This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
A reasonably full slate awaits players Saturday, but as of submission time, FanDuel had minimal options for the full day, so we're going to concentrate our efforts here on the main slate, which doesn't start until 7 p.m. EDT. It's limited to six games, which makes for some challenging roster decisions, but there's still winnings to be had.
Pitching Overview
Eduardo Rodriguez ($8,900) leads a group of three arms above 8k. He'll face a revamped Mariners lineup that is clicking early. His -145 winning odds is nice, and his 33.0 percent strikeout rate and 3.96 xFIP in 2018's second half show he was better than his 5.40 ERA suggests, but this doesn't initially set up as a slate to pay for the top arm. Yu Darvish($8,600) and Kenta Maeda ($8,200) round out the top tier, with Maeda presenting well against a Diamondbacks offense that posted a meager .300 wOBA, 84 wRC+ and .156 ISO against righties last season with Paul Goldschmidt.
The easy pivot is to the contest's lowest total, which comes at 7.5 between the Giants and Padres. But it seems a puzzling total, with Dereck Rodriguez ($7,700) and rookie Nick Margevicius ($6,000) squaring off. Margevicius hasn't thrown above High-A, and doesn't seem likely to have the stamina for 5+ innings. Rodriguez meanwhile has next to no upside, posting a sub 20 percent strikeout rate regardless of handedness, and his fortunate 2.81 ERA masked a 4.56 xFIP.
The third tier offers very little, but with offense looking like it will have its opportunities Saturday, maybe paying down for the unknown in Dakota Hudson ($6,000) is a nice GPP play. He had a sterling spring after an impressive close to 2018. He lacks strikeout and innings upside, but five innings with minimal damage can go further on this slate than most.
Chalk/Value
Red Sox bats, per usual, are in play, with Mookie Betts ($5,000) and J.D. Martinez ($4,900) in good spots against Mike Leake ($6,900). But Leake's higher .336 wOBA and 4.60 xFIP against lefties at home a year ago raises the needle for Andrew Benintendi ($4,600), while also putting Jackie Bradley Jr. ($2,300) on the GPP list.
The other side of this game brings the white hot Domingo Santana ($3,600), who homered for the third time Friday and looks like regular playing time will help him regain form that led to a .377 wOBA, 130 wRC+ and .218 ISO against lefties in 2017. No Mariners' blip will be published thus far without mention of Tim Beckham ($2,700), which leaves Mitch Haniger ($3,900) as a forgotten man. His .379 wOBA and 147 wRC+ against lefties last year fits into all lineups. Mallex Smith ($2,900) sets the table for Seattle, and brings stolen base and run scoring potential.
Popular options from Days 1 and 2 of the season who haven't seen serious price increases include Kole Calhoun ($2,900) hitting atop the order and in front of Mike Trout ($5,000), Dodgers' cleanup hitter A.J. Pollock ($3,300), A's shortstop Marcus Semien ($3,300)
Stacks
All things Cubs vs. Edinson Volquez ($6,300)
The Rangers get a bit of a reprieve with Friday's day off, but Volquez is unlikely to make it past three or four innings while still returning from Tommy John surgery, and the bullpen threw 4.1 frames Opening Day. Take your pick from any two of three from Anthony Rizzo ($4,500), Javier Baez ($4,400) and Kris Bryant ($4,300) and pair them with Albert Almora Jr. ($2,800) for some savings, so long as the latter hits leadoff.
San Diego Padres vs. Dereck Rodriguez: Manny Machado ($4,300), Wil Myers ($3,60), Ian Kinsler ($3,200)
The latter two aren't cost prohibitive, and are cheaper here than they are on other sites. I'm not buying Rodriguez to sustain his '18 success, and I'm not buying the low total. Machado picked up two hits late Friday and posted a .242 ISO and .374 wOBA last year against righties, providing an anchor here, while Myers' swing and miss tendencies are negated by Rodriguez's inability to whiff hitters, and Kinsler provides a cheap leadoff option.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Dakota Hudson: Lorenzo Cain ($4,000), Ryan Braun ($2,800), Travis Shaw ($3,600)
Yes, Hudson was mentioned as a viable pitcher for those looking to go cheap, but his limitations were also noted. The Brewers lineup choices are the appeal here, as we can get their 1-3-4 hitters for around 10k. Braun is healthy for now, and has collected three hits through two games, while Shaw is a known righty masher; sporting a .285 ISO, .374 wOBA and 134 wRC+ last year. Cain provides stability atop the lineup, and comes far cheaper than Christian Yelich ($4,900), albeit with less upside. Jesus Aguilar ($3,700) is also in play for GPPers looking for more power potential.
