This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We have an interesting Saturday slate as few stud pitchers are on the mound. This will open the door for some nice bargains at pitcher and some solid stacking options against sub-par pitchers. In fact, only two pitchers are above $8,700 and 11 pitchers are $6,000 or less. I can't ever remember seeing that many pitchers priced so cheaply, and it should make for an interesting DFS day. We have some great batter-vs.-pitcher data to help you with some of these plays, and some of the numbers will downright astound you.
Pitchers
Mat Latos $6,200
The Dodgers decided to go with a four-man rotation last week and it gave Latos some time to find his bearings. Latos faces the Cubs, and his past success could be an indicator of a good performance in the making. It's amazing how poorly most of the Cubs hitters have performed against Latos throughout their careers: Starlin Castro (8-for-33, no XBH), Chris Coghlan (3-for-15, no XBH), Dexter Fowler (4-for-20), Miguel Montero (4-for-20, no XBH) and Anthony Rizzo (2-for-15, no XBH). Between these five, they have just three extra-base hits, five RBI and one home run with 24 strikeouts in 103 at-bats. These are staggering numbers and alone should make Latos a solid option. Latos is an even bet to win in this matchup, and Vegas anticipates a low-scoring game with a 6.5 run total. The icing on the cake is that Latos costs just $6,200. A low price can give you a lineup with elite bats, which is crucial with so many bad pitchers on the mound.
Luis Severino $5,300
I was shocked to see how cheap this talented rookie is priced. Severino's upside is fantastic, and I love this particular matchup against the Braves. Not only does he face one of the worst lineups in baseball, Severino gets to pitch at pitcher-friendly Turner Field and face a pitcher every time through the order. In the minors, Severino never posted an ERA above 2.50 and a WHIP never above 1.07. He also had an impressive strikeout rate, as he struck out more than one batter per inning. Severino's numbers in the majors have been nearly identical, and it's no surprise he's carried his success over with his elite stuff. The only reason Severino is so cheap is because he is young pitcher with little experience, but someone this highly touted should be trusted, especially at this price with this matchup.
Catcher
Stephen Vogt $2,500
Almost all of the higher-priced catchers like Brian McCann, Jonathan Lucroy and Evan Gattis look like good choices, but I think Vogt is a nice value nearly $1,000 cheaper. Vogt has had a great season for the A's, but a terrible July has lowered his price and his season numbers. On the season, Vogt is batting .263 with 16 homers and 63 RBI. These are very formidable numbers for any catcher and it seems he has been getting hot his last 10 games, recording three multi-hit games in that span. He faces Jhoulys Chacin, and Vogt has been very successful against right-handers this season, hitting .269 with an .842 OPS. Vogt should have a nice game, and he's cheap.
First Base
Prince Fielder $3,000
Fielder is one of my favorite players and is a must-use when he's priced this cheaply. The reason for the price drop is the power slump he's in, but he still has fantastic numbers. In 123 games played, Fielder is hitting .315 with 17 homers and 71 RBI. Those are borderline elite numbers, and it makes me wonder why his price has dropped so much. There are five first baseman who cost $1,000 or more than Fielder and his upside matches or surpasses all. Fielder squares off against Ubaldo Jimenez, and that's definitely nothing to be afraid of as Jimenez has been prone to blow-ups in his career. This price has fallen just too far here for Fielder, who's a great bet to outperform his price.
Second Base
Aaron Hill $2,200
I was debating between Jonathan Schoop and Aaron Hill for my second base slot, so I just decided to go with the cheaper guy. It's always nice to get a minimum-priced player at a weak position, and I like the upside of Hill. Not only will he be in the heart of the Diamondbacks' order, he'll have a platoon advantage against weak lefty Felix Doubront. Hill is not the player he once was, but he can still provide some pop at second base. Saving so much money on a player like Hill can help you get a guy like Bryce Harper in your lineup, and when you read below, you'll surely want to get Harper in your lineup. Expect the Diamondbacks to post a crooked number against Doubront and for Hill should be one of the beneficiaries in his typical five-hole in the order.
Third base
Todd Frazier $2,800
It seems like Todd Frazier is in my article a lot these days, and it's hard not to like him when he's below $3,000. Frazier is one of few third baseman who can provide speed and power. In 125 games this season, Frazier has 29 home runs, 75 RBI and 11 steals. I particularly love the matchup against the struggling Matt Garza. In 17 career at-bats against Garza, Frazier has three home runs, and he's much more likely to steal on a right-hander like Garza then a lefty. The Todd-Father is a great bet to either hit a home run or swipe a bag in Saturday's game and if he does either, he's a fantastic bargain.
Shortstop
Ian Desmond $3,300
Picking shortstops is like pulling teeth, so I'll go with the hot Ian Desmond. Since July 6, Desmond has been one of the best shortstops in baseball, recording eight home runs and 10 stolen bases. Since July 20, Desmond has been hitting over .300. It's clear that something clicked right around the All-Star break. He has more upside than the other five shortstops priced higher than him. A $3,300 price tag is extremely affordable, and the power-speed profile that Desmond provides is fantastic against a pitcher like Tom Koehler. With how tough of a position shortstop has become to pick, it's nice to slot in a guy like Desmond and just hope for a dinger or a stolen base to make up for the lackluster play across the league.
Outfield
Bryce Harper $5,000
I don't believe I have ever recommended a player of more than $4,000, let alone $5,000, but this BvP of Harper versus Tom Koehler is absurd. In 21 at-bats against Koehler, Harper has seven hits with five dingers and these aren't your run of the mill wall-scrapers. Every single home run was an absolute bomb, and it's quite clear that Harper sees the ball out of Koehler's hand as well as anyone. Using a player this expensive is tough, but he's a great pair with one of the pitchers I recommended earlier to create a high-upside, low-risk lineup. The season numbers and profile of Harper speak for themselves, so just use these numbers and try to get him in your lineup if you can afford it.
Carlos Gomez $3,000
I always like using guys with a power-speed profile, and Gomez is as dangerous as anyone in those two facets. While he's struggled in his time with the Astros, the talent is undeniable and it seems as though Gomez has been turning it around as of late. Over his last three games, Gomez has four hits, including a double and a home run, while recording three runs scored, four RBI and a stolen base in that span. The Astros square off against Mike Pelfrey on Saturday, and he could have some troubles against this deep Houston lineup. With the power-speed profile Gomez provides, this is just the type of matchup you are looking for. It takes time to adjust to a new environment and for a player as volatile as Gomez, it may take even more time. I believe Gomez is set to have a fantastic final 40-plus games of the season, and this stretch could very well be the start of it.
Jay Bruce $2,700
If you thought Todd Frazier owned Matt Garza wait until you hear this. In 27 career at-bats against Garza, Bruce has nine hits (five XBH), with two home runs and six RBI. This very well may be a case of Garza tipping pitched to the Reds, but in any case, it makes for a nice cheap play. At a position as deep as outfield, saving this amount of money on a player with the upside of Bruce is an amazing deal. Much like Frazier, Bruce also provides some speed to go with his power, as he has swiped nine bags this season with his 18 homers. Bruce has been a righty-killer throughout his career and he could do just that Saturday night.
