This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
A 10-game main slate is available for us to digest Tuesday, with starts ranging from 7:05-9-:40 p.m. EDT. The Dodgers and Royals don't currently have starting pitchers listed on FanDuel, though we expect Los Angeles to call up flame-throwing Bobby Miller. That fives us just 18 starters to sort through, five of which are priced in five-figures with three more in the $9k range, seemingly forcing us to pay up there. We've got a predictably high 11.5 run total in Coors Field, but two games sit with totals of 7.5 and two others sitting at 8.0, so offense isn't expected to be widespread.
Pitching
Gerrit Cole, NYY vs. BAL ($11,100): We can debate the merits of all the top-priced arms. Eduardo Rodriguez looks to be in a great spot, though Kansas City is less inept against lefties. I like Sonny Gray too against a Giants team that continues to strike out, but he hasn't gone more than 5.1 innings in three straight starts and just twice in his last seven. When paying up, we need stability as much as we need upside, and Cole offers that. The Orioles' lineup is just 30-for-112 (.268) with a .716 OPS off him, and their trio of Ryan Mountcastle, Anthony Santander and Adley Rutschman are just 7-for-44 (.159) with 13 strikeouts. Cole has turned in seven quality starts in 10 chances, only once allowing more than two runs, failing to fan at least six just three times. He may not get us a 4x return, but a 3.6x gives us the needed 40 FDP, and there's always opportunity for more.
Brayan Bello, BOS at LAA ($8,500): Similar to the top tier, we can find merits in a plethora of the next pack of arms. Bello looks to be about as low as I'd feel comfortable going, and he's in terrific form, earning at least 30 FDP in four straight, allowing just six runs in his last four starts, spanning 21.0 innings. His 4.45 ERA is inflated by his first two outings, and comes with a 3.76 xFIP and .350 BABIP, suggesting there's room for progression. The Angels are above average off righties with a 104 wRC+, but fan a reasonable 23.4 percent of the time. Bello figures to get decent run support in a plus matchup for the Red Sox bats, and if he can limit damage to the top of the order, he should be in a spot to earn a win.
Luis Medina, OAK at SEA ($7,600): Medina sits with an elevated 6.88 ERA, but just a 4.00 xFIP. While allowing 13 runs and 17 hits across 17.0 innings isn't great, he's fanned six in two of his three starts. Point being, while he's allowing damage, he's also accumulating counting stats to offset that, averaging a reasonable 21.7 FDP with a 31.0 FDP ceiling. Seattle fans at a 25.3 percent clip off righties while sitting with a league-average 100 wRC+. He's not going to be blemish free, but Oakland seems willing to let him work through some kinks, giving him innings and strikeout potential, while freeing up your budget and surely coming with very low usage.
Top Targets
I mentioned above that I expect the Red Sox offense to help Bello, and that's due to Griffin Canning being on the mound for the Angels. He's allowing lefties to post a .394 wOBA and .913 OPS off him to date, something this Boston lineup is flush with. Unfortunately, they're all priced accordingly, making stacking a tall order. Still, any of Rafael Devers ($3,900), Masataka Yoshida ($3,700), Jarren Duran ($3,700) and/or Alex Verdugo ($3,600) make for decent options Tuesday depending on roster needs. Devers surprisingly has the worst splits off lefties from this group, with Duran offering the best to date.
Freddie Freeman ($4,100) may go overlooked in a matchup with Spencer Strider, though the Atlanta starter hasn't been perfect of late, allowing 11 runs in his last four starts, spanning 21.2 innings. Freeman has enjoyed facing his old team, going 11-for-28 (.393) with three homers and is riding a 12-game hitting streak into Tuesday, collecting multiple hits in nine of those outings.
Bargain Bats
I'm leery of stacking bad offenses, even against bad pitchers, and that description could fit both the A's lineup and Marco Gonzales. Esteury Ruiz ($3,400) is priced a tad too high for my liking, but he's on a modest seven-game hitting streak, possesses a .382 wOBA and 151 wRC+ off lefties, and his speed gives him multiple paths to fantasy scoring.
Marcell Ozuna ($2,800) has arguably been Atlanta's second-best hitter in May. He's hitting .351 this month with a .472 wOBA, 199 wRC+, and 1.133 OPS while currently having a nine-game hitting streak. He'll see plenty of fastballs from Bobby Miller and currently has a career-worst 12.8 swinging strike percentage against heaters, but if he catches up to one, it could go a long way.
Mickey Moniak ($2,000) still sits at a minimum salary, though his production doesn't. It's just 29 plate appearances, but the 2016 first overall pick has a .558 wOBA, 265 wRC+ and 52.9 percent hard-hit rate. Surely regression is coming, but does that matter at this price tag?
Stacks to Consider
Marlins vs. Austin Gomber: Jorge Soler ($3,500), Bryan De La Cruz ($3,400), Luis Arraez ($3,300)
The Coors Field spot here makes this chalky, though with no Marlin priced north of $3,500, we're not seeing the location boost that normally presents itself, offering up plenty of value. Gomber has an 8.75 home ERA, and though it comes with just a 4.68 xFIP, he's still allowing a .391 wOBA and .958 OPS to lefties and .433/1.025 to righties. Arraez does nothing flashy, but gives us a rock solid anchor. Soler mashes lefties to the tune of a .646 wOBA, .320 wRC+, .719 ISO and 56.0 percent hard-hit rate, giving this trio it's upside. Finally, De La Cruz is scorching hot. He's off a 4-for-4 night Monday, having now hit safely in nine of his last 10 and 15 of 17.
Astros vs. Colin Rea: Yordan Alvarez ($4,300), Kyle Tucker ($3,300), Jose Altuve ($3,200)
Rea is allowing lefties to post a .444 wOBA and 1.054 OPS off him at home. That alone makes Alvarez and Tucker ideal targets, and the early-season struggles from Tucker make this stack surprisingly affordable. Alvarez is scoring hot, hitting safely in 17 of 18 with six homers in that stretch. Tucker meanwhile seems to be slowly warming, with 13 hits in his last 11 outings. Finally, Altuve gives us a table setter atop this lineup, having already earned double-digit fantasy points in two of his three outings since returning from injury.
