This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
The Saturday slate is full of interesting games with some aces on the mound as well as some of the best hitters in the game. It's not quite a full slate as there are some day games, but we'll focus on the 7 p.m. Eastern games as those are when the larger guaranteed prize pools are played. There are many good options Saturday night, so I'll offer cheaper options to help build daily lineups.
Pitchers
Julio Teheran ($9,200) - With studs like Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner available, Teheran is a good option at a much cheaper price. Teheran squares off against the Mets, who have struggled to get anything going offensively. The one game the Mets have scored more than three runs was the Stephen Strasburg game in which the Nationals' defense single-handedly allowed the Mets to score six runs. The Mets have struck out at least nine times in three of the first four games, which bodes well for Teheran, as well. The game total is at a measly 6.5 runs, and with Atlanta being a small favorite, that means Vegas doesn't expect the Mets to score more than three runs yet again. Teheran faced the Mets four times last season and apart from one poor outing, he posted impressive numbers in 20-plus innings with four runs and 14 hits allowed in three games. A solid seven-inning/one-run outing seems reasonable against a righty-heavy lineup.
Yovani Gallardo ($7,600) - It really irks me to choose a guy like Gallardo for my debut baseball article on RotoWire, but when playing in GPPs, sometimes it's necessary to choose a volatile player to give yourself a chance at a premium lineup. Gallardo had a nightmare debut for the Rangers, lasting only four innings in an 8-0 loss to the Oakland A's. Saturday, however, Gallardo faces the swing-and-miss strikeout kings known as the Houston Astros. Gallardo's strikeout rate dipped the last two seasons, but he should get some help from Houston. The Astros have struck out at an ungodly pace thus far, whiffing 36 times in the opening series against the Indians. A 10-strikeout performance seems possible for Gallardo. Weather is a bit of a question for this game, so be sure to monitor reports prior to submitting a final lineup.
Catcher
Miguel Montero ($3,100) - Kyle Kendrick pitched a seven-inning shutout on Opening Day, but regression could hit him hard in the form of Miguel Montero. Montero has significantly better numbers against righties and has some gaudy lifetime numbers against Kendrick, as well as in Coors Field. Montero is hitting .462 with a 1.332 OPS in 13 plate appearances against Kendrick. Montero also had three, three-hit performances last season in Colorado, and more than 20 percent of his career homers have come against the Rockies. The only concern is that Montero is not guaranteed to play, as he's made only two appearances thus far. But manager Joe Maddon knows these stats and likely will bat Montero in a favorable spot in the order. While Montero is a risky option, he has high upside at a low price.
First Base
Prince Fielder ($3,800) - If you had any concerns about Prince Fielder's health, he has shown that he has not lost a step with his strong play in the opening week. While the power has yet to show, Fielder is batting an impressive .421, going 8-for-19, with three RBI in four games. My favorite part of the play is the opposing pitcher, Roberto Hernandez. Hernandez is a gas-can who has career numbers that would make any GM flinch, posting a career 4.60 ERA with a 1.41 WHIP. He has also struggled mightily against lefties, giving up a .362 OBP with a .445 SLG. A big run total from the Rangers seems likely, and if they are to post a crooked number, Prince should be the main catalyst.
Second Base
Jonathan Schoop/Ryan Flaherty ($2,400) - Second base is probably the toughest position to figure out, but using a cheap Baltimore bat against a relatively unknown pitcher seems like a decent bet. Schoop and Flaherty platoon, and while it's tough to figure who will start, it's an easy switch once lineups are announced because they are the same price. Each already has a home run this season and in a high scoring BAL/TOR game, either could prove valuable at a nearly minimum price. Flaherty seems like a better bet to start as he is the lefty in the platoon, but both are a nice cheap play against Aaron Sanchez. Sanchez posted solid numbers in relief last season but had less than stellar numbers in the minors as a starter prior to his callup with an ERA higher than 4.00. There's nothing special about the matchup that draws the eye, but it just looks like a cheap solid option against an ex-reliever who has yet to prove himself as a starter in the majors.
Third Base
Josh Donaldson ($3,900) - Not much more needs to be said then that the Blue Jays are facing Ubaldo Jimenez and that they look like a fine stacking option. While Donaldson is one of the more expensive options, he is just such a better value than the likes of Nolan Arenado at $4,600. Donaldson is only 1-for-6 against Jimenez in his career, but with a game total at nine, the Blue Jays look like a good bet to score five-plus runs. Jimenez has posted a 4.60 ERA or higher in four of his last five seasons, and he could have some serious struggles against a potent lineup with the likes of Encarnacion, Bautista and Donaldson. Donaldson is coming off his best game as a Blue Jay, going 2-for-3 with three RBI in Friday's 12-5 win, and with back-to-back multi-hit games, he looks poised to continue his hot hitting against a poor pitcher. I'll take the cheapest option of the three Toronto stars and fill in a position that is rather weak for this Saturday slate.
Shortstop
Jose Reyes ($3,700) - Let's go back to the Ubaldo Jimenez well and stack another Toronto hitter at a shallow position. Reyes is the fifth-ranked shortstop in salary for Saturday, which is a bit surprising because he is one of the best bets to score. The best part about Reyes' game is how versatile he is and how many ways he can help you. Reyes could go for three hits, two runs, steal a bag or, on occasion, hit a homer. Against a pitcher like Jimenez, Reyes is a good bet to steal a bag with his exaggerated delivery or contribute in any one of those categories. Reyes is significantly more valuable as a lefty as he has recorded more than 70 percent of his career steals and home runs against righties. With the big bats of Encarnacion, Bautista and Donaldson behind him, it would be surprising not to see him get on base and score. Reyes is the type of player who can single-handedly win your matchup through runs and steals if he has a big day.
Outfielders
Shin-Soo Choo ($3,100) - Choo is a risky option because he had some minor back spasms Friday, but he he said he felt significantly better after the game. Choo is a talented player who can help in many facets, including runs, home runs and RBI. He is a nice stacking option with previous mentioned Price Fielder and looks poised to bounce back after a poor season last year. All of the numbers regarding Hernandez's struggles come in to play with Choo, as well. Choo has two extra-base hits and three RBI in his first three games and could continue that production against a struggling pitcher like Hernandez. If he is not in the lineup, a solid substitution is leadoff hitter Leonys Martin at a nearly identical price ($3,000). To put it simply, any Ranger in the top 5 of the batting order is a strong candidate to contribute.
Matt Joyce ($2,600) - Joyce is my favorite play of the day, as he is cheap and a fantastic bet to give us some good fantasy production. Against righties, Joyce has batted cleanup behind the likes of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. If that doesn't tickle your fancy, maybe his gaudy .412 average in 34 at-bats against Jeremy Guthrie will. He has two home runs, six extra-base hits, five walks and seven RBI against Guthrie, as well. Head-to-head numbers are usually not reliable due to small sample sizes, but clearly Joyce sees the ball well out of Guthrie's hand. Joyce is my best bet of the day to exceed his $2,600 price tag, and even if he finishes with a mediocre 1-3 with an RBI and a walk, he did his job at such a cheap price.
Kole Calhoun ($3,500) - Calhoun is a great option to score as a leadoff hitter for one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball. At $3,500, Calhoun is ranked outside the top 20 at outfield, and that is just criminally under-ranked with a matchup like this. Calhoun has only faced Guthrie four times, but has two hits and a home run in his limited appearances. If Joyce, Trout or Pujols are to perform well, that means Calhoun needs to get on base. All of Calhoun's power comes against righties as he has hit 22 of his 25 career home runs off righties. Calhoun much like Reyes, provides a lot of outs for fantasy production, and that's as valuable as anything. Look for Calhoun to return value against Guthrie.
