This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Eleven games comprise our Friday main slate at FanDuel, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Zach Wheeler ($11,000) leads three pitchers priced in five-figures, with four more checking in at $9,000 or greater. The Rockies don't currently have a listed starter for the slate, but are expected to call up Tanner Gordon ($6,800) and his 6.23 ERA from Triple-A to face the Yankees. Yikes! There's no ignoring that game with New York having an implied run total of 9.2. Aaron Judge ($5,300) has received the Coors Field boost and creates an amazing conundrum for lineup construction.
No other game has a double-digit run line, with Phillies-A's sitting at 9.5, potentially creating some pivots from the Yankee offense. Early weather suggests we'll be dry and have a full slate. Wind always shifts, but we could see minor boosts in Detroit and New York, while there could be inbound winds in Sacramento and Denver, two games we're likely to target regardless.
Pitching
Pablo Lopez, MIN vs. KC ($10,000): While Wheeler at the top of the pitching slate is in elite form, there's at least a ballpark scare Friday, and for $1,000 less, I'll take a shot on Lopez as the top high-end option. The Royals don't strike out a lot at 17.9 percent, but the 87 wRC+ and .299 wOBA don't scare us. Their roster is a collective 26-for-126 (.206) with a .618 OPS off Lopez, with a 29.0 percent K rate. Lopez has been under 32 FDP just twice in eight starts. Minnesota at (-190) is the slate's second-biggest favorite behind the Yankees.
Yusei Kikuchi, LAA vs. MIA ($8,800): If you've read this column when I'm responsible over the years, you'll know I've never been a Kikuchi guy, but there are always exceptions to the rule. Miami doesn't whiff a ton at 21.4 percent, but they are otherwise woeful against lefties, posting a below average 82 wRC+, .295 wOBA and .104 ISO. Kikuchi has been far better at home, and has only had one start with less than 21 FanDuel points (FDP). The form sets up a floor, and the matchup sets up a reasonable ceiling. I like him better for cash lineups, but he's in play in all formats. His adversary in Sandy Alcantara ($8,000) has been awful, but the matchup makes him an interesting GPP option.
Eric Lauer, TOR at TB ($6,700): There are enough warts thanks to poor form or matchup that the pay down options are scarce. And with some high-priced bats some may want to use, just putting Lauer in as your pitcher for the cheapest price possible has merit. He hasn't worked five innings to date, so chasing a win isn't likely in play. But Tampa doesn't hit much, sporting a .265 wOBA and 71 wRC+ off lefties, striking out 22.5 percent of the time. Lauer is averaging a career-best 10.5 K/9. and the 2.25 ERA comes with a slightly elevated but manageable 3.68 xFIP. Four clean innings with five strikeouts can get us near a 4x return while loading up on bats.
Top Targets
The scheduling Gods were clearly smiling on the Phillies in setting up this road trip. They leave Coors Field, where they feasted, and head to Sacramento, which is arguably the second-best hitting environment. A's starter Jeffery Springs has a 6.30 ERA at home, allowing a .385 wOBA to righties. Trea Turner ($3,400) makes too much sense with 11 hits in his last eight games. Bryce Harper ($3,800) is in play if you don't care about splits, and stacking righties works too with no price boost. Nick Castellanos ($2,900), J.T. Realmuto ($2,700) and Alec Bohm ($2,700) work.
It's incredibly difficult to get Yankees into your lineup as they're all priced up. Trent Grisham ($3,700) has cooled considerably, but sits with a .441 wOBA, 192 wRC+ and .384 ISO off righties, Ben Rice ($3,700) .399/162/.279 and Jasson Dominguez ($3,500) at .392/157/.213.
We're overdue for Griffin Canning to turn back into a pumpkin, and Friday feels like a day where the Dodgers will be under-rostered. Mookie Betts ($4,100) has five hits in his last three, and is 3-for-7 with a homer off Canning.
Bargain Bats
I don't trust Atlanta's offense, but Matt Olson ($3,200) has four homers in his last five games, collecting 11 hits in that span. He's just 2-for-15 off Nick Pivetta, but has taken him deep. Marcell Ozuna ($3,400) is 8-for-31, but six of those are big flies.
If you're not considering Alcantara on the mound, sneaking in a cheap Angels bat could pay off. The Marlins starter is allowing a .503 wOBA and 1.162 OPS to righties on the road and .464/1.150 to lefties. Logan O'Hoppe ($3,100) has eight hits in his last four, and four homers in his last three. Nolan Schanuel ($2,700) has less potential but nine hits in his last seven.
Seattle's Emerson Hancock is allowing a .435 wOBA to lefties, something the Astros lineup doesn't have. That makes Victor Caratini ($2,500) an interesting punt play. He's got 10 hits in his last seven.
Stacks to Consider
Mets vs. Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers): Juan Soto ($3,600), Pete Alonso ($3,600), Mark Vientos ($2,500)
Yes, we can expect Kershaw to be better than his season debut, but is this the spot for that progression? Perhaps father time has caught up with him. Soto, despite all the negative headlines, sits with a .406 wOBA and 164 wRC+ off lefties. Alonso has a .380 wOBA, 147 wRC+ and .222 ISO, and thanks to current form, neither is priced to their potential. Vientos has been in a season-long power funk, but his spot at cleanup for this low of a price helps balance our budget and create a traditional 2-3-4 lineup stack. Vientos has 11 hits in his last 11 games.
Diamondbacks vs. Miles Mikolas (Cardinals): Corbin Carroll ($4,200), Ketel Marte ($3,700), Josh Naylor ($3,100)
This slate is so obvious at the top that for large tournaments, you're forced to hope the obvious fails and take the path less traveled. Mikolas comes with a 4.70 home ERA and 5.32 xFIP, allowing lefties to produce a .386 wOBA against .144 to righties. Arizona conveniently has lefties galore atop their lineup. Carroll has hit safely in eight of nine, providing double-digit fantasy points seven times. Marte has hit safely in six of seven, producing at least nine fantasy points six times. Naylor has hit safely in 11 of 13 and helps offset cost somewhat.
Try our FanDuel MLB Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
