This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Tonight's main slate is a bit tricky in that there are only four games on tap. The popular stacks will likely be the A's on the road in Seattle (Wade LeBlanc) or the Angels at home against the Orioles (Chris Tillman). Both stacks (or a combination of both) are viable options for either cash games or GPPs. Due to the small slate, there will be a good amount of overlay picking players from the same teams.
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PITCHER
Sean Manaea, OAK at SEA ($9,000): This game seems a little like a trap given that Seattle has a potent lineup that can hit left-handed hitting well, and at some point Manaea will have an off-game. However, it's tough to logically pick against him given the cheap price and what he's done so far this season. He's reached 40 fantasy points in five of his six starts and has games of 67 and 52 over his last two. This game has the lowest over/under of the night at eight, and Oakland is a slight favorite.
GPP Fade: David Price, BOS at TEX ($8,100): Price hasn't looked like his usual self this season giving up at least four earned runs in three of his six starts. Not surprisingly, his two best fantasy games came against the Rays, and now he has to go into Arlington to face the Rangers. Texas has the seventh-best wOBA against lefties at home (.339) and strikes out only 22.2% of the time against them (the 12th lowest mark in the league). On the road is where Price struggled the most last season, as his road wOBA (.320) was 90 higher than his home wOBA (.230).
Cheap GPP Consideration: Garrett Richards, LAA vs BAL ($7,700): This looks like a great GPP pick, as Richards is coming off his worst start of the season, a -4 fantasy-point performance against the Yankees. However, Richards had 44 and 55 fantasy points in his other two home starts. The Orioles remain a good matchup, as they have the third highest strikeout rate against right-handed pitching (25.6%) and the third lowest wOBA (.280).
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Hanley Ramirez, BOS at TEX ($3,900): Ramirez has shown no signs of slowing down this season and has always feasted on southpaws over his career. That wOBA mark against lefties sits at .381, and Ramirez has found success against Mike Minor in the past. Using Mookie Betts tonight obviously makes a ton of sense, but Hanley has a good chance to be as effective at a discounted price.
SECOND BASE
Ian Kinsler, LAA vs BAL ($3,200): This price seems too low (only the sixth highest at the position on a night with only eight teams playing) given Kinsler's skill level and the matchup with Chris Tillman. While Kinsler has struggled early this season, a date with Tillman should help him out. Kinsler has a career .332 wOBA against right-handed pitching and will be hitting leadoff with Mike Trout right behind him.
THIRD BASE
Luis Valbuena, LAA vs BAL ($2,800): Valbuena is another was to get a cheap piece of the Angels while fading Tillman. Against righties over his last four seasons Valbuena's wOBAs look like this: .324, .359, .348 and .355. Tillman struggled against left-handed hitters giving up a .429 wOBA to that handedness and that number went to .497 on the road.
SHORTSTOP
Andrelton Simmons, LAA vs BAL ($3,000): Simmons had a nice fantasy breakout last season with 14 home runs and 19 stolen bases and no longer finds himself hitting towards the bottom of the order. He's hitting .309 this season with a .348 wOBA against right-handed pitching, an improvement on last season's .328 mark. It doesn't hurt that Simmons has reached base four of the nine times he's faced Chris Tillman, one of which was a home run. Lefty Kole Calhoun ($2,300) is in play as well; just note that he has only two extra base hits in 110 plate appearances this season.
OUTFIELD
Jake Smolinski, OAK at SEA ($2,200): Here's a solid punt play for tonight for a guy who's purpose of being on the roster is to hit left-handed pitching. Smolinski has had at least a .344 wOBA against lefties in each of his previous four seasons, and his career average sits at .363. While Wade LeBlanc has a career mark of .322 against right-handed hitters, it's worth noting much of his positive production came as a result of playing for the Padres in Petco Park.
Khris Davis, OAK at SEA ($3,900): Davis is the seventh highest-priced outfielder tonight and should be one of the building blocks in cash lineups. He owns a career .345 wOBA against left-handed pitching and his ISO is a lofty .257. It doesn't hurt to know that Davis went 4-for-16 in Safeco last year with three home runs.
UTILITY
Jose Abreu, CWS vs MIN ($3,800): Abreu has been incredibly consistent against both left- (.381 wOBA) and right-handed pitchers (.370 wOBA) throughout his career. Both of those numbers go up at home. Bump up Tim Anderson's value a tad if Yoan Moncada (day-to-day) sits this one out and Anderson is promoted to the leadoff spot.
