This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
A massive 13-game slate awaits Tuesday evening. San Francisco is the only team without a listed starting pitcher, giving us 25 arms to dissect. Six of those are priced in five figures, though only two more come in at the $9k range, a somewhat surprisingly low number of top options considering the low projected run totals across the slate -- no game has a double-digit total. Perhaps that will allow for some value in your pitching choice, and more depth across offensive builds.
Pitching
Zac Gallen, ARI vs. COL ($10,700): This looks like a nice spot for Gallen to bounce back after allowing seven runs across his last 9.1 frames. He went 3-0 against the Rockies last year, fanning 35 in 31.0 innings while allowing only 10 runs (2.90 ERA) and a .191 OBA. Colorado comes in with a meager 80 wRC+ on the road, while fanning 24.3 percent of the time.
Kyle Gibson, BAL vs. CLE ($8,900): Gibson makes for an interesting GPP consideration. He's worked six-plus innings in four of his last five outings, giving him a decent shot at a quality start. Strikeouts aren't his game, averaging just 6.0 per nine innings, and that won't play up against a Guardians lineup that fans just 19.6 percent of the time against righties. Cleveland has a league-worst .278 wOBA and 74 wRC+ off righties though, suggesting Gibson can eat innings with minimal damage. His last three quality outings came against Tampa, New York and Toronto, all far better lineups, and so long as he's motivated here, a 4x return is well within reason.
Yusei Kikuchi, TOR vs. MIL ($8,500): Loyal readers know I'm not a Kikuchi fan, but there's no denying this plus spot. Milwaukee fans a massive 30.4 percent of the time off lefties while bringing a league-low .279 wOBA and 69 wRC+ into Tuesday. We'll have to rely on that form, as Kikuchi has allowed 12 runs and 20 hits across his last three starts, lasting just 13.2 frames. New York's Nestor Cortes ($8,300) is in a similar spot; he's struggling but faces a Mariners lineup that isn't quite as bad off lefties, but far from good. Both come with ample volatility, but appear poised for rebound efforts thanks to the matchup.
Top Targets
Philadelphia's Ranger Suarez hasn't been as bad as his surface numbers suggest, as his 9.82 ERA comes with just a 3.16 xFIP and he's fanning 10.6 per nine innings. Still, Pete Alonso ($4,000) makes plenty of sense as a lineup anchor. He's boasting a .414 wOBA, 168 wRC+ and just a 14.6 percent soft hit rate off lefties.
Tampa's top options are priced rather substantially, making them a difficult stack even before we consider whether Kyle Hendricks should get better as he gets more innings under his belt. Still, any of Yandy Diaz ($4,100), Randy Arozarena ($4,000) or Josh Lowe ($4,000) offer a wRC+ of 150 or better off righties, with Lowe's .379 wOBA being the lowest. Give me Diaz for stability, while the other two options offer the possibility to pop for a big game.
Freddie Freeman ($4,300) remains as locked in as anyone in the league, riding an 18-game hitting streak into Tuesday. He's had multiple hits in 12 of those games, failing to produce double-digit fantasy points just four times.
Bargain Bats
Colorado's Kyle Freeland isn't a bad arm but he's been surprisingly more vulnerable on the road, allowing a 4.71 ERA and 4.86 xFIP against 3.38/4.45 on the road. Christian Walker ($3,300) has a .426 wOBA, 168 wRC+ and big .404 ISO off lefties to date. Ketel Marte ($3,000) sits at .369/130/.185, but is a solid 12-for-37 (.324) off Freeland with two homers and a 1.026 OPS.
Minnesota's Royce Lewis ($2,000) is essentially a free square here. He wasted no time getting going in his debut, going 2-for-5 with a homer and four RBI, and his salary hasn't adjusted yet.
Cincinnati-Boston is an interesting game to consider. It has two young arms that are in decent form, yet sits with the slate's highest total. Boston starter Brayan Bello has struggled against lefties some, allowing a .384 wOBA, potentially putting Jake Fraley ($3,000) or TJ Friedl ($2,800) in positions for success. Both likely hit in favorable lineup spots. On the other side, Cincinnati's Ben Lively has been solid and doesn't have targetable splits. Rafael Devers ($3,500) is in a funk, with just two singles in his last 24 at-bats, but is priced favorably. Triston Casas ($2,600) may finally be getting going, having hit safely in four straight and five of six.
Stacks to Consider
Atlanta vs. A's (JP Sears): Sean Murphy ($3,900), Austin Riley ($3,200), Ozzie Albies ($3,100)
I'm kicking myself for not betting Oakland last night, as Atlanta was coming off of night game Sunday and forced to travel west for a relatively early start. I'm expecting a far better effort tonight from this lineup, and they have seven lineup regulars with at least a .423 wOBA against lefties. That overall dominance against southpaws opens up some value in this stack, which likely hits 3-4-6 depending on Albies' spot. He sits with a massive .541 wOBA, 244 wRC+ and .371 ISO, while Murphy has a .449 wOBA, 183 wRC+ and 45.7 percent hard-hit rate off lefties.
White Sox vs. Angels (Tyler Anderson): Luis Robert ($3,500), Jake Burger ($3,100), Tim Anderson ($2,800)
Halos lefty Anderson comes in with a 4.81 ERA and elevated 6.16 xFIP, and he only fans 5.6 per nine innings while allowing a .372 wOBA to righties. Not much has gone well for the White Sox to date, but they do have plus numbers off southpaws and offer some value here with plenty of right-handed bats to consider. Robert has standalone appeal, boasting a .469 wOBA, 206 wRC+ and .297 ISO off lefties. Burger sites at .423/174/.394, and Anderson a decent .370/137 though only a .086 ISO. It's not likely to be a traditional lineup stack, but this trio gives us the best White Sox off lefties at a pretty decent discount and seem unlikely to be heavily targeted.
