FanDuel's Tuesday main slate features 11 games, getting underway at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Just five of the 22 starting options are priced in an elevated tier, making for some interesting decisions and lineup construction.
The Dodgers (-320) are overwhelming favorites, followed by the Mariners (-200). Athletics-Red Sox is our only game with a double-digit run total, while Giants-Diamondbacks, Mariners-Cardinals and Padres-Reds are all low spots at 7.5. Weather looks dry and cool across the slate, and at best minor wind impacts out west.
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Pitching
Robbie Ray, SF vs. ARI ($9,400): Trust these top options at your own peril -- George Kirby ($10,000) has allowed seven runs in two of his last four starts but has a sound matchup, Shane Bieber ($9,600) faces a decent Astros offense and hasn't excelled since his first game, and Michael King ($9,100) is returning from the IL. I'll default to Ray as a result, but not with great conviction as his last three starts haven't been good. He's at home, a solid pitching environment, and he's fared well against Arizona, striking out 16 in 15.0 innings while allowing a .182 OBA. Arizona's current roster is just 5-for-37 (.135) against him.
Emmet Sheehan, LAD vs. COL ($8,900): I'd expect Sheehan to be the popular cash game target given the opponent, but he's shown enough upside to be a GPP consideration as well given the volatility above him. He's fanned at least six in four straight, but has earned just one quality start as walks continue to push up his pitch count. But his 10.3 K/9 is real, as is the 3.59 ERA that's backed by a 3.75 WHIP. He'll get run support and earned 33 FDP three starts ago against the Rockies, a 3.7x return, and a similar outing seems likely, hence me preferring him for cash games.
Adrian Houser, TB at CWS ($8,000): The paydown options are brutal on this slate; heck the payups are too. Houser doesn't have a quality start since July 25 (six starts) and has returned 4x value on this salary just twice. But he gets a soft landing spot against the White Sox, his former team, and he found success pitching in this park previously. A lack of strikeouts caps his potential, but five innings of minimal damage can help on this slate.
Top Targets
The Dodgers are an obvious starting point against German Marquez, and while their lineup has homered 12 times off him in 158 at-bats, there's not a ton of BvP success. Mookie Betts ($3,400) is 8-for-26 (.308) and has seven hits and seven RBI in his last five. Max Muncy ($3,300) is the upside play, going 8-for-34 (.235) with four homers off Marquez.
Shares of both the Athletics and Red Sox seems advisable given the ballpark and high run total, and Alex Bregman ($3,600) has a .389 wOBA and 147 wRC+ off lefties.
The Mariners come with a decent 5.0 run expectancy. Cal Raleigh ($4,400) has homered in three of the last six and boasts a .422 wOBA, 180 wRC+ and .398 ISO. Josh Naylor ($3,400) has been elite off lefties since joining Seattle, posting a .431/187/.261 slash, and has four hits, two homers and six RBI over his last three.
Bargain Bats
Luke Keaschall ($3,200) just hits. He's on an eight-game streak now with 13 knocks in that span, and should offer stability against a targetable Kyle Hendricks. We can stay in Anaheim for more potential value, as Twins' starter Zebby Matthews is allowing a .425 wOBA and and .997 OPS to lefties on the road, something the Angels are short on. Yoan Moncada ($2,700) has seven hits in his last six.
The Giants are surging, but so is Arizona starter Zac Gallen, so it's not a spot to go overboard. Wilmer Flores ($2,700) is 5-for-19 (.263) with five walks and four RBI off Gallen and has homered twice in his last six.
Cincinnati's Zack Littell has allowed at least three runs in four of his last five, only twice making it out of the fifth inning. None of the Padres' bats are expensive, but value can be had in Gavin Sheets ($2,800), who has five hits in his last two, and Jake Cronenworth ($2,700), who has five hits in his last five. Both have a 127 wRC+ or better against righties.
Stacks to Consider
Cubs vs. Spencer Strider (Atlanta): Ian Happ ($3,500), Pete Crow-Armstrong ($3,500), Michael Busch ($3,400)
This is risky on so many levels; we know Strider possesses elite stuff even if he's currently searching for it, and the Cubs haven't been a solid offense for much of the second half. To that point, I don't hate Strider as a GPP dart in multi-entry tournaments. But he's also been torched by lefties at home, allowing a .410 wOBA, .962 OPS and seven homers in 26.0 innings. There's minimal BvP numbers, but Happ has homered off Strider in three at bats. Busch leads the team with a .373 wOBA, 143 wRC+ and .254 ISO, and Crow-Armstrong sits at .363/136/.259. Kyle Tucker ($3,700) is in play if he returns to the lineup.
Blue Jays vs. Luis Garcia (Astros): George Springer ($3,500), Daulton Varsho ($3,500), Vladimir Guerrero ($3,400)
Garcia was brilliant in his season debut, but he's still thrown just six innings since May of 2023 and is likely due some rocky spots as he works his way back. And the Blue Jays bats have been terrific all year. Springer sits with a .414 wOBA, 168 wRC+ and .244 ISO off righties. Varsho is at .404/162/.440 giving us huge power potential, and Guerrero sits at .375/142/192 and is in terrific form with 15 hits across his last seven games.
