A busy 13-game main slate awaits Friday evening at FanDuel, starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Only six pitchers sit in a pay up pricing tier, so we're either forced to pay that premium, or we settle for middling results while relying on offense to carry our builds.
Despite the lack of robust pitching, the slate doesn't have a double-digit run total, with just Astros-Orioles and Cubs-Angels presenting at 9.5, while Rangers-Guardians is our low spot at 7.5. The Mariners (-230) are the biggest favorites Friday night. We'll need to track rain in Atlanta, while Tampa looks like a potential spot for weather to assist offense.
Pitching
Nathan Eovaldi, TEX vs. CLE ($10,500): As the intro suggests, I'm in favor of paying up on the bump, and both Eovaldi and Bryan Woo ($10,600) are well worth the investment. Eovaldi has been a rock all season, currently on a run of five quality starts in his last seven with six 4-plus fantasy point returns. The Guardians are 27th against righties with a 91 wRC+, and we really only fear Jose Ramirez in this lineup, who is 3-for-19 (.158) off Eovaldi. A 4x return may be pushing it, but Eovaldi seems to have a stable floor.
Jose Quintana, MIL vs. SF ($8,700): Quintana has reeled off three straight quality starts, allowing five runs and 15 hits across 18.1 innings, striking out 14. We look for the strikeouts to play up Friday against a Giants offense that's struggled against lefties all year, fanning 25.4 percent of the time while posting a weak 71 wRC+ and .271 wOBA. Milwaukee remains white hot, they're big favorites (-174), and Quintana should get ample run support, allowing us to chase a win bonus.
Cade Povich, BAL vs. HOU ($8,200): I'm not in love with any pay-down option, so will list Povich as a surely low-rostered contrarian option. In three appearances since returning from IL, Povich has 22 strikeouts in 16.2 innings, including 10 against Houston in his last outing. This game has a high total, and the Astros have been solid against lefties all year with a 111 wRC+, and perhaps seeing Povich for the second time in a week gives them better at bats. But there is enough swing-and-miss potential for Povich to provide a fair return even if he allows some runs.
Top Targets
Two mediocre pitchers square off in Arizona, which is usually a favorable spot for offenses. Starting builds with Ketel Marte ($4,000), Corbin Carroll ($4,100) or Elly De La Cruz ($3,900) is appealing. De La Cruz hasn't homered in August and is likely overdue. Carroll has an eight-game hitting streak, reaching double-digit fantasy points four times.
We'll want some Cubs exposure against Tyler Anderson, who has allowed four runs in five of his last six outings. None are in good form, however, so a stack will be risky. Kyle Tucker ($3,600) is just 2-for-29 over his last eight games, but is 9-for-14 (.643) off Anderson. Seiya Suzuki ($3,500) has a team-best .380 wOBA, 140 wRC+ and .267 ISO off lefties.
Bargain Bats
Baltimore is an easy stacking consideration given their low price points in a plus matchup with Lance McCullers. Gunnar Henderson ($3,300) has a team-best .390 wOBA, 153 wRC+ and .227 ISO off righties, but further value can be found in Ryan Mountcastle ($2,800) who has 11 hits in his last seven, or Samuel Basallo ($2,300) who has four hits and five RBI in four games since debuting.
Milwaukee looks like a lineup to target when filling your final roster spot against Carson Whisenhunt, who's allowed five homers across 14.1 innings. Andrew Vaughn ($2,900) is the obvious power upside play, while Blake Perkins ($3,100) has a .376 wOBA, 144 wRC+ and .258 ISO off lefties.
Strictly a BvP play, and he's no lock to be in the lineup, but Justin Turner ($2,300) is 20-for-40 (.500) with five homers off Anderson, offering a very cheap entry to the Cubs lineup.
Stacks to Consider
Rays vs. Miles Mikolas (Cardinals): Junior Caminero ($3,600), Brandon Lowe ($3,100), Chandler Simpson ($2,900)
Mikolas doesn't miss any bats and has struggled on the road all season, allowing a 6.47 ERA, a .412 wOBA to lefties and .373 wOBA to righties, and 15 homers across 57.0 innings. Caminero has just two hits and no homers over his last five, but a favorable matchup with favorable weather, it's a good spot to target his upside. Simpson offers a cheap top-of-the-order option with speed and run-scoring potential, and Lowe has a .377 wOBA, 143 wRC+ and .253 ISO off righties.
Twins vs. Aaron Civale (White Sox): Byron Buxton ($3,800) Luke Keaschall ($3,100), Trevor Larnach ($2,800)
GPPs only, as the Twins aren't a lineup we'd normally target. Civale has allowed 12 runs and 17 hits over his last 15.2 innings. Buxton is just 4-for-18 against him, but three of those hits have been homers. Keaschall had a seven-game hitting streak snapped last night, but boasts a .491 wOBA, 222 wRC+ and and .211 ISO off righties, making for a fine stand-alone play. The third piece is somewhat interchangeable and not obvious. Larnach lands by default, likely hitting near the top of the order around these two, has homered off Civale in six at bats and has a reasonable .340 wOBA, 118 wRC+ and .189 ISO off righties.
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