This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Sunday's main MLB slate begins at 1:07 PM Eastern time and features 10 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
Between the household names and promising upstarts in this slate, there's no shortage of intriguing pitching options. Expect owners to pay up for whichever premier option they prefer, while finding enough value in some budget hitters to fill out competitive lineups.
Chris Paddack's ($10,600) 1.93 ERA is the lowest of any Padres pitcher ever through nine starts, and he has the peripherals to back up that success with a 2.74 FIP and 28.7 percent strikeout rate. Look for the standout rookie to keep building on his strong start against Toronto's 28th-ranked offense.
Owners reluctant to spend top dollar on a pitcher can settle for the Cubs' Jose Quintana ($7,800). He has been stellar at Wrigley Field all season, bringing a 1.93 ERA and .232 wOBA against over 32.2 innings at home into this matchup with a Reds offense that averages the fifth-fewest road runs per game.
Value Plays/Chalk
In addition to the potent lineups stacked below (the Twins, Dodgers and Astros), certain individual batters also stand out as options to target.
One such individual is Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez ($4,400), who has pummeled left-handed pitching to the tune of a .365 career wOBA. Sanchez should add to that success against Royals southpaw Danny Duffy.
Owners in search of cheap bats to clear space for a top pitcher should look to Rays' first baseman Ji-Man Choi ($2,500). Choi bats third against righties, giving him some nice upside against scuffling Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer, who has a 6.14 ERA in Cleveland this season and has been tagged for seven earned runs twice in his last four starts.
Stacks
Twins vs. Dylan Covey (White Sox)
Max Kepler (OF - $3,800), Eddie Rosario (OF - $4,300), Jorge Polanco (SS - $4,300)
Stacking Twins hitters has often been a winning strategy this season, and that once again figures to be the case here against Covey with his 5.31 ERA, 7.32 FIP and pitiful 3.10 K/9 through 20.1 innings of work this season. Kepler owns a .385 wOBA against righties and leads off against them, while Rosario cleans up and also has the platoon advantage as a fellow left-handed slugger. Meanwhile, the switch-hitting Polanco is slugging over .600 overall and has posted a wOBA well over .400 when batting left-handed.
Dodgers vs. Chris Archer (Pirates)
Cody Bellinger (OF - $4,900), Max Muncy (1B - $3,400), Corey Seager (SS - $3,100)
Despite being one of the bigger names on the mound in this slate, Archer's one of the more vulnerable arms in action. In two starts since returning from a thumb injury, the righty has been tagged for 11 runs - including nine earned - over 8.2 innings. These three lefty sluggers all have the platoon advantage against Archer and know how to use it. Bellinger doesn't come cheap, but he's putting up video game numbers with a wOBA over .500 against righties. Muncy has done most of his damage on the road with a wOBA over .400, while Seager is yet another potent bat in Los Angeles' lefty-laden lineup that can be had at a reasonable price.
Astros vs. Eduardo Rodriguez (Red Sox)
Michael Brantley (OF - $4,000), Alex Bregman (3B - $4,100), Aledmys Diaz (2B - $2,800)
Pitchers usually possess a major advantage in lefty-on-lefty matchups, but that hasn't been the case for Rodriguez, who has surrendered a whopping .471 wOBA to batters from the left side. Brantley is one of the game's most reliable left-handed hitters, so he's likely to add to Rodriguez's struggles. Bregman has the more traditional platoon advantage as a right-handed hitter and has a .385 career wOBA against left-handed pitching. Diaz has filled in admirably for the injured Jose Altuve (hamstring) at second base and led off Saturday against southpaw David Price with usual leadoff man George Springer battling a hamstring injury of his own.
