This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
12 games await Friday's main slate, with only the Twins not immediately sharing their pitching thoughts. Weather is looking pretty clean, giving us ample options and matchups to sort through.
Pitching
It's a pitching slate loaded with big prices and big names, with five arms being priced at $10,000 or more, and three more north of $9,000. I wouldn't ignore the top two options in Shane McClanahan ($11,2000 or Joe Musgrove ($10,900) for GPPs, as they'll likely be lower used, but the obvious starting point is Gerrit Cole ($10,800) against Detroit. He's struck out 21 in his last 14 innings and faces a lineup that ranks 29th with a .269 wOBA against righties while fanning 24.2 percent of the time.
Shane Bieber ($9,700) also appears to be in a favorable and popular spot. He's topped 40 FDP in three straight, fanning 22 while allowing four earned runs across 21 innings entering a matchup with always targetable Baltimore. But for $900 less, you can get the same potential from Nathan Eovaldi ($8,800) against lowly Oakland and their league-worst .264 wOBA against righties and 23.9 percent K rate.
The pay down options aren't quite as obvious. Jose Urquidy ($7,700) figures to draw attention against Kansas City, but he's been very up and down to date. Brady Singer ($7,900) is in great form but has a difficult assignment opposite Urquidy and the Astros. JT Brubaker ($7,800) has quietly settled in, not allowing a run across his last 11.2 innings while averaging 29.8 FDP across his last five starts. Arizona sits at an average 15th with a .311 wOBA, but only a 96 wRC+ and a 25.1 percent strikeout rate. He may be the choice.
Top Targets
For as obvious as Cole is atop the pitching slate, Yankee bats are equally appealing against righty Elvin Rodriguez. The lineup is surprisingly stackable given current injuries, but we can set Aaron Judge ($4.400) and his huge .392 ISO and only 6.5 percent soft contact rate and move on.
Rafael Devers ($4,000) makes plenty of sense as well. He carries a .430 wOBA, 184 wRC+ and .294 ISO against righties into Friday night's matchup with James Kaprielian, who doesn't miss many bats (6.9 Ks per nine) while allowing 1.98 HR/9 while having a 5.78 FIP despite just a .253 BABIP that seems likely due to rise.
We'll need confirmation that he's available to play, but that ambiguity has priced Bryce Harper ($3,900) down, which makes him very appealing against Chase Silseth, who in limited opportunities has been hit hard by lefties to the tune of a .453 wOBA and only a 5.9 soft-contact rate.
Bargain Bats
Orioles' starter Bruce Zimmermann is regressing to the mean after a solid start to the season, allowing 15 runs across his last three starts, spanning 15.1 frames. He's surrendering a .381 wOBA to lefties and a .377 wOBA to righties, so no fault if you go to the top with Jose Ramirez ($4,600) or Josh Naylor ($3,500), but Owen Miller ($3,200) likely hits in a run-producing position, and has a decent .369 wOBA and .211 ISO, offering a cheaper in to the Guardians lineup.
I still don't trust Yusei Kikuchi, but he's been solid enough of late I won't recommend stacking the Twins bats either, especially given their slumps. But slumps reduce prices, and there are plenty of regulars with positive splits against lefties, led by Byron Buxton ($3,500) and his .416 wOBA and .421 ISO. Kyle Garlick ($2,500) and/or Trevor Larnach ($2,600) can be cheaper dart throws.
The White Sox are another lineup that fairs far better against lefties than righties, and will be largely ignored against top-priced McClanahan. Luis Robert ($3,400) carries a .424 wOBA, 186 wRC+ and .226 ISO, while Jose Abreu ($3,200) sits at .417/181/.258
It's home run or bust, but for the price, there isn't much risk in Matt Carpenter ($2,500), who could hit atop the Yankee lineup and see fastballs in front of Judge.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Rockies (Chad Kuhl): Ronald Acuna ($4,300), Dansby Swanson ($3,800), Michael Harris ($2,500)
Over the past three games, the Rockies have allowed 39 runs and 51 hits, 13/18 of which came last night from Atlanta, whose bats appear to be awakening. Friday starter Chad Kuhl is pitching well above his norms, with an ERA and FIP a full point lower in his first season in Colorado. That's bound to regress. Acuna hasn't found his power stroke yet, but he's the straw that stirs this drink and can produce in so many ways that there's stability and a safe floor. Swanson is locked in, riding a six-game hitting streak and 16-game on-base streak. Harris balances our budget and gives us flow with the 9-1-2 hitters in the lineup. He's starting to square up Major League pitching as well, hitting safely in three straight, including three knocks Thursday. This entire lineup had a hit last night, so you can attack from almost any angle.
Rays vs. White Sox (Vince Velasquez): Manuel Margot ($3,300), Randy Arozarena ($3,200), Ji-Man Choi ($2,900)
Velasquez is allowing a .405 wOBA to same-handed bats, a number that rises to .451 on the road, also surrendering a 1.064 OPS to them. We'll trust that even in a Rays lineup that figures to try to go as left-handed heavy as possible. Margot's .359 wOBA in this spot actually leads Ray regulars, so we're going to have to lean on Velasquez stinking more than the Rays excelling. But they are cheap, and this trio should feature prominently. Choi has hit safely in three straight and has eight hits in as many games, and while it's an incredibly small sample, Arozarena is 4-of-6 with a 1.667 OPS against Velasquez.
