This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Sunday's MLB main slate begins at 1:05 PM Eastern time and features nine games. Below, you'll find which individual pitchers and hitters are primed to provide the best value, as well as the top lineup stacking options in this slate.
Pitching Overview
With plenty of enticing pitchers outside of the high price tier, look for owners to build lineups around pricey sluggers rather than take their chances with the likes of Blake Snell ($10,300) against the Yankees. Although, Caleb Smith ($10,200) brings a 2.11 ERA, 2.86 FIP and 34.8 percent strikeout rate into Miami's trip to pitcher-friendly Citi Field.
Lucas Giolito ($7,700) appeared well on his way to being a bust, but the former top prospect has displayed improved stuff with a 29.2 percent strikeout rate. The White Sox righty is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA and .243 wOBA against on the road, and he has a nice opportunity to keep rolling against the Blue Jays' bottom-five offense in Toronto.
Griffin Canning's ($7,300) 13:2 K:BB over his first two major-league starts makes the Angels rookie an enticing upside play in Baltimore.
Value Plays/Chalk
Southpaw John Means has been one of the few bright spots for the dismal Orioles, but his 4.40 xFIP suggests Means' 2.48 ERA is due for major regression. Mike Trout ($4,800) is likely to trigger that regression, as he's in the midst of another MVP-caliber campaign.
Twins catcher Mitch Garver ($3,100) leads off against lefties, so he could provide some sneaky value at $3,100 against Tigers southpaw Daniel Norris.
Texas' Joey Gallo ($4,200) is always a major home run threat, so he has immense upside here against Astros righty Collin McHugh, who has a 12.00 ERA over his last four starts.
Stacks
Red Sox vs. Marco Gonzales (Mariners)
J.D. Martinez (OF - $4,100), Xander Bogaerts (SS - $4,200), Michael Chavis (2B - $3,700)
This may not seem like a good stacking opportunity on its face, but a deeper dive suggests Gonzales' 3.08 ERA is unlikely to stay this low much longer. The lefty's 6.3 percent HR/FB is well below his career 11.1-percent mark, and Gonzales' xFIP sits at 4.69. Martinez has the power to change that HR/FB in a hurry, and his wOBA against southpaws is well over .500. Bogaerts isn't far below the .500 mark, and Chavis has performed admirably against all types of pitchers in his rookie campaign. Mookie Betts is notably omitted here, as lefties have completely stymied him all season.
Cardinals vs. Steven Brault (Pirates)
Jose Martinez, (OF - $3,500), Paul DeJong (SS - $4,200), Paul Goldschmidt (1B - $4,100)
Martinez has a .412 career wOBA against lefties and he's been even better than that this season. DeJong's also pummeling them to the tune of a near .500 wOBA, and that number climbs to almost .600 at home. Goldschmidt hasn't been his usual dominant self against lefties, but his career .422 wOBA in that split makes the first baseman an appealing option here nonetheless.
With a 7.11 ERA and 5.57 FIP, Brault is among the league's more vulnerable southpaws.
Pirates vs. Dakota Hudson (Cardinals)
Josh Bell (1B - $3,900), Gregory Polanco ($3,500), Adam Frazier (2B - $3,300)
While the Cardinals' right-handed hitters are likely to do some damage against Brault, Pittsburgh's left-handed sluggers should strike back against Hudson, who's surrendering a .531 wOBA to batters from that side. The switch-hitting Bell's wOBA is more than .100 points higher when batting left-handed, Polanco's wOBA against righties is more than .400 like Bell's, and Frazier continues to occupy the leadoff spot for the Pirates.
