This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We have only seven games on Thursday, so there isn't a wealth of options out there, but hey, these guys only have to be kings for a day. The Orioles and White Sox will be playing a doubleheader, but only one game will count, so pay attention to the game time listed on FanDuel. Here are our daily value plays for Thursday, May 28.
Pitcher:
A.J. Burnett, $9,600: There's a big drop-off in talent after the top four pitchers on the board, so it would be wise to invest some money at pitcher today. As the third-highest-priced pitcher, Burnett offers the best bang for your buck among the top four. Burnett has been nothing short of outstanding this season. The righty has yet to allow more than two runs in any start this season and sports a stellar 1.37 ERA to go along with a solid 8.08 K/9. In addition, Burnett is facing a predominantly right-handed Padres offense that has struggled against right-handed pitchers - a .243 average - while yielding the fourth-most strikeouts in baseball. In short, Burnett's a great play for a reasonable price. However, if you're willing to spend a little more money, Corey Kluber ($10,500) is the hottest pitcher in the game and has a nice matchup against a struggling Mariners offense.
Catcher:
Brian McCann, $3,100: McCann has been hot over the last week - a .940 OPS - so he may finally be turning a corner. He faces right-hander Kendall Graveman, who has one good career start on his resume and owns an ugly 6.04 ERA on the season. McCann has traditionally excelled against right-handed pitching, with a career .829 OPS, and Graveman gives up a lot of contact. There are not a lot of good options at catcher with such a light slate of games, so McCann offers a nice upside play for a moderate price. If you want a cheaper option, Yan Gomes ($2,700) has a decent matchup against lefty James Paxton and is always a threat to hit a home run.
First Base:
Mike Napoli, $3,400: Napoli has been among the league's hottest hitters and seems to finally be living up to some of his preseason expectations. Just in the last week Napoli is batting .417 with four home runs and has raised his season average from .184 to .208. With a light slate, there are not a lot of options at first base. As the sixth-most-expensive first baseman available, Napoli offers the best combination of upside for the price point on the board. Billy Butler ($2,500) is a nice option for a cheaper price, as Butler gets to face a struggling C.C. Sabathia in Oakland.
Second Base:
Dustin Pedroia, $2,800: Pedroia is quietly having a nice season - he's got a .290/.361/.448 slash line - and has been hot over the last week. He homered twice Wednesday and has already matched his total of seven from last season. Yet Pedroia is still surprisingly underpriced at $2,800, making him just the seventh-most-expensive second baseman in a day with only seven games. Take the value here and roll with a proven commodity in Pedroia.
Third Base:
Nick Castellanos, $2,400: Castellanos has not been great this season, but he continues to be criminally underpriced on FanDuel. He has been solid over the last week, hitting .259 with a home run, and is priced lower than some third basemen who aren't even everyday starters. Add in a matchup with lefty C.J. Wilson - Castellanos has been much better against left-handers this season than right-handers - and Castellanos offers a solid option at third base that will allow you to spread your money out over other positions. If you want to spend a little more money, Adrien Beltre ($3,000) has a great matchup against rookie left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. Beltre is still priced well below his normal value and should be able to take advantage of the solid matchup.
Shortstop:
Mike Aviles, $2,700: Aviles has been white-hot over the last week, hitting .462 with a home run, and is batting .387 in the month of May. In fact, Aviles has quietly put together a solid season across the board sporting a .303/.372/.474 slash line. Aviles has been playing consistently against left-handed pitchers, so he'll surely be in the lineup against lefty James Paxton. For such a low price point, Aviles offers a lot of upside.
Outfield:
Billy Burns, $2,900: Burns has quietly emerged as an intriguing fantasy asset in his first 23 games in the majors, hitting .293 with seven steals, and the switch-hitter has a matchup with struggling Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia. Sure, Sabathia's a lefty and Brian McCann has been good at throwing out base stealers, but Burns has the kind of speed that's immune to such factors and he's regularly occupying the top position in the Oakland lineup.
Yoenis Cespedes, $3,100: Cespedes has been solid lately, with a .360 average over the last week - just the latest in what's been a season of reliable production - yet he's still available at a surprisingly affordable price. Add in a matchup with non-elite lefty C.J. Wilson, and Cespedes is a great upside play for a relatively minor investment.
Melky Cabrera, $2,300: Okay, yeah, the Melk Man has been pretty awful this year. However, he's been looking better lately, having hit safely in three straight games, and he's facing Tyler Wilson, an unheralded righty who's making his first start in the big leagues. Melky's always hit righties better in his career.
Other Notable Outfielders:
Adam Jones, $2,900
Matt Kemp, $2,500
