This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Saturday's main slate at FanDuel is a compact, seven-game contest with first pitches between 4:05 and 4:10 p.m EDT. We don't have a pitcher priced in five figures and only two priced above $9,000, so regardless of what we choose there, we should have plenty of flexibility to spend on offense. Red Sox - Angels is our only double-digit expected run total, further suggesting decent affordable pitching. I like Chris Sale a good bit here, as Miami has been absolutely pathetic against left-handed pitching. But Sale has just been okay out of the gate, consistent but not elite. The matchup suggests a 4x return or better; his two games out of the gate don't quite get there. He's in play, but for this column, we'll consider other options.
Rain is bit of a concern in Oakland, while wind is again present on the East Coast. Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia could all have conditions favorable for hitters.
Pitching
MacKenzie Gore, WAS at OAK ($8,000): Gore has been very consistent in his two outings, with the only real difference in his fantasy scoring being one win. We can't ever bank on that from the Nationals, but they are favored here. Oakland is back to being a targetable offense for opposing pitching, striking out 26.6 percent of the time against lefties while posting a .262 wOBA and 73 wRC+ of lefties. We mentioned rain in the intro here, and it's a real concern. Using Gore will require monitoring that situation throughout the morning and afternoon, but he's clearly in a favorable matchup at a fair price.
Ryan Pepiot, TB vs. SF ($7,800): Pepiot has been a peak-and-valley option through two outings, being hit hard by Texas while dominating Colorado. At this price, we're hoping for somewhere in between in what appears to be a favorable spot. San Fransisco doesn't strike out a ton at 22.1 percent thus far, but they aren't smashing, ranking 27th with a .280 wOBA, adding a 75 wRC+ and .106 ISO off righties. Again, it's just two games, but Pepiot's 4.63 ERA isn't fully backed up by 2.99 FIP. This game has the slate's lowest run total at just 7.5, and while Tampa is a slight underdog, Pepiot is in a spot for 30 fantasy points.
DL Hall, MIL at BAL ($6,400): Are there concerns here? Absolutely. Hall continues to struggle with his command and control, walks too many, which leads to a high pitch count and an early exit. And we noted wind in the intro. But we can also consider a revenge factor with Hall facing the team that traded him during the offseason. And Baltimore, to my surprise, has been bad against left-handed arms to date, posting just a .235 wOBA and 50 wRC+, while striking out at a 23.0 percent clip. Hall is, surprisingly, not missing many bats, fanning just 5.8 per nine. Perhaps there's no real upside here and far too much risk in an early hook. Hall's 1.93 WHIP further suggests risk. But at this price, we can live with 20 fantasy points if a loaded offensive build pops.
Top Targets
Atlanta is the clear best offense on the slate, so using a piece or two is likely where everyone starts. But because they are so deep, I may build out elsewhere first, and grab one or two of their bats as positional needs become more apparent. Matt Olson ($4,300), Marcell Ozuna ($3,900) and/or Austin Riley ($3,700) stand out, while knowing Marlin starter Max Meyer has been solid and doesn't have targetable splits as of yet.
Houston draws a struggling Andrew Heaney Saturday, with whom they are very familiar, giving us seemingly reliable BvP numbers. Yordan Alvarez ($4,500) is 7-for-17 (.412) with a 1.193 OPS, and Jose Altuve ($3,700) is 13-for-41 (.317) with a .910 OPS. Alex Bregman ($2,900) makes this stackable should he return to the lineup Saturday. He's 13-for-38 (.342) with a .875 OPS and was rounding into form, with seven hits in his last four games.
Bargain Bats
If we're buying the run total in Boston, Angel bats seem to work in this cheaper territory. FanDuel doesn't have a listed Red Sox starter, but it appears to be Cooper Criswell, who allowed a .442 wOBA and 1.051 OPS to lefties last year. Los Angeles is short on left-handed options, however. Nolan Schanuel ($2,700) is scuffling but remains an on-base machine, creating a stable floor, while also a top-of-the-lineup presence that can benefit from hitting around Mike Trout and Tanner Ward. Aaron Hicks ($2,500) doesn't fit that mold but would appear to be in a favorable matchup.
Pittsburgh's Marco Gonzales' stats are all over the place, with him having a 2.45 ERA and 2.71 FIP, but a 6.01 xERA and 4.41 xFIP. I don't want to go all in on the Phillies as such but certainly don't mind taking some shots. With Bryce Harper not in great form, we can consider secondary options like Trea Turner ($3,300) or Nick Castellanos ($2,700), who is 4-for-11 off Gonzales. If Whit Merrifield ($2,400) finds his way into the lineup, he's 6-for-20 off Gonzales with a homer.
Stack to Consider
Red Sox vs. Griffin Canning (Angels): Tyler O'Neill ($3,700), Jarren Duran ($3,600), Triston Casas ($3,100)
This is likely a chalky, though, given the game's high run total and favorable wind, but that doesn't make it wrong. Canning has allowed nine runs through 9.2 innings, surrendering a .432 wOBA and .988 OPS to lefties, and a .452 wOBA and 1.055 OPS to righties. I don't love the price point on O'Neill as we seemingly are chasing power, but he does have a big fly off Canning in six at bats. Duran is off to a nice start and has a .445 wOBA and 191 wRC+ off lefties. Casas, too, is fairing decently off same-handed arms thus far, with a .393 wOBA and 151 wRC+, and balances the budget. This gives us a likely 1-3-4 lineup stack; a very traditional build. Canning likely doesn't last a long time here, but we can take solace in the fact that the Angels bullpen has the fourth highest ERA to date.
