DraftKings and FanDuel MLB Picks for Wednesday 10/7/20

Now’s your chance to get DFSR PRO, which will give you access to our MLB, NBA, PGA, NHL and NFL optimizers and our new player lab! Get started for free by clicking the button below.

We get another four-game slate on Wednesday with the new "no days off" playoff format. Let's get started by looking at some core plays at each position for FanDuel and DraftKings. Then head over and check out the projections and lineup optimizer and grab a copy of my cheatsheet.

Pitcher

Ian Anderson FD - P 9500 DK - SP 8200
Opponent - MIA (Pablo Lopez) Park - ATL
FD - 39.22 DK - 21.14

Pitching is tough once again today but one name that stands out is rookie Ian Andreson. Even drafting him 3rd overall, I am not sure the Braves even expected to see him performing at this level so quickly as he posted a 1.95 ERA over six starts in the regular season and he was dominant against the Reds in the wildcard round allowing just two hits and striking out nine over six innings. The Marlins have proven to be an issue but do present on of the better matchups on this slate and with his price, Anderson is my top overall pitcher in all formats.

Clayton Kershaw FD - P 10300 DK - SP 9600
Opponent - SD (Undecided) Park - LAD
FD - 34.04 DK - 19.16

I am not overly thrilled with the matchup against the Padres here but Kershaw comes with a very fair price considering he has been dominant or close to it all season. While he isn't an elite K pitcher(28%), he has the second-highest rate on this slate and only walked 3.6% of batters he faced all season. He faced the Padres once in the regular season adn while he gave up three earned runs, he did strike out nine. I see this being another grind it out, low-scoring game putting Kershaw in the conversation as the top pitcher on this slate.

Catcher/First Base

Freddie Freeman FD - 1B 4200 DK - 1B 5000
Opponent - MIA (Pablo Lopez) Park - ATL
FD - 14.6 DK - 10.97

We had Freeman as a top play yesterday and while he let us down, we are going back to the well on the likely National League MVP. The Braves put up nine runs in game one and get one of the better matchups on this small playoff slate tonight and I just don't see the extremely consistent Freeman letting us down again. If paying up at the position, Freeman is the play today.

Yuli Gurriel FD - 1B 2500 DK - 1B 3200
Opponent - OAK (Jesus Luzardo) Park - HOU
FD - 10.68 DK - 8.19

If you are spending up elsewhere and looking to punt the position, Yuli Gurriel is on my radar once again on Wednesday if the A's start Jesus Luzardo. Consistency is not a word we will use here but one thing that does stand out are his splits as he is much much better against lefties posting a .366 wOBA, 137 wRC+, and .274 ISO in 2020. On top of that, he has faced Luzardo five times recording a double and two home runs. Stay tuned for the starter announcement.

Second Base

Chris Taylor FD - 2B 2800 DK - 2B/OF 4400
Opponent - SD (Undecided) Park - LAD
FD - 8.22 DK - 6.26

The Padres are another team that has yet to announce a starter but whether it's Paddack or Davies, I am targeting value in Chris Taylor. I am writing this before game one has started but Taylor was solid in the wildcard round with three hits and two runs scored across the two-game sweep of the Brewers. He hits down in the lineup but does provide some solid PTS/$ value on a high-powered offense.

If paying up at the position, Ozzie Albies is my favorite play with hits in all three playoff games, and going back to the regular season has hits in 16 of his last 19 games with seven multi-hit efforts. I will also consider a struggling Tommy La Stella who should be back in the leadoff spot on Wednesday against a righty.

Shortstop

Marcus Semien FD - SS 2800 DK - SS 4100
Opponent - HOU (Jose Urquidy) Park - HOU
FD - 10.92 DK - 8.31

Semien was one of our top value plays yesterday and is right up there again today as the fourth most expensive shortstop on DraftKings and sixth most expensive on FanDuel. Despite the A's struggling offensively and facing elimination, Semien has been solid with hits in four straight playoff games and multiple hits in three straight. He is our top shortstop in all formats.

While Semien's price will be hard to fade on FanDuel, Carlos Correa makes a strong case as top shortstop on DraftKings. Fernando Tatis Jr. is very tempting on DraftKings for just $600 more but faces a red-hot Clayton Kershaw. On the other side of that game, Corey Seager is in play as the most expensive option at the position but is GPP only for me with just one hit in his last five games going into Tuesday night's game one.

Third Base

Alex Bregman FD - 3B 3800 DK - 3B 4100
Opponent - OAK (Jesus Luzardo) Park - HOU
FD - 13.99 DK - 10.42

It appears the A's will be starting Jesus Luzardo in game three and that bodes well for a few Astros. One of them is Alex Bregman who was just league average(.317 wOBA, 103 wRC+) against righties in 2020 but destroyed lefties to the tune of a .408 wOBA and 166 wRC+. He hasn't been as consistent in 2020 in has a ton of upside, especially against lefties, and is only the fourth-highest priced player at third on DraftKings where he holds the most value.

Joey Wendle FD - 3B 2700 DK - 2B/3B 3500
Opponent - NYY (Masahiro Tanaka) Park - NYY
FD - 8.66 DK - 6.74
For value, I like turning Joey Wendle who is cheaper on both sites adn came into the playoffs red-hot with hits in eight straight games and now has hits vs. the Yankees in two straight. On DraftKings, he is also eligible at second base and on FanDuel you can use him as a flex as to not tie up a high-upside spot like 3B. He is in play for me in all formats.

Outfield

Mookie Betts FD - OF 4300 DK - OF 5700
Opponent - SD (Undecided) Park - LAD
FD - 12.61 DK - 9.52
Ronald Acuña Jr. FD - OF 4500 DK - OF 5400
Opponent - MIA (Pablo Lopez) Park - ATL
FD - 15.44 DK - 11.71

Good luck trying to pick between these two elite outfielders tonight. Acuna was ultra-productive in the shortened regular season posting a .413 wOBA and 159 wRC+ and has also been terrific in the playoffs going 5 for 15 with two doubles and a homer. Betts was also dominant in 2020 in his first season with the Dodgers posting a .390 wOBA and 149 wRC+ and went 3 for 7(all doubles) against the Brewers in the wildcard round with three RBI. Both are elite plays on Wednesday and due to price, I lean Betts on FanDuel and Acuna on DraftKings.

Khris Davis FD - OF 2600 DK - OF 3400
Opponent - HOU (Jose Urquidy) Park - HOU
FD - 11.23 DK - 8.65

I absolutely love the vale with Davis who has seemingly flipped a switch when the playoffs started after hitting just over .200 in the regular season. Through two wildcard and two ALDS games, he has six hits with three of them coming via the long ball. He is much better against lefty pitching but the good news is Urquidy has posted reverse splits in his young career giving up a .353 wOBA to right-handed bats(.276 to lefties).

GRAB A FREE TRIAL OF OUR PROJECTION SYSTEM, AND CHECK OUT DFSR PRO!