This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Welcome to another edition of my FanDuel value plays for Wednesday, July 29. After a big night last Wednesday, we'll look to keep things rolling tonight and we'll have 11 games to choose from along the way. As usual, be sure to keep an eye on any last minute lineup changes and check in on any players who are dealing with minor injuries. Good Luck!
Starting Pitcher:
Tyson Ross, $8,500 - The 28 year old right-hander has been a great surprise for the struggling Padres so far this season as he enters with a 3.45 ERA and 132 strikeouts across 122.2 innings. The Padres haven't given him the best run support up to this point which would explain why he has just six wins. If you dig a little deeper, you'll find that Ross has only given up three home runs all season and the last time it happened was back in April. He's surrendered just six runs over his last four starts combined and he should have a nice matchup against the Mets on Wednesday who rank 29th out of 30 teams in runs scored and sit dead last in total team batting average. Kershaw ($13,300) will be the popular pick tonight, but Ross could provide great value pitching in a very big park against a brutal offense.
Catcher:
Brian McCann, $3,000 - McCann got the night off on Tuesday to rest up and stay fresh throughout the remainder of the week. He'll get a matchup with right-hander Colby Lewis of the Rangers tonight who enters with an ERA of 4.49 over 20 starts. McCann is hitting .250 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI, and 11 of those 15 long balls came against right-handed pitching. The Yankees will get the Rangers in Texas in a very hitter-friendly ballpark, which should certainly work in McCann's favor.
First Base:
Adrian Gonzalez, $3,600 - Gonzalez just keeps hitting year after year, and he's having another great season in 2015. He currently sits at 21 home runs and has a legitimate shot to get to 30 for the first time since 2010 when he was still in San Diego. 19 of his 21 home runs have come against right-handed pitchers and he'll get just that tonight when he faces off against Jesse Chavez of the A's. Chavez got off to a great start early in the year, but he's 3-4 with a 4.97 ERA in his last seven starts. There are seven other first basemen priced higher than Gonzalez tonight which is surprising considering his continued production. Mark Teixeira would also be a solid option at $3,700.
Second Base:
Kolten Wong, $3,300 - Wong has emerged in 2015 as one of the better all-around second basemen in all of baseball. He's a true five tool threat with 11 home runs and 11 stolen bases to go along with 51 runs scored and 42 driven in. The .275 average should continue to rise and he gets more and more comfortable in that starting role. Wong is batting .291 against right-handed pitching which includes 10 of those 11 home runs. He'll get right-hander Anthony DeSclafani of the Reds tonight. Another good option would be Howie Kendrick at $2,600.
Third Base:
Matt Carpenter, $2,700 - Carpenter has been one of the most consistent top of the order guys in the National League over the last couple of years, but this year has been a little different. The .255 average is certainly below his career .286 mark, but the 10 home runs are just one shy of his career high in that category. He's still scored 54 runs and driven in 47 despite the lower average and the fact that he hits in such a professional lineup from top-to-bottom, certainly works in his favor. He'll get that same matchup against Anthony DeSclafani of the Reds tonight who enters with a 3.98 ERA from the right side. If you're in need of a power option tonight, Manny Machado would be a nice play at $3,800.
Shortstop:
Xander Bogaerts, $2,900 - I took Bogaerts last Wednesday due to the hot hitting leading up to that point, and he hasn't slowed down a bit since then. Over the last seven days, the Red Sox shortstop recorded 11 more hits to bring his season average up to .312. In his last 50 games, Bogaerts has recorded a hit in 42 of them which is outrageous. There's not a hotter hitter on the planet right now and he still comes with a very reasonable price tag and a position where offensive production can be very scarce.
Outfield:
Jose Bautista, $4,400 - Bautista is having another great season in Toronto with 21 home runs and 66 RBI to go along with 62 runs scored. The Blue Jays get Jerome Williams of the Phillies at home tonight, a guy who's been getting absolutely hammered as of late. Williams is 0-4 in his last seven starts with a 7.91 ERA. Bautista left very late in the game on Tuesday due to a cramp, but he said that he expects to play tonight. Keep an eye on him throughout the day to make sure he's in the lineup because if he is, he could be in for a big night.
Hanley Ramirez, $3,400 - Ramirez needs one more home run to reach 20 for the year, which will be just the second time he's achieved that mark in the last six years. When he burst onto the scene back in 2006, hitting the long ball was something he did with ease. The power production had dipped a bit over the last couple of seasons, but he seems to be settling in nicely in his first season with the Red Sox. Despite a .246 average, and the fact that he doesn't run as much anymore, Ramirez has still scored 53 runs and driven in 47. His price tag isn't outrageous considering the big time production that he can put up on any given night. Ramirez will get the left-handed Jose Quintana of the White Sox tonight at Fenway Park, and 13 of those 19 home runs have come against left-handed pitching.
Adam Jones, $2,900 - Jones just continues to produce in the middle of a solid Orioles lineup, and he's shown no signs of slowing down as of late. Over the last four games, the star center fielder has seven hits which have brought his average up to .288. Jones has also hit 15 home runs to go along with 44 RBI and 48 runs scored. The Orioles will get a matchup against Mike Foltynewicz of the Braves tonight who enters with a 5.27 ERA across nine starts.
Other Notable Outfielders:
Jacoby Ellsbury, $3,700
Christian Yelich, $2,800
