FanDuel MLB: Saturday Picks

The majority of tournaments Saturday will focus on games starting at 7 p.m. EST, so we'll cover that 11-game slate. Weather questions abound all over the country, so we can't really take any names off the board yet. Be sure to monitor weather reports before submitting lineups. Avoid games with a possibility of rain. RotoWire has a great tool to check weather updates. Let's get to some of the plays.

Pitchers

Jon Lester $8,900

Lester had an unfortunate start to the season, but he's really bounced back and is poised to have a big second half. In 21 July innings, Lester has a 1.71 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 23 strikeouts. Those are elite numbers, and with a matchup against Atlanta, he should be in for another quality start. The Braves' lineup is simply poor. The anchors include the likes of Nick Markakis, Kelly Johnson and A.J. Pierzynski. These are below average big-league bats, and the beauty of it is that they are lefties. The left-handed Lester should be able to abuse this weak, lefty-heavy lineup. And with other pitchers costing at least $1,000 more than Lester, he's a great value. With a Vegas total of seven and the Cubs being sizable favorites as well, all the odds point to Lester exceeding his price.

John Lackey $8,800

Lackey is one of the most underrated pitchers in the league, and what he's doing is simply amazing. The trade that sent Joe Kelly and Allen Craig to Boston for Lackey looked one-sided for the Red Sox, but a year later, it's a steal for the Cardinals. Since the beginning of May, Lackey has only allowed 27 earned runs in 91.2 innings. The amazing part about that, is that it includes a four-inning, eight-run outing in Coors Field. If you take out this fluky performance, Lackey has an ERA just above 2.00. The best part of this play is that Lackey faces the NL's worst offense, the Mets. New York is 29th in runs scored, which is nothing to be proud of. Not only will we be looking at a small total, I anticipate the Cardinals being -175 favorites, if not more. Five pitchers are valued higher than Lackey for the Saturday slate, and that's just wrong with his form this season and his excellent matchup.

Catcher

Stephen Vogt $3,000

Vogt has been one of the surprises of the season as he's sixth in the AL in RBI. His price has been in the $4,000 range all season, but now that the second half started, he's at just $3,000, for some reason. Vogt has killed righties all season, and he squares off against one Saturday in Phil Hughes. With catcher such a tough position, it's nice to get a reliable bat like Vogt at a cheap price, which lets you stack your lineup with higher-priced bats. It's ridiculous that players like Jacob Realmuto, Nick Hundley and A.J. Pierzynski are higher priced then Vogt. He'll likely do better than all of these players.

First base

Prince Fielder $3,400

Fielder is probably my favorite player in the league, and I have reaped the rewards in my season-long leagues. You'd think a player with a .340 average and a .924 OPS would be priced higher, but FanDuel just isn't catching on. Not only is this $3,400 price tag too cheap, the matchup against Scott Feldman is just fantastic. I have never liked what Feldman brings to the table, and he should have trouble against Fielder. I expect the Rangers to put up a crooked number against Feldman, and Fielder will be the beneficiary with RBI opportunities all evening. Sitting outside of the top 10 at first base is simply a crime for someone with Fielder's skills, and he's my bet of the night to exceed his value.

Second base

Kolten Wong $3,100

The luster has worn off a bit with Kolten Wong, but I like his matchup against Bartolo Colon. I love Big Bartolo for all the entertainment he gives us, but his stuff these days is not there. He lives off a fastball that barely touches 90, and if he makes any mistakes, he's in big trouble. I hate to bet against Colon because he has the ability to shut down an offense, but the Cardinals are an offense against which he likely will struggle. These are smart, patient hitters who don't easily get themselves out, and Wong is the catalyst in the leadoff spot. Wong has the ability to provide in every facet, as well. He has some pop, ability to get on base, and he can even swipe a few bags. At his price, he's a great play.

Third base

Miguel Sano $2,600

I was unsure what to think about Sano after he got called up, but, wow, is he impressive. Scouts grade players' skills on a 20-80 scale, with 20 being a scrub and 80 a hall-of-famer. Sano was one of the only player's in recent memory to get a 79, and he's shown why with some impressive blasts. Sano is 14-for-37 with two homers and four doubles. The most impressive stat is that he has eight walks, giving him nearly a .500 OBP. A player like this should be in the $4,000 range, right? No, he is at just $2,600 and has the platoon advantage against Scott Kazmir. The A's stud lefty is a tough matchup, but this price is just too tasty to pass up. He might go 0-for-4, but we have to continue to use Sano at this price until it is raised.

Shortstop

Starlin Castro $2,300

I have always liked Castro even though he hasn't lived up to expectations. Shortstop is not what it used to be; it is more about defense than offense. That's why I like Castro. He's an undervalued shortstop because he is an offensive asset at a position that usually relies on stud defenders. Castro is far from a stud defender, but he has the bat to make up for it. The numbers are definitely not where Castro would like, but those numbers will turn around if his career track record holds. The beauty of this play is that it is a near minimum price tag, so even if he does nothing, it wont necessarily hurt you. Castro squares off against lefty Manny Banuelos, and not only does that give him the platoon advantage, but Banuelos is one of the lowest-valued pitchers for Saturday. We're not expecting big things for Castro, but the price and matchup definitely make him worth putting into your lineup.

Outfielders

Jorge Soler $2,500

Let's continue a small Cubs stack and use Jorge Soler. This guy is one of my favorite players to root for with his big frame, massive power and gold chains hanging from his neck. This kid just has the look and with that swagger comes some game. It's been a bit of a rough season for Soler, but a .262 average and .704 OPS is nothing at which to scoff. The reason his price is so low is he is just coming off the DL and people are still unsure of his ability. I think Soler is a star in the making, and I'll bet on him breaking out in the second half in a big way, much like he did last year. Like Castro, Soler has the platoon advantage against a low-valued picture. The difference here is that Soler has so much more upside than Castro and will be in a much better lineup spot. I'm going to use Soler every day until his price rises above $3,000, which will be warranted the next few weeks.

Shin-Soo Choo $2,500

Choo has had a bizarre season, with stretches of brilliance along with stretches of absolute futility. Anyone who knows about Choo knows that he cannot hit left-handers, and, fortuntately, he faces a righty. His struggles against southpaws keep him undervalued against righties. The Rangers-Astros game should be high scoring with questionable arms toeing the rubber. Choo should bat atop the lineup and should have no problem getting on base against Scott Feldman. Not only is he a great on-base guy against righties, he also has some pop. He used to be an annual 20-20 threat, so a steal is always possible even though it appears that part of his game is almost out of the picture. After sitting Friday, Choo surely will be in the lineup Saturday and should be in the two-hole right where he belongs.

Gregory Polanco $2,300

Since the injury to Josh Harrison, Polanco has secured a role as the leadoff hitter for the Pirates. I really like what I see out of this kid as he has five-tool skills. The big surprise has been that Polanco is at nearly 20 stolen bases after he appeared to be more of a power threat in the minors. Polanco has also been hot lately, recording eight hits in his last seven games, including seven walks. With his ability to walk, he's a fantastic bet to get on base, and if so, he'll exceed his near minimum price tag. A matchup against Jimmy Nelson is definitely nothing to be scared of, either, as his numbers are far from spectacular. I just like all the tools that Polanco brings to the table, and at just $2,300, he's an absolute steal.