cole) R Park- @Pit
The playoffs make for strange bedfellows, indeed. Our system actually doesn't love Rizzo from a points per dollar basis tonight, but that's the thing - it really doesn't love ANY big money guys tonight as much as big guys we've recommended during the season. Still, among the top dollar guys, it likes Rizzo best. Rizzo's hit righties well this season, with 25 homers and a .902 OPS against righties in 502 plate appearances against them. In the last two games that Rizzo faced a Cole-led Pirates team, he struck out just once in 8 plate appearances. Small sample size and all, of course, but Rizzo has the fewest issues of any first base recommendation I can make tonight.

Eric Hosmer - FD 3100 DK 4600
Opponent- Hou (Mchugh) R Park- @KC
He's a slightly cheaper option in a good matchup assuming McHugh is the guy here for the Astros and not Kazmir. Hosmer is a low ceiling, high-ish floor guy a very solid walk rate against righty pitching. In fact, his overall numbers against righties this season have been excellent with an .885 OPS and 141 wRC+. In cash games, where you have Cole going, getting Hosmer instead of Rizzo is a solid option.

 

Second base

This one remains the same as well.
Jose Altuve - FD 3400 DK 5000 StarsDraft 5000
Opponent- NYY (Tanaka) R Park- @Nyy
Not a conventional upside play, but Altuve does have 11 homers and 26 steals in 479 plate appearances against right handed pitching this season. What Altuve really is, though, is a cash game monster. He's put the ball in play (or walked) in 91.2% of his plate appearances against righties this season, and his max-effort swing makes for a solid .311 career BABIP vs. northpaws. Tanaka is great and all, again, but even he might not have the stuff to blow it by Altuve.

For cheaper upside: Neil Walker.

 

Shortstop

Troy Tulowitzki - FD 3600 DK 4700
Opponent- Tex (Gallardo) R Park- @Tor
If he's in the lineup, and you presume that he's healthy enough, then Tulo is the clear shortstop play. His price is way down on FanDuel thanks to second half slumping/ extended periods out of the lineup thanks to the injury. The only issue with Tulo is he's wildly better against lefties for his career and especially this season. The numbers in this platoon are rough. That being said, he's a fairly priced shortstop in the offense with by far the highest run expectation on the board.

Cheaper option Addison Russell

Third base

Luis Valbuena - FD 3000 DK 3100
Opponent- KC (Ventura) R Park- @KC
This is a very weak position and I'm not necessarily comfortable with any of the options relative to price. Valbuena should be in the lineup against Ventura though he is batting down in the order. That part doesn't concern me as much as you simply can't start folks at the top on the lineup in every position on these short slates. Obviously Donaldson is the clear raw points guy, but he's cost prohibitive unless you want to really punt pitching and is in the much worse side of his split. Valbuena is somewhat a necessary evil.

 

Outfield

Alex Gordon - FD 2700 DK 3700
Opponent- Hou (Mchugh) R Park- @KC
Very solid value play for his price and I think he will be one of the bigger percentage starts on this slate. The problem with Gordon is, like Valbuena, he's been moved well down the order. I suppose anything is possible for the playoffs, but Gordon's price is fine even slightly down the order. He's pretty even splits-wise for his career and has an .800 OPS on the season. I love the walk rate for the price because it keeps the floor a little higher than others in the same price tier.

Carlos Gomez - FD 3500 DK 4000
Opponent- KC (Ventura) R Park- @KC
Colby Rasmus - FD 3100 DK 3200
Opponent- KC (Ventura) R Park- @KC
We like these guys all things considered, though having to hit in Kauffman Stadium as opposed to Yankee Stadium last game (where they took full advantage) is a definite downgrade in power expectation.

I also don't mind Ben Zobrist and Ben Revere in this price point.

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