This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Sunday's main MLB slate begins at 1:05 PM Eastern time and features nine games, unfortunately excluding the morning's Yankees-Red Sox matchup from a hitter-friendly London venue. 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
There's a clear top choice on the mound, but owners without the funds to go in that direction have some intriguing options to choose from among the rest of this slate.
Max Scherzer ($12,500) boasts the highest ceiling imaginable in this road matchup with Detroit's league-worst offense. His only other meeting against his former team was a 20-strikeout gem, and Scherzer brings some incredible momentum into this one with a 5-0 record, 54:5 K:BB and four runs allowed over five June starts covering 37 innings.
If Scherzer's too pricey, Jake Arrieta represents a nice cheaper alternative at $7,800 against Miami's 29th-ranked offense, though he's been far from his usual dominant self this season.
Like Arrieta, Brad Keller ($7,900) is another pitcher with underwhelming numbers but an enticing matchup. The Royals' righty has held the opposition off the board twice in his last three starts heading into this meeting with Toronto's bottom-five offense.
Value Plays/Chalk
There are plenty of vulnerable pitchers in action, with hitters from the Indians, Pirates and Cubs all in position to take advantage of favorable matchups. In addition to those three stackable offenses, certain individuals from other teams also stand out as options to target.
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve ($3,600) should be a near-automatic play whenever the opposition puts forth a left-handed starter such as Marco Gonzales, as his wOBA against southpaws isn't far below .500.
The Twins are pushing scheduled starter Kyle Gibson back, as a recent 18-inning game has wreaked havoc on Minnesota's rotation schedule. Regardless of who ends up pitching for the visitors, switch-hitting third baseman Yoan Moncada ($3,600) is primed to find success for the host White Sox thanks to slashing .298/.352/.514 this season.
Sticking at the third base position, Hunter Dozier ($3,700) is finally living up to his draft position as the Royals' eighth overall selection in 2013. Dozier's wOBA in righty-on-righty matchups is over .400, and should only grow further against Toronto's Aaron Sanchez, who is giving up a .375 wOBA to right-handed hitters.
Stacks
Indians vs. Gabriel Ynoa (Orioles)
Francisco Lindor (SS - $4,300), Bobby Bradley (OF - $2,200), Jake Bauers (OF - $3,100)
This has been an ugly series for Cleveland, but the Indians should at least salvage something against Ynoa and his 6.75 ERA and 6.44 FIP over 45.1 innings of work this season. The switch-hitting Lindor has a .373 wOBA against righties. Bradley can be bought for cheap, and showed incredible power at the Triple-A level with 24 home runs in 67 games and a .292/.359/.638 line but the lefty has struggled through six games in the big leagues. Bauers will also have the platoon advantage as a left-handed batter, and he has been much better on the road than at home by posting a .347 road wOBA this season.
Pirates vs. Zach Davies (Brewers)
Bryan Reynolds (OF - $3,400), Josh Bell (1B - $4,500), Corey Dickerson (OF - $3,200)
If you're a believer in the predictive power of short-term trends, this is the lineup to stack. Davies has been awful of late, allowing 11 runs - including nine earned - in 6.2 innings over his last two starts. The righty's previous two starts before that wouldn't be considered great, as each one featured three earned runs in five innings. Reynolds is in the midst of an outstanding rookie campaign, with the 24-year-old switch hitter posting a wOBA over .400 from both sides. He's a steal at just $3,400. Bell's another productive switch hitter, as his wOBA from the left side is also over .400. Dickerson will have the platoon advantage here as well, and he has managed a .388 wOBA against righties.
Cubs vs. Anthony DeSclafani (Reds)
Anthony Rizzo (1B - $4,000), Jason Heyward (OF - $3,100), Kyle Schwarber (OF - $3,300)
DeSclafani is plagued by an inability to get lefties out, surrendering a .408 wOBA to the 172 batters he's faced from that side this season. Rizzo is far more dangerous than your ordinary left-handed batter, as his wOBA against righties is over .400. Heyward's wOBA against righties is a respectable .368, and Schwarber gets to maximize his plate appearances out of the leadoff spot. Switch-hitting backup catcher Victor Caratini would also be an enticing option at just $2,500, should he get the start.
