This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
FanDuel has a full 14-game slate Friday. There are six pitchers who are big favorites at -135 or better according to Vegas. There's one pitchers' duel on the slate, with a run total of only six, pitting Matt Harvey against Max Scherzer. We have five games on the end of the spectrum with run line totals of at least 8.5. There are a lot of games and a lot of ways you can choose to go. Here are some plays to think about:
Starting Pitcher
Scott Kazmir ($9,200)
Kazmir is on fire. He has come out of the gate this season and shut down opposing offenses. Through his first 30 innings, he has a 0.99 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 30 strikeouts in 30 innings. He faces a Texas team that has the second-most strikeouts in the league against left-handed pitching and he is a -140 favorite. A high strikeout game with a probable win will add up to a nice fantasy score.
Catcher
Brian McCann ($3,300)
McCann is starting to heat up in the middle of the Yankees' order. He has four multi-hit games in his last six starts and goes up against Justin Masterson who struggles with left-handed bats. Masterson allowed a .320 batting average to lefties last year and so far this year it looks like more of the same. As long as McCann is batting in the cleanup spot, he should have a chance to drive in a few runs and pick up multiple hits.
First Base
Carlos Santana ($3,400)
Santana hits almost .050 points higher against left-handed pitching and he gets a matchup with the aging Mark Buehrle on Friday. Buehrle allowed right-handed batters to hit .293 with 11 home runs last year. So far this season, that number is .346 and four home runs allowed already. Santana is hitting .300 over his last 20 at-bats and is one of only two righty bats that scare anyone in that lefty-heavy Cleveland lineup. He has the chance to take Buehrle deep today and pick up a few hits at a very reasonable price tag.
Second Base
Jose Altuve ($4,500)
He is not cheap, but he is so consistent, especially against weak left-handed pitching. Altuve hit .414 last season against lefties, and he is picking up where he left off this year. The 5-foot-6 second baseman is an absolute hits machine. He has 55 fantasy points in his last nine games, has not had fewer than 4.5 and is averaging a tad over six per game during that stretch. He is as solid and reliable as any player in the league lately, so he is cash game safe with tournament-winning upside.
Shortstop
Marcus Semien ($3,100)
Semein has been one of the hottest hitting shortstops in baseball, with five multi-hit games in his last eight. He has been rewarded with a move up the lineup, as he now occupies the 2-hole in front of the Athletics' big bats. He gets a matchup with Colby Lewis on Friday in the hitter-friendly Texas ballpark. Vegas expects a lot of runs in that one from the Athletics, and Semein has been the table setter for a lot of those rallies lately.
Third Base
Yangervis Solarte ($2,300)
You need to be able to fit in a few cheap bats and Solarte fits that mold. The switch-hitting utility man usually bats in the 2-hole when the Padres face a weak righty, and Eddie Butler certainly qualifies as that. Left-handed batters are hitting .325 against him this year after having a .423 average last season. While in the 2-hole, Solarte has started to heat up, and with guys like Matt Kemp and Justin Upton behind him, he is a threat to score every time he gets on base. Check the lineup to make sure he is in it, but grab all the left-handed Padres if you can, as Buter should really struggle to contain them.
Outfield
Hanley Ramirez ($4,400)
Ramirez is supernova kind of hot right now. He is averaging over six fantasy points per game in his last six. During this run, he has nine hits in 25 at-bats with five home runs, 10 RBI and six runs scored. He gets a matchup with CC Sabathia, who has been getting shelled every time he takes the mound. Sabathia is a lefty who is really having a tough time getting pedestrian right-handed bats out. Throw in a quality righty like Ramirez, who is on fire, and things do not look good for CC. I expect Ramirez to continue his torrid pace and put up a nice number again.
Ryan Raburn ($2,300)
Raburn is in a good spot again Friday against a weak left-hander in Mark Buehrle, who really struggles against right-handed bats and Raburn is one of the better ones in the Indians' lineup. He is cheap because he is in a platoon, but he excels when facing lefties. He should be batting fifth in the order behind Carlos Santana and is one of the best cheap bats you can use for salary relief and upside.
David Peralta ($2,800)
Peralta is another guy who excels against weak right-handed pitching, and Rubby De La Rosa struggles against left-handed batters. Peralta is heating up with 16.5 fantasy points in his last two games. The lefty should be fifth in the order against the righty, which puts him in a good spot to pick up a few hits and drive in a few runs. His price is too cheap to ignore for someone who is swinging such a hot bat.
