FanDuel MLB: Saturday Value Plays

FanDuel MLB: Saturday Value Plays

This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.

PITCHER

Jeff Samardzija, SFG vs. LOS ($10,000): Samardzija has been excellent in four home starts this season, picking up three wins while striking out 28 in 27.2 innings pitched and maintaining a sub-3.00 ERA. Some may be reluctant to look his way after a shelling at the hands of St. Louis' elite offense on the road last time out, but facing the middling Dodgers lineup at AT&T Park presents a tremendous bounce-back opportunity. Opposing starter Scott Kazmir is dealing with a leg injury, so Samardzija has a good chance of being rewarded with a victory should he have, as expected, a solid outing.

CATCHER

Buster Posey, SFG vs. LOS ($3,200): Posey didn't take long to get back in the thick of things, picking up a double and an RBI on Friday after not playing for six days due to a minor thumb ailment. He should have an even greater offensive impact this time around, with the Dodgers sending Kazmir to the mound coming off an outing that was abbreviated due to cramping in his quad. Posey's .393 wOBA against southpaws makes him dangerous against pitchers in top form, but he could be in for a huge performance should Kazmir prove to be less than 100 percent.

FIRST BASE

Byung-ho Park, MIN vs. BOS ($3,100): Park has started to find his groove with two homers in the past week, and he should be able to keep the good times rolling against Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez has allowed an astronomical .405 wOBA to right-handed bats this season, and the South Korean slugger has preferred to face southpaws during his short time in the majors. Those looking for a discount option at first base would be hard-pressed to find one in a more favorable situation.

SECOND BASE

Jason Kipnis, CLE at LAA ($3,200): Kipnis' tidy .350 wOBA against right-handers this season is right in line with his career mark, and it should only rise once he's done with the Angels' Matt Shoemaker. Shoemaker's 3-7 record through 11 starts is due to his extremely high hittability, as he has allowed at least seven base knocks six times, and exactly six in three of his other five appearances. Considering Kipnis is tied for 30th in baseball in hits after ranking 15th in 2015, it'd be shocking if he didn't manage at least a couple Saturday given all the factors working in his favor.

THIRD BASE

Travis Shaw, BOS at MIN ($2,700): Shaw has pummeled right-handed pitching to the tune of a .372 wOBA this season, while Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson owns an inflated 6.10 ERA this season mostly due to his inability to retire lefties. It's understandable if you don't want to pony up the $4,000 needed for first baseman David Ortiz, but the rest of Boston's left-handed bats all make tremendous value plays based on this matchup.

SHORTSTOP

Elvis Andrus, TEX at SEA ($2,900): Andrus has found success against lefties this season, posting a .346 wOBA. With Seattle starter James Paxton allowing a .389 wOBA to right-handed bats, the shortstop is primed for another big game in a favorable matchup. While his price is reduced from playing in the traditionally pitcher-friendly Safeco Field, Andrus' speed-based game translates well in any venue.

OUTFIELD

Jackie Bradley Jr., BOS at MIN ($3,300): While Bradley Jr. has enjoyed a balanced campaign with a wOBA over .400 against pitchers from both sides, the same can't be said for Gibson. The Twins right-hander was allowing a terrifyingly high .421 wOBA to left-handed bats like Bradley Jr. prior to going on the DL, and won't be afforded the luxury of pitching around JBJ in his return due to the high-octane nature of Boston's offense. Expect quite a few runs from the Red Sox in this one, with their lefty bats carrying the mail.

Dexter Fowler, CHC at ATL ($3,900): The switch-hitting Fowler has been incredibly productive from the left side, posting a .401 wOBA this season. Meanwhile Braves youngster Matt Wisler has allowed a .367 wOBA to LHB in his brief career, so the odds are once again stacked in the leadoff man's favor. The Cubs are by far the heaviest favorites of any team in action Saturday, and that's due in part to Fowler's high likelihood of wreaking havoc atop the order.

Nolan Reimold, BAL at TOR ($2,600): Baltimore will be searching for new sources of offense during Manny Machado's suspension, and Reimold should be eager to prove himself capable of filling that role once the infielder begins serving his ban. Reimold gets a good opportunity to showcase his skills against Toronto lefty J.A. Happ, who much prefers dealing with fellow southpaws. The right-handed outfielder's chances of contributing are further bolstered by playing at the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre, yet his $2,600 price is still very cap-friendly.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Sasha Yodashkin plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Youngsash, DraftKings: Yashdogg,Yahoo: Sasha, Fanball: Yashdogg.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sasha Yodashkin
Sasha has been contributing NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and Tennis content to RotoWire since 2015, with an emphasis on DFS. He is a huge New York sports fan who has been playing fantasy sports since middle school.
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