This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Saturday's main slate offers some juicy matchups for a top Boston offense in Baltimore. Coors Field is also on the table, as are five pitchers at $6,200 or lower. Runs shouldn't be scarce here, but finding the right balance of pitching and top-priced bats may prove challenging.
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PITCHER
Aaron Nola, PHI at SDP ($10,500): Saturday's top three arms all look viable, but Nola at a $1,500 over Trevor Bauer appears to offer the right mix of savings and potential. San Diego remains woeful against righties, owning a .288 wOBA, 81 wRC+, .126 ISO and 25.7 percent strikeout rate. Nola has seen his strikeout rates fall over the last month but still has turned in seven quality starts in his last eight outings and is in a good spot for a rebound performance in a favorable dual against Walker Lockett.
GPP Fade: Julio Teheran ($7,500), ATL vs. MIL: Fading Teheran at SunTrust Park is so obvious, he could flirt with being a reasonable contrarian play for risky tournament managers, and the Brewers 25.1 percent fan rate against righties adds to that. But he simply doesn't have his home park figured out, owning a career 5.21 ERA and 5.00 xFIP. Milwaukee has a .317 wOBA and .166 ISO against righties, not huge figures, but their ability to score runs in bunches is enough for me to look elsewhere.
Cheap GPP Consideration: Trevor Williams, PIT at SFG ($6,400): Williams' two runs over five innings in his last outing were the first runs he allowed in four starts, including shutouts against decent offenses in Washington and Cleveland. It's led to a 1.06 second-half ERA, where he allows a .285 wOBA. The Giants .308 wOBA, 95 wRC+ and 23.7 percent fan rate seem low enough for Williams to find success Saturday night, putting 30 points within reach at a fraction of the cost.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Matt Carpenter, STL at KAN ($4,600): Carpenter has feasted on lefties all season, putting up a .403 wOBA, 156 wRC+ and .316 ISO. He's simply too hot to ignore even at this elevated expense, as he's been tearing the cover off of the ball since the All-Star game to the tune of a .520 wOBA, 234 wRC+, and .524 ISO. Royals starter Danny Duffy has been tough on same-handed bats, which may have a pivot to Marcell Ozuna ($3,400) or Jedd Gyorko ($2,900) in play, but playing the hot hand seems prudent here.
SECOND BASE
Travis Shaw, MIL at ATL ($3,600): Jesus Aguilar ($3,800) and Christian Yelich ($4,100) may be safer if you're not all-in on stacking against Teheran, but Shaw has nice upside at a position that rarely offers that. He's hit righties very well, going for a .380 wOBA, 136 wRC+ and .285 ISO. His left-handed bat plays right in to Teheran's struggles, as he allows a .345 wOBA and 6.10 xFIP to opposite-handed bats at home.
THIRD BASE
Johan Camargo, ATL vs. MIL ($3,000): Oakland's Matt Chapman's ($3,600) hot bat merits consideration, but Camargo is in a good spot here. He's fresh off of a four-hit Friday and has fared better against lefties this year than righties, posting a .382 wOBA, 140 wRC+ and .283 ISO, the power being far greater than his .153 ISO as a left-handed swinger. Brewers' starter Wade Miley has been nothing short of brilliant in five starts, but seems to be pitching over his head and allowed a .374 wOBA to righties in 2017.
SHORTSTOP
Xander Bogaerts, BOS at BAL ($3,900): Cost is the only thing keeping me, and likely many others, from a full-on Red Sox stack against Yefry Ramirez, who has allowed 11 runs over his last 6.2 innings. A ridiculous five BoSox regulars have a wOBA north of .350 against righties, and Bogaerts .373 wOBA .262 ISO and pseudo-reduced price play well here.
OUTFIELD
Andrew Benintendi, BOS at BAL ($4,300): With a double-header on the slate in Baltimore Saturday, confirming the Sox lineup will be of paramount importance. Otherwise, it appears to be lock and load time in one of the league's most home run prone parks. Benintendi is at least $900 cheaper than J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts, and with nearly similar upside, boasting a .405 wOBA, 156 wRC+ and .211 ISO against righties.
Nick Williams, PHI at SDP ($2,900): Rhys Hoskins ($4,100) and Maikel Franco ($3,600) both present better splits against righties, but Williams' price makes him a preferred option in this spot if you're not in on multiple Phillie bats. Padres' starter Walker Lockett has been torched in three appearances, allowing 11 runs over 10.2 frames. It's a small sample size, but lefties have feasted on Walker to the tune of a .517 wOBA, While Williams has a respectable .343 wOBA and .215 ISO against righties.
Josh Reddick, HOU vs. SEA ($2,600): In a lefty v. lefty matchup, confirming Reddick's spot in the lineup has to happen first. But he's surprisingly faired better this year against same-handed arms, posting a .389 wOBA, 152 wRC+ and .287 ISO. That seemingly plays well into a similar same-handed split for Mariners' starter Wade LeBlanc, who has allowed a .363 wOBA to lefties on the road.
UTILITY
Max Muncy, LAD at COL ($3,800): Muncy loves himself some Coors Field. He's launched four homers in 14 at bats there this season, including one in each of his last two games. Mix in a season-long .418 wOBA, 168 wRC+ and .284 ISO against lefties, and there's plenty of value even at this price.
