We've got our first showdown slate of the playoffs this season, with a deciding Game 5 on tap between the host Mariners and Tigers. FanDuel made some changes to their showdown from last season, where we had an MVP (1.5x points), a star (1.25x points) and four utility spots. Now we have just one MVP (1.5x point, but 1.5x salary) and five utility spots. You can stack freely and use five from one lineup and just one from the other side.
We still can't use pitchers, so it's all offense, at least in concept. With aces Tarik Skubal and George Kirby on the mound and on regular rest, we've got an incredibly low 5.5 run total. The Mariners won't be intimidated however, as it's the fourth time they'll be facing him this season, and they've won all three prior meetings. Skubal has a 5.91 ERA, allowing seven runs, two homers and 10 hits across 10.1 regular season innings, striking out 13. He allowed two solo homers across seven innings in Game 2. Kirby faced the Tigers once in the regular season, allowing four runs on five hits across five frames, and settled in Game 1, allowing two runs and six hits across five innings.
Reminder, this column isn't intended to provide a lineup, not that it can't. It's simply some plays from both sides that may be in better spots than some others for success.
MVP
Riley Greene, DET at SEA ($17,400/$11,600): You can really see how multiplying salaries impacts your builds here, and Greene is only the third most expensive option! My personal build(s) are likely to be heavier on the Tigers side of things, so starting with their star is perhaps too obvious. He's not having a great series at 3-for-16, but did homer in Game 4. He was far and away Detroit's best against righties during the season, posting a .373 wOBA, 141 wRC+ and .287 ISO. He's 4-for-12 with a homer off Kirby. If leading with a Mariner, I'd prefer Julio Rodriguez to Cal Raleigh, as it saves $3,000.
Utility
Spencer Torkelson, DET at SEA ($14,400/$9,600): Torkelson was dreadful in season against right-handed pitching, posting a .327 wOBA and 27.7 strikeout rate, but still an above average 110 wRC+ and .203 ISO. Though he hasn't homered since September 20, he's got five hits in this series including three doubles, driving in four runs while striking out just twice.
Jorge Polanco, SEA vs. DET ($10,800/$7,200): We don't want to lean too heavily on BvP numbers, but there's enough exposure to consider them. Polanco is 9-for-29 (.310) with three homers off Skubal, two coming in Game 2. He went 3-for-4 in that game and has been hitless in the postseason otherwise. The low floor likely takes him out of MVP consideration, but he also posted a .377 wOBA off lefties in season, third on the team behind Raleigh and Josh Naylor, and he's far cheaper.
Kerry Carpenter, DET at SEA ($12,900/$8,600): Carpenter is 5-for-11 (.455) with five homers off Kirby. That's enough for me to lock him in and potentially do so at MVP, though he too is having a cold series, going just 1-for-17 after a 4-for-10 Wild Card round.
Gleyber Torres, DET at SEA ($11,700/$7,800): Torres appears locked in, going 8-for-24 over his last six. It's resulted in one RBI and two runs however, so there's next to no upside/MVP interest. Hitting second, he's likely to get four plate appearances and can gain production from the bats around him if they pop, but with a .098 ISO, don't expect a repeat of the Game 4 home run.
Victor Robles, SEA vs. DET ($5,700/$3,800): Robles gets column space because he's likely the lowest priced player that's probable to start. He was dreadful in season against lefties, so three at bats is no guarantee, but he also was off to a great start back in April before an injury derailed his campaign, hitting .333 with three steals. He'll likely be lifted for a matchup-based pinch hitter late, but Robles could reach base once, swipe a bag and score a run, which would be a huge return while also opening up huge spending for top targets.
