This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
A slightly reduced 12-game main slate awaits Tuesday evening. Seven arms are priced at $9,000 or higher, so we seem to have a reasonable amount of top options, and per usual, some punching bags priced at the bottom against which we can load up on bats.
Pitching
Gerrit Cole, NYY at BAL ($11,400): If I'm going up, I'm going all the way up, especially for cash lineups. It's a hefty salary, but the matchup with Baltimore, who fan a comfortable 24.6 percent of the time, makes it easily targetable. He hasn't faced them since April surprisingly, but went for 70 FDP. We do have a hair of ambiguity here after Cole left his last start early with a hamstring issue, but reports indicate he'll see his normal usage.
Frankie Montas, OAK at KC ($9,300): The middle pack of the top arms are all flawed in some capacity. Kyle Gibson will be popular at $8,600, but will his lack of strikeouts play up against the Cubs? Conversely, Montas has put up a 9.95 K/9 this year, but the Royals don't swing and miss (just 22.0 percent), likely capping his upside. He's in great form however, going for at least 42 FDP in four straight while recording a quality start in 10 of his last 11 outings. Less than 4x value would be disappointing.
Erick Fedde, WSH vs. MIA ($7,200): How lucky are we feeling Tuesday? There are a handful of arms that intrigue with good form and matchups in this price range, but all have major combustibility potential too. Fedde has had the Marlins' number this season, fanning 14 across 12.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and one earned run and averaging 45 FDP. Miami's 25.4 percent K-rate and .137 ISO against righties further inspires confidence.
Drew Rasmussen, TB at TOR ($6,200): For those that insist on paying down, Rasmussen could be the best bet despite the difficult matchup against Toronto. He's stretched out a bit more, having gone four or five innings in five straight and averaging 21 FDP in that stretch. Not a huge number, but it's a 3.4x return on this salary, which can work if we build the right offense around him.
Top Targets
Aaron Judge, NYY at BAL ($4,100): Judge is in good power form, having homered three times in as many games. He's always in play when facing a lefty, carrying a .394 wOBA and .236 ISO in this spot. The Yankees also got O's starter Alexander Wells for six runs and seven hits in 2.2 innings in August, a game where Judge went 2-for-5 with a homer.
Starling Marte, OAK at KC ($4,000): We know we want at least a piece of the A's against Jackson Kowar, but don't want to overdo it as he's been far better at home. It's a coin flip between Marte's safer floor and Matt Olson's power upside, and a mini-stack isn't a bad idea either. Give me Marte though, along with his .375 wOBA against righties, his six-game hitting streak and his 17 hits in his last 12.
Javier Baez, NYM vs. STL ($3,800): The Mets have made a little surge of late, and a lot of that has been due to a hot Baez, who posted four-straight multi-hit games before Monday's ohfer. He's been good against righties since coming to New York, posting a .397 wOBA, 154 wRC+ and .263 ISO, and the hope is his 29.7 percent K-rate plays down against Jake Woodford, who whiffs only 18.7 percent of the hitters he faces.
Value Bats
Adam Duvall, ATL vs. COL ($3,600): This is maybe a bit higher salary than we want for a bat that's largely homer dependent. Duvall has been terrific against righties to date though, posting a .393 wOBA and .394 ISO. Rockies' starter Jon Gray has been hit harder outside of Coors' Field, and is allowing a .403 to same-handed bats on the road.
Jesus Sanchez, MIA vs. WSN ($2,900): We can have interest in Fedde above, and still at least consider Sanchez as a value. He's been a nice source of runs and power for the Marlins, homering 10 times in just 49 games while driving in 27 in the process. Yes, he's power dependent and strikeout prone, but he homered in three straight recently and offers rare upside in this range.
Lane Thomas, WSN vs. MIA ($2,300): Marlins' starter Jesus Luzardo has been better over his last three starts, but we still want at least a small piece of the Nats in a spot where they could blow up. Thomas accomplishes this at a dirt-cheap salary. He's likely hitting leadoff, has a clearly unsustainable .608 wOBA, 285 wRC+ and .308 ISO against lefties (just 34 plate appearances) and Luzardo is allowing a .440 wOBA and 1.067 OPS to righties on the road.
Stacks to Consider
Giants vs. Jake Arrieta: Kris Bryant ($3,700), Brandon Belt ($3,600), Brandon Crawford ($3,400)
I'm not sure how Arrieta keeps getting the ball every fifth day, coming in with a 7.04 ERA and 6.09 FIP while allowing a .404 wOBA and .381 wOBA to righties, but it lets us choose freely among Giant bats. Crawford and Belt lead the team with a .393 wOBA against righties, with Belt giving us some pop too with a .332 ISO. Bryant is a nice anchor here, coming off a rest/maintenance day Monday and carrying a .384 wOBA,.241 ISO and 144 wRC+ against righties since the move to San Francisco.
White Sox vs. Packy Naughton: Jose Abreu ($4,000), Luis Robert ($3,900), Yasmani Grandal ($3,800)
This is going to be hard to fit into a budget, especially if you're paying up for pitching, but the return could be vast as the White Sox hit lefties well. Grandal has a .485 wOBA, 215 wRC+ and .346 ISO while walking a ridiculous 32.1 percent of the time. Abreu goes .397/156/.313 and Robert .415/168/.265. Andrew Vaughn ($2,300) is an option if he's in the lineup, should you need to pinch pennies.
