This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Sunday's MLB main slate features no shortage of action on Father's Day, with 11 games on tap beginning at 1:05 PM Eastern time. 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
Trevor Bauer ($11,300) is significantly more expensive than all the other pitchers. While he has a tremendous matchup against Detroit's 29th-ranked offense, expect many owners to instead save up for some big bats with a number of quality cheaper alternatives available on the mound.
Pittsburgh's Chris Archer ($7,900) has been vulnerable to the home run with 16 allowed in 11 outings, but he remains a solid source of whiffs with a 23.0 percent strikeout rate. Marlins Park is tied for the league's second-lowest home run park factor at 0.65, with the pitcher-friendly venue occupied by baseball's worst offense at 3.46 runs per game.
Orioles lefty John Means ($8,100) represents an against-the-grain option with plenty of upside at home against an inconsistent Red Sox offense. Means boasts a sparkling 1.57 ERA in 34.1 innings at home, though it's worth noting the 26-year-old's underlying numbers suggests he's due for some regression.
Value Plays/Chalk
The Twins, Phillies and Mets all present nice stacking opportunities for owners here, but certain individuals from other teams also stand out as options to target.
While Means has been a rare bright spot for Baltimore on the mound, the same can be said for first baseman Trey Mancini ($3,600) on offense. He's been particularly effective against left-handed pitching, posting a wOBA over .400. That success should continue against Boston southpaw Brian Johnson, who enters with a 12.71 ERA in limited action.
Astros outfielder Michael Brantley ($3,900) is primed to find success against Blue Jays righty Trent Thornton, who has allowed a .361 wOBA to batters from the left side this season.
Yankees third baseman and leadoff man DJ LeMahieu ($3,800) boasts a solid .353 wOBA in righty-on-righty road matchups, so he should take advantage of a favorable matchup against vulnerable White Sox right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne.
Stacks
Twins vs. Jakob Junis (Royals)
Jorge Polanco (SS - $4,100), Max Kepler (OF - $4,100), Eddie Rosario (OF - $4,000)
Left-handed hitters have found success against Junis all season by producing a .377 wOBA. And Minnesota possesses the personnel to add to the righty's struggles. The switch-hitting Polanco has done his best work from the left side with a .430 wOBA. Kepler leads off and owns a .375 wOBA against righties, while Rosario cleans up with a .343 mark.
Phillies vs. Mike Foltynewicz (Braves)
Bryce Harper (OF - $4,200), Rhys Hoskins (1B - $4,400), Cesar Hernandez (2B - $2,800)
Foltynewicz has struggled mightily this season and those struggles have only worsened at home, where his ERA sits at 7.18 in 31.1 innings. Harper enjoys the platoon advantage as a left-handed slugger, and he'll be hard-pressed to find a better opportunity to close the gap between his .393 career wOBA against righties and his .328 season mark. Hoskins has a solid .372 wOBA in righty-on-righty matchups, while Foltynewicz has been awful in such situations with a .387 wOBA allowed. The switch-hitting Hernandez comes in with a wOBA nearly 100 points higher from the left side and leads off against righties, making him a nice budget option at second base.
Mets vs. Dakota Hudson (Cardinals)
Michael Conforto (OF - $3,700), Jeff McNeil (OF - $3,100), Robinson Cano (2B - $2,800)
Left-handed hitters have had Hudson's number all season, producing a .401 wOBA over a 160-batter sample size. Conforto is New York's most dangerous option from the left side, with a wOBA just under .400 against righties overall and isn't far below .500 in that split at home. McNeil leads off and has posted a .375 wOBA against righties. Cano is scheduled to return from a quadriceps injury, so this could be a nice buy-low opportunity on the veteran second baseman if he indeed suits up.
