This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We have a full fifteen game slate today and here are some value play ideas to help you make your way to the top.
Starting Pitcher
Raisel Iglesias ($8,000)
Iglesias had a few decent starts, but his last one really showed his upside. He struck out 13 batters over seven innings to finish with a huge fantasy score. He has finished with double-digit fantasy points in five straight starts, with an average of 13 per game. He next faces a Brewers offense that has struggled all season. Iglesias has a little trouble with left-handed bats, but the Brewers only have two of them in Adam Lind and Scooter Gennett to worry about. Iglesias has been lights out against right-handed bats, allowing a .159 batting average. With the Brewers having a lot of right-handed regulars, it's going to be a good matchup.
Catcher
Russell Martin ($2,500)
Martin at only $2,500 is a steal. He had the day off Thursday, so he should be back in the lineup Friday. Martin has been awesome this year against left-handed pitching, with a wOBA over .400 and an ISO over .200, both of which are very solid numbers for a catcher. He has been cold lately as he plays through a hamstring injury, but he does not need to do much to pay off a $2,500 investment.
First Base
Michael Cuddyer ($3,100)
Cuddyer is nine for his last 18 with four doubles, two homers and six RBI. He faces Henry Owens of the Red Sox who has been decent, but he has allowed 22 hits in 24 innings with a few earned runs already. This Mets' offense has been absolutely on fire. Cuddyer, among others, has good lifetime numbers against left-handed pitching and profiles to have a good game Friday. He has been putting up double digits in his last two starts, and he would only need about a third of that to make value.
Second Base
Brian Dozier ($3,200)
Dozier finds his price in the sweet spot Friday and that makes him an interesting play. He is usually the top end guy on most slates, so the discounted price makes him one of the best value options at a tough-to-fill position. He faces a solid pitcher here in Scott Kazmir, but Kazmir has been prone to the long ball on occasion. Dozier has a .350 wOBA and a .224 ISO, which are solid power number for a second baseman. He has home-run upside and a solid splits matchup for a discounted price, all of which make him a top value play.
Shortstop
Wilmer Flores ($3,200)
Flores is the Mets' top guy based on the numbers against left-handed pitching. After watching him carry fantasy teams in his last game against a lefty, it is easy to see why. Flores had two home runs in that game on his way to a 17.5-fantasy point day. He has averaged 3.9 points per game over his last eight, gets his preferred split against a lefty and should be hitting in the heart of the lineup. His right-handed stroke should be able to find the green monster at least once. If he adds an RBI or run scored to that, he should pay off his salary again.
Third Base
Justin Turner ($3,000)
Turner is another solid value play that seems a tad underpriced. He faces Jason Hammel, who has been good, but allows a slightly higher batting average to right-handed batters. Turner has smashed in righty/righty situations all season long, posting a .406 wOBA and .243 ISO this season. Turner bats in the three or four hole and has been one of the best players on the Dodgers all season. When his price is this friendly, there is little need to reach up higher.
Outfield
J.D. Martinez ($3,900)
Martinez has a solid BvP situation in his limited at-bats against R.A. Dickey. He has gone 3-for-8 with a home run and a few walks over his career. While a sample size that small is not usually something to base a decision on, it is the best reference point we can get when it comes to predicting success against a knuckleballer. Martinez hits right-handed pitching well and Dickey has worse numbers to righties, so there is more support to this besides just the BvP. The Rogers Centre is a very hitter-friendly ballpark too, so there are a lot of arrows pointing in this direction.
Chris Colabello ($3,400)
There was no way to do a writ up on a day with a lefty facing the Blue Jays in Toronto without including more than one of them. Besides Martin, Colabello is the only other reasonably priced bat in the lineup. He is five for his last nine with a home run in both of the last two games, so he is swinging a hot stick. He faces lefty Matt Boyd and has a .wOBA over .400 with an ISO over .200 against left-handed pitching this season. He is batting in the five hole recently and is a steal at only $3,400 in his preferred matchup.
Franklin Gutierrez ($3,300)
Nelson Cruz is one of the top outfielders if you choose to pay up today, but his teammate Gutierrez has the same solid matchup with upside at a much lower price point. Both guys face John Danks, who has allowed a .304 batting average to right-handed hitters this season. While Gutierrez's .420 wOBA and .292 ISO are below the .485 and .356 marks that Cruz has, his price is also almost 40 percent cheaper. Gutierrez, who bats fifth in the order, has five hits in 14 at-bats with eight RBI and two home runs over his last four games. He has scored over seven fantasy points in three of those four and is averaging 6.25 fantasy points per game during the stretch. He has been as good as anyone in the league lately, so it makes sense to take the discount and find a roster spot for him.
