This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Sunday has some exciting NBA and NHL action, but don't forget about MLB. And thanks to the usual early start, you can get in your DFS lineups and even watch most of a game before the Thunder and Nuggets tip off. There are 10 matchups on the MLB docket, with the first pitch at 1:05 p.m. EDT. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Matthew Liberatore, STL at KC ($8,100): Having moved into the rotation after mostly pitching in the bullpen last season, Liberatore has posted a 3.11 ERA through eight starts alongside a 2.30 FIP. He's often been good at avoiding homers, though that's not a concern with the Royals as they rank last in that category.
Mick Abel, PHI vs. PIT ($8,000): Abel will make his MLB debut Sunday. He made eight starts at Triple-A while registering a 2.53 ERA. The Phillies have also made it easy for Abel by having him face the Pirates as they're vying with the Rockies to avoid being the worst offensive club.
Colin Rea, CHC vs. CWS ($7,200): This is a case where I don't think Rea's 2.48 ERA is sustainable or reflective of his talent, but I also don't care. Even the pitcher who managed a 4.29 with the Brewers last year is sufficient for this matchup. Though the White Sox have soared all the way to 28th in runs scored after last season's disaster, they still sit last in OPS.
See which starters will be pitching with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Top Targets
A recent three-game homer streak has helped push Jose Ramirez ($5,600) up to nine to go with 12 stolen bases. Given that he fell a single home run short of a 40/40 campaign in 2024, that's no surprise. Though a switch-hitter, Ramirez has an OPS over 1.000 against lefties the last two seasons. Andrew Abbott has either remade himself as a pitcher or gotten lucky through six starts since his strikeouts are way up and the homers are way down. I see someone with a career 3.61 ERA and 1.43 HR/9 rate and think it's still worth taking a shot with Ramirez.
I wouldn't quite say the Cubs have two Kyle Tuckers now, as Pete Crow-Armstrong ($5,000) isn't as patient or viable against lefties yet he's still doing an impressive impression with 12 home runs and 14 stolen bases. The lefty will get to face a righty in Jonathan Cannon, whose last outing went well but is at a 3.60 ERA while lefties have hit .271 against throughout his career.
Bargain Bats
The picture changes once a lefty enters the game, but Kerry Carpenter ($4,500) has slugged a career .515 as he mashes against righties and a .554 from the last three seasons. Jose Berrios has made 32 starts in each of the last four seasons, yet may not get that many in 2025 as he's produced a 4.97 FIP while giving up 1.56 homers per nine innings.
After missing much of last year, Josh Jung ($3,600) has seven homers and six doubles through 37 games. That's a nice reminder he accumulated 23 and 25 of each during his rookie campaign. Ryan Gusto's first year hasn't gone great with a 4.80 ERA and even his fellow righties have gone .261 against.
Stacks to Consider
Boston vs. Atlanta (Spencer Schwellenbach): Alex Bregman ($5,400), Jarren Duran ($5,100), Wilyer Abreu ($4,600)
Schwellenbach has a 3.31 ERA on the year, though it's 4.86 on the road where he's surrendered 1.6 homers per nine innings. On top of that, the righty lists a 24.2-percent line drive rate overall. Fenway Park can be tough on pitchers, and so can this trio when they're at home.
Bregman has been excellent to start his Red Sox run having slashed .309/.391/.580 with 11 home runs. He had a reputation for being good at Fenway even before signing with the club and has registered an OPS over .900 at home this year. The ball isn't flying out of the park in the same way for Duran, but he's still delivered with five triples and 12 steals. And over the last three seasons, he's managed an .859 OPS versus righties and an .830 at home. Abreu has posted a .983 OPS the last three weeks, in part because the Red Sox basically never let him face a lefty. He's recorded an .875 OPS versus righties, so this kind of matchup works well.
Rays at Marlins (Cal Quantrill): Jonathan Aranda ($4,100), Yandy Diaz ($3,800), Chandler Simpson ($3,500)
It's been a tough three seasons for Quantrill with a 5.32 ERA across three teams, including a 7.00 ERA with the Marlins. I have two righties in this stack as Quantrill's fellow righties have batted a whopping .417 against.
Aranda hits the ball hard with a .321 average and six home runs. He's my one lefty and he's posted an .844 OPS versus right-handed pitchers since 2023. Diaz's two stolen bases are probably fluky as he's never finished with more than three in a campaign. though the six homers and eight doubles are expected and his OBP should improve based on a career .369. Simpson doesn't boast power, but he has speed with nine steals through 25 games and 73 last year in Double-A. He's always hit for average in the minors, and has so far registered a .301 with the Rays.
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