This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Friday brings 15 games and plenty of nice weather across the majors, so why not get in on the action on PrizePicks? For those unfamiliar with the platform, it provides a unique spin on DFS in which you pick two, three or four players and predict if each will go over or under their projected fantasy score.
If this is your first time playing on PrizePicks, be sure to sign up using our promotional offer. New members who sign up and make their first deposit get a free 2-pick entry to win $25 and a 25% first deposit instant match. For the instant match promotion, the maximum deposit is $4,000 for $1,000 in Promo Money. If downloading the app, use promo code: WIRE.
Here are some players to target and avoid while creating your entry.
Players to Target
Francisco Lindor vs. Ryan Carpenter (Tigers): Over 9 FP: Lindor has been one of the few bright spots in the Indians lineup. His .238 ISO puts him right on par with his power numbers from the previous two seasons and his .373 wOBA would actually be the highest mark of his career. He's also remained a dangerous threat on the bases with seven steals over 48 games. It doesn't get much better than his matchup against Carpenter, who has been terrible with a 6.73 FIP and 1.55 WHIP. Despite this being a high number to hit, I still like the over.
J.D. Martinez vs. TBD (Orioles): Over 9 FP: This could be a really ugly game for the Orioles. Andrew Cashner (finger) has been scratched, so it's still unclear whether they will name another starter or go with a bullpen game. Either way, it's not like they have anyone special waiting in the wings. If they did, David Hess and Gabriel Ynoa probably wouldn't still be in the rotation. Martinez, who already has four home runs and five doubles across his last 13 games, has the potential to feast in this contest.
Nicholas Castellanos vs. Adam Plutko (Indians): Under 8 FP: Even though Castellanos is probably the Tigers best hitter, the lack of talent around him has really suppressed his counting stats. In fact, he has almost as many doubles (21) as he does RBI (24). It's also not helping his cause that his .322 wOBA would be his lowest mark since 2015. Plutko isn't exactly a dominating force, but the Tigers inept lineup has me liking the under for Castellanos.
Players to Avoid
Blake Snell vs. Los Angeles Angels: 44 FP: Snell has had a bit of an odd season. His FIP is still excellent at 2.93, but he's already allowed at least five runs in a game three times. Strangely enough, two of those outings came against really bad teams in the Royals and Tigers. However, he hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his other 10 starts. The Angels have some dangerous hitters in their lineup, and while this won't be a walk in the park for Snell, he has the ability to dominate even the best teams whenever he steps foot on the mound. This could go either way, so it might be best to keep Snell out of your entry.
Bryce Harper vs. Max Fried (Braves): 6.5 FP: One glaring stat for Harper this year is his 29.5 percent strikeout rate. That's a huge increase from his career mark of 21.7 percent. His power numbers are also down with a .214 ISO, so the Phillies would love for him to get things going sooner rather than later. Fried has only allowed a .251 wOBA against left-handed hitters this season, so the under might seem to be the way to go here. However, he's hit a bit of a wall, allowing 12 runs across 15.2 innings in his last three starts. Harper also has the potential to go deep any time he steps in the batter's box, so this isn't a big fantasy score for him to hit. Based on the uncertainty surrounding both players, avoiding Harper all together might be the right call.
Freddie Freeman vs. Nick Pivetta (Phillies): 8.5 FP: A trendy fantasy option heading into this season, Pivetta fell flat on his face and was eventually optioned to the minors. The Phillies are now giving him another chance and he's rewarded them by allowing four runs and recording 21 strikeouts over 20 innings in three starts. He even faced the Cardinals and Dodgers in two of those outings. It's hard to predict what Pivetta is going to do on a start-to-start basis, but he has the talent to keep pitching like this. But he's also shown that he can implode at any given moment. There's just too many question marks here for me to feel comfortable picking a side of Freeman's projection.
