This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
The players featured in this piece will be building blocks that can work in several lineup configurations (cash and GPP). Wednesday's AL Wild Card matchup between the Yankees and A's brings the opportunity to play FanDuel's single game contest. In this contest, you only select hitters. There is one "MVP" position that earns 1.5x points, one infield spot, one outfield spot and two utilities. Let's dive in and see which players could help you bring home some money.
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MVP
Khris Davis, OAK ($8,500): Davis sure has been consistent since joining the A's, hitting exactly .247 in each of his three seasons with the team. He's also been an excellent source of power with at least 42 home runs each year, topping out at 48 in 2018. Don't get discouraged that Davis doesn't have the platoon advantage against Luis Severino, because Davis actually has a higher wOBA against right-handed pitchers (.374) than he does against lefties (.340). His home run upside makes him a great candidate to use in the MVP spot considering the points multiplier.
Miguel Andujar, NYY ($7,500): Andujar certainly made a compelling case to be named the AL Rookie of the Year. Not only did he hit .297, but he slugged 27 home runs and 47 doubles. Although he didn't draw many walks, he only had a 16 percent strikeout rate. He also enters this game swinging a hot bat, posting a .375 wOBA across his last 20 games.
INFIELD
Luke Voit, NYY ($8,000): The Yankees had high hopes that Greg Bird would be their future at first base, but injuries and poor play have plagued him at the start of his career. In an under-the-radar trade with the Cardinals, the Yankees brought in Voit to provide some depth at the position. He's taken the starting job and run with it, posting a 194 wRC+ since joining the team. With his power and the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium, he has plenty of upside.
Matt Olson, OAK ($7,000): Olson couldn't replicate his torrid power pace from 2017, but he didn't exactly disappoint this year with 29 home runs and 33 doubles. Left-handed pitchers limited him to a .311 wOBA, but he posted a .353 wOBA against righties. He's also been much better on the road (.359 wOBA) than he has at home (.320 wOBA).
Gleyber Torres, NYY ($6,000): Torres didn't waste any time living up to the hype he received as a prospect. He even exceeded expectations with 24 home runs across 123 games after never hitting more than 11 home runs in a season in the minors. Like many of his teammates, Torres has been a more productive hitter at Yankee Stadium (.367 wOBA) than he has on the road (.330 wOBA).
OUTFIELD
Giancarlo Stanton, NYY ($9,500): It was going to be difficult for Stanton to match the 59 home runs that he hit last year with the Marlins, even playing at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. He "only" finished with 38 home runs, but he did play in at least 150 games for just the third time in his career. After getting off to a slow start in September, Stanton ended the season on a seven-game hitting streak that saw him launch three home runs.
Aaron Hicks, NYY ($7,000): The Yankees have a lot of big names in their lineup, so Hicks doesn't always get the recognition that he deserves. He played in a career-high 137 games this season, hitting 27 home runs to go along with a .366 OBP. With this being a bullpen game for the A's, Hicks will have a little bit of an easier task compared to some of his teammates based on his ability to hit from both sides of the plate. He doesn't have extreme splits with a .367 wOBA against righties and a .343 wOBA against lefties.
Ramon Laureano, OAK ($6,000): Laureano made an immediate impact during his first season in the majors, recording a .357 wOBA across 176 plate appearances. His 28.4 percent strikeout rate isn't great, but his 39.8 percent hard-hit rate is promising. If you want to take a chance on a cheaper option with upside, Laureano has had similar success against both righties (.360 wOBA) and lefties (.351 wOBA).
