This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
This is one of the best pitching slates in weeks.
At least eight arms are viable, and there are cases that can be made for others, making it possible to build around the bats first -- the Rockies and A's are at Coors, weather permitting -- and to decide on the arm last if desired.
I'm making a concerted effort to indicate the type of contest I prefer to use players in -- cash (50/50) or tournaments (GPPs) -- which is generally an exercise in estimating ownership rates (or 'finding the chalk') and making sure to have enough variation around the highly-coveted top value plays to have a dangerous lineup.
Remember, a strong cash-game play isn't necessarily a 'bad' tournament play, but too many 'chalky' players can create a limiting factor in big-field tournaments.
Your constructive feedback is appreciated, and always welcomed.
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Pitcher
Preferred Cash Play: Max Scherzer, WAS at MIA ($11,500)
Also Consider: Zack Greinke, ARI at SD ($11,000), Carlos Carrasco, CLE at DET ($10,000), Chris Sale, BOS vs. MIN ($12,800)
As a -265 road favorite, it's surprising that Scherzer checks in for $1,300 less than Sale on this slate. Sale and the Red Sox are more heavily favored on the moneyline, but the Nats-Marlins matchup is one of three games Friday tied with a slate-low 7.5 over/under total.
The strange thing about Scherzer and Greinke is they're both in play with a few Colorado and Oakland bats in Coors. As documented in this space on a near weekly basis, the Padres strike out a lot, though not enough to make Jake Arrieta useful, as my bankroll learned last week.
The Tigers own a league-worst 68 wRC+ over the last 30 days, and the price break from Scherzer makes Carrasco a near coin-flip as a cash-game consideration. I'm slightly concerned about his ownership rate going through the roof in tournaments, but the best thing about Friday's pitching depth and pricing is that it should spread out the ownership rates enough to avoid the need to aggressively fade.
A $9,300 price tag on Madison Bumgarner for a home start against Milwaukee (7.5 over/under) might pull in some Coors-heavy lineups, but I'm not comfortable with him in cash games on a night with at least four pitchers I would rather use.
Preferred Tournament Play: Andrew Heaney, LAA vs. SEA ($8,600)
Also Consider: Chris Archer, TAM at BAL ($9,500) **Check Forecast**, Clayton Kershaw, LAD at ATL ($10,500), CC Sabathia, NYY vs. KC ($7,800), Dallas Keuchel, HOU vs. TEX ($9,500)
Context is king with today's 'preferred tournament play' label. At $8,600, Heaney is cheap enough to allow heavy use of the Colorado-Oakland bats, and he should be lightly owned with so many frontline starters available at reasonable prices. I don't expect him to outscore the bulk of the pitchers ahead of him on the price list, but I expect Heaney to be a good value dollar-for-dollar who allows you to max out production with bats. If you're not comfortable with him, it's a very easy night to go elsewhere.
As per usual, the cash-game recommendations can work in tournaments, but relatively speaking, Scherzer, Greinke and Carrasco should be the three most highly-owned arms on the slate. Deploying Sale requires bargain hunting for bats on a Coors night, which isn't impossible, but comes with unique risk.
Rain looks like a major issue for the Rays/Orioles matchup at Camden Yards, which could remove Archer from consideration completely.
Kershaw's road matchup against a Braves lineup that has punished left-handed pitching this season will almost certainly steer him to lower ownership rates in tournaments -- likely even lower than Scherzer. The price is low enough to offset the considerable risk that he's bringing to the table at the present time, but keep in mind, the Braves have the third-highest team wRC+ in MLB this season against lefties (116), with a sub-20 percent strikeout rate.
As a -260 home favorite, Keuchel draws the Rangers at Minute Maid Park, making him a fringe tournament play (I think he'll get largely ignored because of the price, and low K/9), but in many ways, he looks like a more expensive version of CC Sabathia given the lack of strikeouts.
Similar logic used with Keuchel applies to Sabathia at home against the Royals, (-280) though it's worth noting that he's eclipsed five strikeouts just once in his last seven starts. The Royals have been well below average against left-handed pitching this season (84 wRC+) with plenty of whiffs (23.2% K%), however.
Catcher/First Base
With mostly pricey pitchers serving as building blocks, the (catcher)/first base slot will be value-centric. A few potential cheap options, as long as they're starting for their respective clubs, include…
Matt Adams, WAS at MIA ($2,800) -- Adams draws Marlins rookie Pablo Lopez in Miami, and while the park factors are suboptimal, the matchup is favorable enough to consider Adams as an option to free up cash for other spots -- or to fill out the utility spot at the bottom of the lineup for less than $3,000.
Jose Martinez, STL vs. CHC ($2,800) -- Martinez's defense has been costing him playing time, even in the Cards' post-Matheny era, but he'll draw lefty Mike Montgomery if he's a part of the Cards' lineup Friday night. Since the start of last season, Martinez's .323/.411/.575 line against left-handed pitching is among the best at the position.
From the Oakland-Colorado matchup, Ian Desmond ($3,700) faces lefty Sean Manaea, which should make him useful in cash-game and tournament lineups, while Matt Olson ($3,600) draws lefty Kyle Freeland, and utilizing him in GPPs only makes sense if you're expecting Freeland to depart early since Olson has a sub-.400 SLG against lefties since arriving in Oakland last season.
Second Base
Scooter Gennett ($3,400) is at home against Phillies right-hander Nick Pivetta, and he may be the most highly-owned non-Coors option on the board at second base if the hobbled Jose Altuve is rested against Yovani Gallardo. I have no reservations about using Gennett in cash lineups, but Gleyber Torres at $3,500 against Brad Keller is my preferred tournament play.
Keep an eye on the Rockies' lineup to see the placement of Garrett Hampson ($3,100) against Sean Manaea. He's been hitting seventh thus far, but the Rockies haven't faced a left-handed starter since he was brought up to replace DJ LeMahieu on the roster.
As is the case with Matt Olson above, Jed Lowrie ($3,700) is very affordable in Colorado, but his numbers against righties are much better than his body of work against lefties (.268/.345/.414) since the start of last season.
Sean Rodriguez ($2,100) is in play for tournaments regardless of where he hits in the lineup against Jason Vargas, and if he finds a way into a more prominent spot, he becomes a cash-game consideration.
Daniel Murphy ($3,000) was scratched from Thursday's lineup due to soreness, but he doubled as a pinch-hitter, which gives him a shot at starting Friday. If he's ready to roll, he'll also match up against Marlins rookie right-hander Pablo Lopez. After a sluggish start following his return from the DL, Murphy is producing numbers more in line with the initial expectations in recent weeks, carrying a .970 OPS over the last 14 games.
Third Base
Paying up for Nolan Arenado ($4,500) at home against a lefty will be a frequently-used approach, and for good reason. On the other side of that particular matchup, Matt Chapman ($3,900) is a solid value as well.
I can't help but wonder if the low Arenado price steers a lot of lineups away from Jose Ramirez ($4,900) against Mike Fiers.
Whether you're putting together a full or mini Yankees stack, or if you simply want mid-tier priced options as one-offs, Miguel Andujar ($3,400) is firmly on the radar for cash-game and GPP use Friday. The absence of Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez should move some of the younger bats up in the order for the foreseeable future.
The Cubs should have at least one of David Bote ($2,200) or Tommy La Stella ($2,000) in their lineup Friday, but much like the Sean Rodriguez situation, low lineup placement may limit the appeal to tournaments.
Shortstop
I've already suggested two Yankees with Torres and Andujar. I might end up with a full stack in my default lineup, but if those plans change, Didi Gregorius ($3,500) is the most likely of the trio to be locked in.
It's really tough to pass on Trevor Story ($4,100) and Marcus Semien ($3,900) at Coors, both facing left-handed starters. Story should be projected as the highest-scoring player on the board at the position Friday night.
Trea Turner is very cheap again ($3,300), likely due to lineup placement, but he was in the No. 2 spot in the order with Anthony Rendon on the paternity list Thursday. I don't hate the idea of using him as a utility play if you're building around a combo of Yankees, Rockies or A's, and want to use Didi, Story or Semien.
One final tournament consideration is Paul DeJong ($3,200), whose .842 OPS against lefties since the start of last season is among the best marks on the board at the position during that span.
Outfield
In the A's-Rockies matchup, only two outfielders -- Khris Davis ($4,700) and Charlie Blackmon ($4,100) are priced above $3.5K.
Blackmon against a lefty -- especially at home -- is fine as a tournament play if you have the cash available to pull it off, but it's hard to steer away from Giancarlo Stanton at home against Brad Keller for an additional $100.
Aaron Hicks ($3,100) is another Bronx bat worth considering, though he might be the most popular of the bunch.
On the Oakland side, Stephen Piscotty ($3,500), Chad Pinder ($3,200) and Mark Canha ($3,200) are all in play, but one of the three may have to sit if Davis is going to play left field since the A's won't have the luxury of the DH. Keep an eye on the lineup, however, as Pinder could move to an infield spot if Oakland elects to sit Jed Lowrie or Matt Olson.
Two other mid-range plays to consider are Michael Brantley ($3,400), who is very affordable against Mike Fiers and the Tigers, and Justin Upton ($3,300), who is my top option for those who still aren't ready to fully buy into Wade LeBlanc.
I would have no problem putting together a trio of Hicks, Brantley and Upton in the outfield Friday.
