This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
While there's a chance the main slate gets cancelled due to the players strike, let's take a look at some options if the main slate gets played out. It's one of the smaller main slates in this shortened season with only six games to choose from. As it did yesterday, the main slate starts at 6:37 p.m. EDT and all of the games are being played early.
Pitchers
Max Scherzer, WAS vs. PHI ($10,600): On a small slate with no game in Colorado, it makes a ton of sense to pay up for Scherzer in cash games. Mad Max has the highest expected strikeout total on the main slate and the Nationals are a -200 favorite. Look for him to bounce back after a poor performance last time out, as he rarely has two bad outings in a row.
Chris Bassitt, OAK at TEX ($7,800): Bassitt appears to be the best value play at the position given all of the players below his salary come with multiple red flags. The right-hander has averaged just under 28 fantasy points per game and allowed three earned runs or less in five of his six starts. This success has led to a 2.97 ERA, and the Rangers have the second-lowest wOBA (.279) against right-handed pitching.
Top Targets
Juan Soto, WAS vs. PHI ($4,500): For cash it makes a ton of sense to pair Soto up with teammate Scherzer, and figuring out the rest of the lineup at an average of $2,834 per player is doable. Soto's opponent, Spencer Howard, hasn't pitched into the sixth inning yet and has a 6.17 ERA through three starts.
Matt Olson, OAK at TEX ($3,500): Olson is rather cheap given his .391 wOBA against right-handed pitching last season. Jordan Lyles will be toeing the rubber for the Rangers, and he's allowed at least four runs in four of his last five starts, leading to a 9.25 ERA.
Value Bats
Hanser Alberto, BAL at TB ($2,900): Alberto should be hitting leadoff and he had a .400 wOBA against southpaws last season. He's stayed consistent against that handedness this season with a .398 mark in a limited sample. Alberto has averaged 10.55 fantasy points per game this season and has hit at least 9.2 fantasy points in each of his last three games.
Michael Conforto, NYM vs. MIA ($3,000): Coforto will be at the top of the lineup against a right-handed pitcher and he's got a good matchup. Sixto Sanchez is a young kid who'll make mistakes and Conforto has the experience to take advantage. He has 15.2 fantasy points in four of his last six games and had a .382 wOBA against right-handed pitching last season.
Stacks To Consider
Mets vs. Sanchez: Conforto, Pete Alonso ($3,600), Brandon Nimmo ($3,000), Jeff McNeil ($2,500)
The Mets could put up a big number against Sanchez, who is still learning the ropes in the big leagues. Looking up every player listed, they all had wOBA against right-handed pitching of over .380 last season.
Twins at Matthew Boyd: Nelson Cruz ($4,300), Miguel Sano ($3,400), Jorge Polanco ($2,800), Marwin Gonzalez ($2,600)
Gonzalez has had the most individual success against Boyd, but the righty-vs-lefty matchup helps the others as well. Boyd pitched well his last time out and is a strikeout artist, but he also gives up a lot of runs. All of the batters here have a good history against lefties.
