This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
A robust 13-game slate awaits Friday's main contest. The loaded slate is stacked with pitching, having four arms checking in at five digits, but is deep across all positions.
Pitchers
Gerrit Cole, NYY vs. BOS ($11,000): Cole saves a few bucks over top option Jacob deGrom ($11,200), and seems to present with more upside, though I expect a bounce back from deGrom, who struggled last time out against Miami. Cole hasn't been efficient, but he's still had a 33 FDP floor across four starts, and gets a Red Sox lineup that's whiffing 25.9 percent of the time against righties while posting only a .299 wOBA.
Sonny Gray, CIN vs. PIT ($10,800): Not much of a price break from Cole, but it's enough to consider Gray as your top cash option. He's coming off his worst start in four outings, allowing four runs while fanning a season-low seven against Milwaukee, but faces a weak-hitting Pirates lineup that currently ranks last against righties with a .233 wOBA and .100 ISO while fanning 23.9 percent of the time.
Aaron Civale, CLE at DET ($9,600): The Tigers' offense has shown signs of life over the past week, but they are still fanning 31.2 percent of the time against righties while posting a .289 wOBA. Civil has gone at least six innings in two of three outings, fanning nine twice to boot. The matchup figures to make him popular in both GPP and cash contests given the discount to those listed above.
Frankie Montas, OAK at SFG ($8,800): Perhaps a hair expensive given the Giants' modest 22.9 percent K rate, but Montas is coming off of two consecutive quality starts, and has built from four innings in his season debut to seven in each of his last two. He may need a win to flirt with 4-5x value, but having not allowed more than two runs in any outing and facing a lineup with a .298 wOBA and .130 ISO against righties, the floor seems stable.
Pablo Lopez, MIA vs. ATL ($7,400): Lopez has fanned 11 in 10 innings to date, and gets a Braves' lineup that has proven to be free-swinging, striking out 26.1 percent of the time. They've proven they can go off at any time, and carry a league-leading .354 wOBA against righties into Friday, but they are also without Ronald Acuna and Ozzie Albies due to injury.
Top Targets
Alex Bregman, HOU vs. SEA ($3,900): While it hasn't been smooth sailing for Bregman, or any Astro thus far, he's a near lock when facing a lefty. Bregman brings a .514 wOBA, 240 wRC+, .375 ISO and 40 percent hard hit rate, on the heels of last year's .473 wOBA, 205 wRC+ and .393 ISO.
Juan Soto, WAS at BAL ($4,500): The LvL matchup isn't ideal, nor is the price point with Soto being the most expensive bat Friday, a stark contrast to last week where he was easily under 4k nightly. But it's impossible to ignore how he's swinging; homering five time in eight games, only twice putting up zero fantasy points while collecting multiple hits four times.
Joey Gallo, TEX at COL ($4,000): Gallo, and all of the Ranger bats, are hard to slot in this column. We know we want some form of shares, and they are pseudo stackable, but none are hitting well at the moment. Gallo did post a .371 wOBA and .313 ISO against righties last year, and obviously benefits from Coors Field here. It's a steep tag for a homer dependent target, but the upside is huge in this spot.
Value Plays
Justin Turner, LAD at LAA ($3,300): It's never a bad play to grab pieces of the Dodgers' offense, and Turner appears to be rounding into form, hitting safely in seven straight entering Thursday, homering twice. Mix in the .385 wOBA and .294 ISO he posted against lefties last season, and there's potential to pop Friday against Patrick Sandoval.
Jesus Aguilar, MIA vs. ATL ($3,200): Aguilar is raking, owning four multi-hit games in his last five contests entering Thursday, and is still regaining the power stroke that saw him homer twice in three games before the Marlins early-season shutdown. He'll face Kyle Wright, who has a 5.47 xFIP and is allowing 1.5 HR/9.
Cesar Hernandez, CLE @ DET ($2,900): Cleveland's bats have struggled out of the gate, but Hernandez has posted a stable .341 wOBA against righties, tops amongst regulars, and he hits from the leadoff spot. There's next to no power upside, but he can easily flirt with 3x value by getting on base twice and scoring once, seemingly easily attainable against Ivan Nova, an arm regularly targeted against.
Stacks to Consider
Mets vs. Vince Velasquez: Pete Alonso ($3,700), Michael Conforto ($3,300), Brandon Nimmo ($3,200)
I'm personally not buying Velasquez's modest results through two outings. He's still a guy that allowed 2.2 HR/9 and 5.12 FIP at home last season, and was equally targetable regardless of handed bats. Alonzo gives power upside to this stack, while Conforto and Nimmo bring opposite-handed options at the top of the lineup. Jeff McNeil ($2,900) is a safe anchor if healthy as a contact machine.
Reds vs. Chad Kuhl: Nick Castellanos ($4,000), Freddy Galvis ($2,700), Jesse Winker ($2,600)
It's an unconventional stack given lineup placement, though it's fair to argue Galvis and Winkler deserve to move up given recency. Those two balance your budget easily, and Galvis has hit safely in four straight with homers in two straight, while Winker has multi-hit games in six of his last seven, going yard three times. Castellanos' place amongst the top bats speaks to his start, and could be overlooked given the names that surround him.
