Daily Fantasy Baseball: NLCS Game 3 Lineups
The NLCS resumes on Friday — and so does daily fantasy baseball! — with a game apiece. The Padres will turn to Joe Musgrove, who pitched well in the regular season with a 2.93 ERA and 3.59 FIP. Ranger Suarez, who walked five batters in 3.1 innings against the Braves in the NLDS, will start for the Phillies. He did, however, record five strikeouts and was able to escape with only one run allowed. This game provides another opportunity to participate in Yahoo’s single-game contest, so let’s look at some hitters to watch.
Spots of Multiplier
Bryce Harper ($22) has been a force at the plate this postseason, going 13-for-31 (.419) with four home runs and four doubles. In both games of this series, he has at least one hit, and he hit a home run in Game 1. For one of the two multiplier spots, Harper is as appealing as Musgrove has been this season.
The Padres improved their lineup at the trade deadline, with Juan Soto being the main return. Although he lacks Soto’s star power, the Padres’ acquisition of Brandon Drury ($15) from the Reds was also significant. During the regular season, he had a.327 ISO and a.403 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, making him a top target for his matchup against Suarez.
Spots of Flexibility
We’ve reached the point in the playoffs where the calibre of starting pitchers leaves hitters with few favourable matchups. Keeping this in mind, taking a chance on a power hitter is one way to potentially gain value. It only takes one thing from them to set themselves apart from the crowd. Kyle Schwarber ($16) is a player to target if you follow that strategy. He hit 46 home runs during the regular season and had one in Game 1 of this series.
Soto ($12) had a disappointing regular season by his standards, finishing with a.376 wOBA, his career low. He has yet to hit a home run in the playoffs, but he has at least one hit in six of the nine games. He’s one of the game’s most talented hitters, making him almost too good to pass up at such a low salary.
Josh Bell ($10) was another important trade deadline addition for the Padres. He had a.587 OPS with the Padres after posting a.877 OPS with the Nationals. He contributed significantly in Game 2 of this series, going 3-for-4 with a home run. His salary is low enough that he should be on your radar.