This article is part of our FantasyDraft MLB series.
PITCHER
Luis Severino, NYY vs. CHW ($12,600): I'm not in love with the high-end options on this slate, but since we need two pitchers, I'll grab one of them. Severino is my top choice, as his price is really cheap and he has a great matchup against the White Sox, who have the third-worst wOBA versus righties and are also in the bottom five in K% versus righties. Meanwhile, Severino is off to a great start with 17 strikeouts in his first two outings.
Max Scherzer, WAS at ATL ($24,900): Scherzer has picked up right where he left off last season, striking out 17 while allowing just three earned runs in two starts. He doesn't come cheaply, and his matchup is what keeps him from being a top pick. Atlanta has proven pretty tough against right-handed pitching and a lot of that is due to Freddie Freeman, who is one of the best left-handed bats in all of baseball. With that in mind, Scherzer is crafty enough to avoid giving in to Freeman and force the other Braves to beat him.
INFIELD
Trey Mancini, BAL at CIN ($6,800): The cat is out of the bag with Mancini but his price is still dirt cheap. He would probably be a good matchup against just about anyone right now, but he doesn't get just anyone, he's set to face Bronson Arroyo, which equates to a great matchup. Early on, Mancini has shown that he can hit lefties or righties, so that fact that Arroyo is right-handed is no matter. Arroyo is a start or two away from a demotion, as his stuff has been brutal this season.
Chris Davis, BAL at CIN ($9,300): It's not a matter of if you should take any Orioles, but rather how many. For purposes of this article, I'll list my two favorites, but that shouldn't stop you from using more. Davis was good against righties last season, posting a .352 wOBA against them, but this year, he's abusing them to the tune of a .459 wOBA. Everyone in the Orioles' lineup could produce against Arroyo, but Mancini and Davis look like the two best options.
Jake Lamb, AZ at SD ($7,600):Jarred Cosart will take the mound for the Padres because Luis Perdomo and Trevor Cahill are on the DL. Yes, Cosart was unable to supplant Perdomo and Cahill prior to their injuries. As for the numbers, Cosart posted a 6.03 ERA last year with the Padres. Meanwhile, Jake Lamb is the most likely Diamondback to take advantage of the right-handed Cosart, as he posted a team-high .374 wOBA against righties last year.
OUTFIELD
Jay Bruce, NYM vs. PHI ($7,200): Zack Eflin takes the hill for the Phillies and the only thing he's got going in this matchup is the fact that he's a right-hander. The Mets have been crushing lefties this season, but they have plenty of bats capable of knocking around righties as well. Bruce is at the top of that list, as he's posted a .461 wOBA against right-handed pitchers this season after finishing with a .361 mark last year.
Yoenis Cespedes, NYM vs. PHI ($8,800):Jay Bruce isn't the only Met in for a big game, as Cespedes also matches up well against Eflin. Though he's not a lefty, he's still a tough out for the righties. Last season, Cespedes posted a .352 wOBA against righties and this season, he's improved on that number slightly. Much like the situation with the Orioles, you'll want to stack as many Mets as you can, and picking the right ones should be pretty easy as most of the lineup should produce.
Marcell Ozuna, MIA at SEA ($6,400): Ozuna is off to a great start this season, and he's still priced among the middle-tier outfielders. He doesn't have a history of hitting this well, so he's bound to regress at some point, but at this price point it's worth the risk. Ozuna's numbers against righties are very impressive this season and he'll face Yovani Gallardo, who continues to pitch poorly against everyone.
UTLIITY
Bryce Harper, WAS at ATL ($10,000):Mike Foltynewicz takes the mound for the Braves and he's in for a tough one as he faces one of the best lineups in baseball. The most potent hitter in that lineup is Harper, who posted a .352 wOBA against righties last season. The big issue for Foltynewicz is his tendency to give up the long ball, as he surrendered 1.42 home runs per nine innings last year.
Brandon Belt, SF at KC ($7,200): Though he's not hitting for much of an average this season, Belt is still managing to produce at a fairly high level. Through 13 games, he is averaging 9.23 fantasy points per game and that number should go up after he faces Jason Hammel. Hammel is off to a rough start this season and if he's to turn it around, he'll need to improve on his performance against lefties. Last season, lefties posted a .344 wOBA and his HR/9 rate was a generous 1.45. Meanwhile, Belt was 25th in wOBA against righties in all of baseball last year.
