This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We've only got six games to sort through for FanDuel's main slate Saturday, with first pitches ranging from 7:05 p.m. EDT to 9:40. Rain is oddly a concern in San Diego which could futher reduce this slate. And despite the lack of volume, four pitchers are priced at $9,000 or greater with three more at 8k or more, so we're going more than likely forced to pay up even if it's not ideal.
Making that more uneasy is the fact that four of thse six games have totals of at least nine runs, suggesting either one offense is going to carry that weight, or a lot of these pitcher are overpriced.
Pitching
Logan Gilbert, SEA vs. BOS ($9,900): DFS and gambling aren't married, but from an odds standpoint, Gilbert is the play Saturday. The game comes with the lowest total of 7.5 runs, 7.0 in some places, and the Mariners sit as decent favorites at (-145) on the moneyline. Gilbert's home ERA (4.10) and xFIP (3.71) last year weren't great, but it came with a .289 wOBA and 25.7 percent strikeout rate, and the K rate was there during the spring.
Hunter Brown, HOU vs. NYY ($9,100): Brown starts a run of three arms that are all decent option but have difficult matchups, with Marcus Stroman and Kyle Hendricks being in that group. I lean towards Brown for his higher strikeout potential, as he fanned 10.3 per nine last year. But reread the intro, Brown is more a necessary evil Saturday than a play I'm in love with.
Tommy Henry, ARI vs. COL ($7,300): The Rockies didn't make many changes to their lineup from a season ago, and that's a lineup that posted a league-worst 74 wRC+ and 25.7 percent strikeout rate against southpaws. Henry has never fanned more tha seven per nine in the big leagues, so the appeal is strictly matchup based, but he's about as low as I'm willing to trust Saturday, though Boston's Kutter Crawford is arguably the better pitcher, just in a more challenging matchup.
Top Targets
If you read yesterday's column, you won't be surprised to see Dodger bats as the lead here. Mookie Betts is scortching hot out of the gate, but he's seemingly priced himself out already. Freddie Freeman isn't hot out of the gate, but is just 1-for-11 in his career off of Cardinals starter Lance Lynn. So what's left? Shohei Ohtani ($4,500), who has yet to show power, but it's coming, and it's coming today. He's 10-for-23 (.435) with three homers off Lynn, strong enough BvP numbers we can back here even if he only faces Lynn twice.
The Diamondback offense is off to a roaring start, scoring 23 runs in their first two games. Rockies starter Austin Gomber allowed a .450 wOBA to lefties last season, and perhaps Corbin Carroll's ($3,900) quiet start will have him underused. Ketel Marte ($3,600) offers a second left-handed bat to consider, and he's in great form while also going 7-for-16 (.438) with two homers and a 1.408 OPS off Gomber.
Bargain Bats
With these smaller slates, I don't love multiple stacks, but Arizona makes a ton of sense, using the two names above and possibly throwing in a third lefty in Joc Pederson ($2,700), who went 4-for-4 yesterday.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was not good during the spring, nor in his first start in Korea. He's due to flash his potential, and the Cardinals are scuffling out of the gate. But given the poor showings, it's not a bad idea to sprinkle in a St. Louis bat to round out lineups. Nolan Arenado ($3,200) hasn't shown any power through the spring, but is priced okay here. Victor Scott ($2,000) is at a minimum price, and Jordan Walker ($2,700) and Willson Contreras ($2,600) aren't expensive either. Don't go crazy, but plugging one option in on the cheap could work out.
We don't have a ton of trends to go on this early in the year, but if you want a cheap in to the Dodgers, consider Jason Heyward ($2,400), who is 10-for-24 (.417) with a .981 OPS.
Stack to Consider
Cubs vs. Cody Bradford: Cody Bellinger ($3,600), Seiya Suzuki ($3,200), Christopher Morel ($3,100)
Bradford posted a 5.30 ERA last year but a somewhat better 4.68 FIP, was better at home than on the road, and doesn't have attackable splits, allowing just a .337 wOBA to lefties and a .332 wOBA to righties. But he's still one of the lesser arms on the slate, and the Cubs are priced favorably to attack with. Bellinger had a .414 wOBA and 164 wRC+ off southpaws last season, while Suzuki sat at .362/129 and Morel .372/136 while showing nice power with a .326 ISO.
