This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
The DFS action on FanDuel kicks off early with a slate starting at 12:10 p.m. EDT featuring just two games. Then there's another early-only, two-game slate starting at 3:10 p.m. EDT that includes the Cubs in Coors. Finally, the main slate starts at the usual 7:05 p.m. EDT with a healthy eight games.
Pitching
The cash game option that looks best is the Astros' Justin Verlander ($11,100) who happens to also be the most expensive pitcher. Verlander has at least 31 fantasy points in 13 of his 14 starts and has hit at least 52 fantasy points in eight of them. The Brewers might seem like a bad matchup, but their 25.1 percent strikeout rate is the fourth highest in baseball. Verlander has also been better at home this season with a 2.00 ERA and 0.64 WHIP.
If there's a mid-tier option to consider, it's the Padres' Joey Lucchesi ($7,900). While Lucchesi's worst outing of the season came earlier this season in San Francisco, it's a great matchup. He's a -143 favorite in a game with an over/under of 7.5 runs, the lowest of the slate. The Giants are dead last against left-handed pitching with a .270 wOBA and their 23.8 percent strikeout rate is league-average at 15th. He's a great option to use and fit in the bats from the Orioles/Blue Jays projected slugfest.
The cheap, dart-throw option of the night is the Royals' Danny Duffy ($6,900). He's coming off a bad start against Boston, who have typically crushed lefties in recent history. He's going to carry low ownership and is a good GPP pick. Out of his eight starts this season, five of them have seen him hit 27 fantasy points or more. The Tigers are a good matchup for Duffy as their 26.3 percent strikeout rate against southpaws is the sixth-highest mark in baseball.
Key Values/Chalk
The Twins' Nelson Cruz ($3,600) is a great option as always against a lefty (Tommy Milone) but the Royals' Whit Merrifield ($3,600) is also worth considering. Merrifield has gone 6-for-16 against Daniel Norris with three home runs, leading to a 1.438 OPS. Against lefties Merrifield has a .365 wOBA for his career so it makes sense that he's had his way with Norris. Yordan Alvarez ($2,900) is also an option...
The Orioles and Blue Jays bats will be popular tonight and they should be considering the David Hess vs. Edwin Jackson matchup. This game has a rare East Coast over/under of 11 and it seems like it should go over. Baltimore's Jonathan Villar ($3,100) is a solid pick considering his price and his .339 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. The Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($3,100) also seems like an easy call for cash games at third base considering his price and matchup. He's already had some huge games since his call-up and this is a great matchup against Hess who has given up a .421 wOBA to right-handed hitters this season. In cash games, the Jays' Eric Sogard ($2,900) makes sense even if it seems the lineup is starting to stack Toronto players. Sogard hit a leadoff home run last night and is averaging 10 fantasy points per game this season. Eric has a .339 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season which is a solid number considering the position. Also, if there was ever a time to use the Orioles' Chris Davis ($2,100), it's tonight. He's only $100 above the minimum and has the lefty-vs.-righty matchup against Jackson. For his career Davis has a .349 wOBA against right-handed pitching while Jackson is allowing a .395 wOBA to opposing left-handed hitters this season.
Stacks
Blue Jays at Orioles (Hess)
Guerrero, Sogard, Justin Smoak (C/1B - $3,300), Rowdy Tellez (C/1B - $2,400)
This game will easily be the most stacked game of the night. Use players from either side or both sides and the right combination should win one of the big tournaments on FanDuel.
Mariners at Twins (Milone)
Cruz, Miguel Sano (3B - $3,600), C.J. Cron (C/1B - $3,600), Jorge Polanco (SS - $4,000)
While this is an expensive stack, it's worth it. The Twins lead all of baseball with a .373 wOBA against left-handed pitching and most of that stat can be attributed to these four players. Their 19.8 percent strikeout rate is the fourth lowest as well.
