This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
FanDuel's Friday main slate features a robust 13 games, giving us plenty of opportunities to be different. Four pitchers are priced in five-figures, with the top two seemingly having the better matchups. No game comes with a double-digit run total, so there's not immediately offenses we want to target, but that also suggests pitching can be found at lower prices.
Rain looks likely in Chicago, which is a bummer because my favorite pitching target here would be Tampa's Zach Eflin. You're going to need a pivot if he's your choice as a postponment seems possible to probable. Weather elsewhere is dry and/or domed. Wind should be a positive aid to hitters in San Francisco.
Pitching
Corbin Burnes, BAL vs. OAK ($11,500): This space was initially reserved for Zach Eflin, but the PPD chances force the need for other options. That option was Jesus Luzardo as we continune to target bad offenses more than anything else, but he's been scratched while writing this column. As such, Burnes gets the ink by default. I don't find it necessary to pay all the way up, but there's no denying the matchup. Oakland ranks 28th with a .273 wOBA against righties, striking out at a massive 28.4 percent clip. Burnes has just two quality starts to date, but this matchup screams he'll earn another one here. There's GPP upside, cash game stability and likely enough value offensively to fit him in.
George Kirby, SEA vs. ARI ($8,700): Bucking the bad offense theme a tad here, but Arizona has been far better off lefties than righties. They don't strike out much at all at just 18.9 percent off righties, but it comes with a below average .302 wOBA, 89 wRC+ and .120 ISO. Kirby needs the strikeouts to reach a ceiling capable of matching the slate's higher-priced arms, but he's pretty heavily discounted at this price. He's posted a 4x return in three of his five starts, including consecutive outings and looks to be rebounding from a rough start. He's a safer option than Kyle Harrison, who comes with better strikeout potential given the matchup, but both are solid GPP options.
Trevor Williams, WSH at MIA ($7,800): Bad offenses, rinse and repeat. Miami sports a .292 wOBA off righties, ranking 26th, coming with a below average 83 wRC+ and .122 ISO. The strikeout percentage isn't high at 22.6, but that's not Williams' game, averaging 7.5 per nine. He's a ground ball guy at 49.1 percent, and that's what the Marlins do, putting it on the ground 52.6 percent of the time against righties. Williams has just one quality start to date, but has gone at least five innings in every outing. Expect the same here with limited damage, which puts him in play for a 3x return if not more.
Top Targets
Gunner Henderson ($4,200) stands out as the most obvious top-end target. He's got a .436 wOBA, 193 wRC+ and .367 ISO off righties and has nine hits, two homers, five RBI and seven runs scored in his last five games.
The price point on Ozzie Albies ($4,000) isn't great considering he's fresh off the injured list. And he hasn't officially been activated, but that could keep his roster percentages down to those not paying attention. He's long been know for mashing lefties, putting him in a favorable spot, and prior to injury, was one of the few Atlanta big bats that was actually producing.
Staying in Atlanta, Jose Ramirez ($3,900) is another likely overloooked big bat. He's 8-for-27 (.296) off Chris Sale, not a hugely robust number, but he's also only struck out three times in 31 plate appearances agaisnt him, so he'll put it in play here. He similar to Albies in that we want him against lefties, currently sitting with a .370 wOBA, 147 wRC+ and .296 ISO.
Bargain Bats
Baltimore bats are likely to be a popular stack, so to be different, perhaps just a share is the right GPP build. Teams are running lefties at Ross Stripling a 75 percent rate, something Baltimore is chalked full with, but he's allowing a .417 wOBA to righties compared to a .347 to lefties thus far. Pair that with a 4-for-7, two HR history, and Ryan Mountcastle ($3,200) looks like a nice play.
Bryce Harper ($3,500) is getting going and isn't priced as such. He's hit safely in seven straight, collecting 10 total knocks in that stretch with two homers and nine RBI. At the same price point, Freddie Freeman ($3,500) is appealing for stability/cash lineups. He's yet to find his power stroke, but does have nine hits and eight RBI over his last five games.
I have some interest in stacking the Mets Friday against Miles Mikolas. But as a one-off, Jeff McNeil ($2,600) works on the cheap. He's 8-for-14 (.571) off Mikolas with a 1.386 OPS, giving him upside potential for a guy that is usually just a slap hitter. Mikolas is allowing a .391 wOBA to lefties.
Dodgers' starter Gavin Stone is being hit hard by lefties, allowing a .479 wOBA and 1.083 OPS. Toronto doesn't have many left-handed bats, with Daulton Varsho ($3,300) being the exception.
Stacks to Consider
Rangers vs. Graham Ashcraft (Reds): Adolis Garcia ($4,200), Corey Seager ($3,400), Nathaniel Lowe ($2,700)
Ashcraft is allowing a .375 wOBA to lefties against .270 to righties, which immediately puts Seager and Lowe in play, and both are significantly priced down. Seager due to form and Lowe due to his delayed start to the season, but it allows us to get two pieces to the heart of this order in a plus spot. I don't love the matchup for Garcia, but Ashcraft does give up fly balls at a higher rate to righties (37.1 percent against 21.2 to lefties) giving this stack some additional upside potential.
Twins vs. Patrick Sandoval (Angels): Ryan Jeffers ($3,200), Edouard Julien ($3,000), Manuel Margot ($2,300)
This won't be for the faint of heart, and is certainly only viable for GPPs. But the price point and matchup makes this appealing. Teams are running righties at Sandoval heavily, having only faced nine left-handed bats all season, and he's allowing a .370 wOBA to opposite handed bats. Jeffers comes with a decent .385 wOBA, 157 wRC+ and .250 ISO off lefties, making for a reasonable stand alone play. Margot isn't certain to be in the lineup, but has a .413/176/.211 slash off southpaws and is 3-for-7 off Sandoval. Julien bucks the right-handed trend, but he's likely safe to be in the top of the lineup, and has faired well off lefties with a .424/184/.267 line. Willi Castro and/or Jose Miranda also have favorable numbers to date off lefties, and can be swapped in here depending on how the Twins lineup shakes out.
