This article is part of our FantasyDraft MLB series.
PITCHER
Noah Syndergaard, NYM vs. PHI ($24,400): Syndergaard is the best of what appears to be a lot of poor pitching options on this slate. He comes at a high price, but without many good cheaper choices then it's best to pull the trigger on Thor. Through four starts this season, Syndergaard has a 1.73 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 26 innings. Atlanta has a top-10 wOBA against righties this season, but the Braves are also in the bottom five in K% against them.
James Paxton, SEA at DET ($16,000): The Tigers scored 19 runs on 24 hits Tuesday night, but Paxton is in a bounce-back spot after his first bad outing of the season in his last start. Even after that outing, Paxton still has a great ERA and a K/9 rate over 10.66. Paxton is also still priced as a middle-range pitcher although he's on the brink of becoming an elite pitcher in my mind.
INFIELD
Jedd Gyrko, STL vs. TOR ($6,600): One start into the 2017 season, it appears as though Mat Latos is still the same guy who's really struggled over the past few seasons. The Cardinals are certainly one team worthy of a stack, though Gyrko deserves consideration whether you go that route or not. He is off to a great start this season, averaging 8.28 fantasy points per game through 14 outings, and his .464 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season leads the team.
Matt Carpenter, STL vs. TOR ($8,000): Carpenter got off to a very slow start, but he's hit safely in seven of his past eight games and gets a nice matchup against Latos. Latos has pitched poorly for quite a while now and while he's not much worse against lefties than he his righties, Carpenter is certainly better against righties, ranking second on the team in wOBA against them despite the poor start.
Taylor Motter, SEA at DET ($6,000): Motter has feasted on righties this season, but last year he was actually much better against lefties. Motter has not hit lefties all that well this year, but a correction should be coming soon. Daniel Norris takes the hill for the Tigers and he is definitely a vulnerable lefty who Motter can take advantage of, as righties posted a .341 wOBA against him last year.
OUTFIELD
Jason Heyward, CHC at PIT ($6,000): Remember when Heyward couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag? Well, those days seem to be long gone, as he has three home runs in his last four games. Heyward leads the Cubs in wOBA against righties this season and he gets a crack at righty Tyler Glasnow, who had a decent outing in his last start but still had a WHIP over 2.00, so he's still living dangerously.
Bryce Harper, WAS at COL ($12,000): The way Harper is playing right now, he's a good play every day, but when his price is this high, it's not as easy as just starting with Harper and going from there. Considering he's at Coors Field, Harper's price is justified as long as he's not up against an elite pitcher. Colorado has no elite pitchers, so problem solved. Harper faces Tyler Chatwood, who isn't a bad pitcher, but Harper's .494 wOBA against righties this season shouldn't be ignored.
Jacoby Ellsbury, NYY at BOS ($7,600): Ellsbury is starting to heat up, with 13 hits in his past nine games and an average of over 15 fantasy points per game over his past three. He will face Rick Porcello, who has a 5.24 ERA through four starts this season and both lefties and righties have a wOBA over .350 against him. Ellsbury is one of the most likely hitters in the Yankees' lineup to take advantage of Porcello, as he comes in with a .389 wOBA against righties this year.
UTLIITY
Cesar Hernandez, PHI vs. SF ($6,800): Hernandez has averaged 11.16 fantasy points per game through his first 18 appearances, and he leads the Phillies in wOBA against righties (.398). Edinson Volquez takes the hill for the Giants, and though Volquez started the season on a high note, his three subsequent starts have been incrementally worse, and left-handed batters have posted a .386 wOBA against him this season.
J.T. Realmuto, MIA at PHIL ($7,200): Realmuto got off to a great start, and while he's cooled a bit, he's still managing to score points. He enters with a five-game hitting streak and will face off against Vince Velasquez, who has struggled to start the season, while Realmuto has a .388 wOBA against right-handed pitching.
