This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Game 3 was light on offense as only two runs were scored, both by home team Atlanta. And now, we arrive at Game 4. For Showdown contests on DraftKings, you select six players from this game. One is your captain, who is worth 1.5 times the points, but their salary also bumps up as a result. If anything else, I won't be taking a pitcher. In a series where Ian Anderson can throw fewer than 80 pitches of no-hit ball and get pulled, no one on the mound is going to go deep.
CAPTAIN
Eddie Rosario, ATL vs. HOU ($8,700): Like I said, the captain's salary is increased from where it would be. As such, I wanted to get somebody on a lower value so I could have more to spend elsewhere. And yet, I was still able to get the hottest hitter in the playoffs with Rosario hitting .420 along with a 1.153 OPS while leading off. He's also a lefty facing the right-handed Zack Greinke.
UTLITY
Freddie Freeman, ATL vs. HOU ($10,400): Greinke looked like he lost a step this season. He posted a 4.71 FIP and has been held to start Game 4. Freeman, on the other hand, is still an elite left-handed hitter. His numbers were slightly down this year, but still managed a .949 OPS against righties. The Braves carry some shutdown lefties in their bullpen, but the Astros don't necessarily offer the same arms to stop someone like Freeman.
Jose Altuve, HOU at ATL ($10,000): Atlanta is throwing together a bullpen game today, with Drew Smyly expected to be the primary pitcher. That means arms will be coming in and out of the game with gusto. As such, I can't really look at lefty-versus-righty matchups or anything like that. Who can say who will be on the mound at a particular time? So I just figured I'd grab Houston's leadoff hitter, even if he hasn't had a great postseason. However, Altuve did slash .278/.350/.489 with 31 homers during the regular season.
Yuli Gurriel, HOU at ATL ($7,600): Gurriel is less of a power hitter and more of a guy who knows how to put a bat on the ball going .319 during the regular season and .320 in the playoffs. And depending on how the game goes, he may not come to bat until opener Jesse Chavez is off the mound. Gurriel's first at-bat could come against primary pitcher Drew Smyly, who is a lefty. Of note, he posted a .925 OPS against southpaws this year.
Joc Pederson, ATL vs. HOU ($6,800): Part of the reason Greinke's numbers suffered this year is because he allowed 1.58 home runs per nine innings. Pederson is an all-or-nothing hitter who can't face lefties, but boasts power and will be facing a righty in Greinke. Since 2019, he's slugged .495 against right-handers.
Travis d'Arnaud, ATL vs. HOU ($6,400): D'Arnaud crushed another a home run in Game 3. He's been hitting solidly during the playoffs going . 256 with a .347 OBP. My lineup here is a little top heavy, so I needed a bat on a lower salary to finish things out. D'Arnaud felt like a solid choice given his postseason play.
