This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
14 games are part of Friday's main slate, with our Field of Dreams participants from last night not included. With that many options on the bump, paying up seems like cash play only, though I suppose you'll see low usage in GPPs. I'd prefer paying down there and getting some stable bats.
Pitching
Blake Snell, SD at ARI ($9,000): Snell is coming off of a massive 73 FDP outing against these Diamondbacks, and while we know he's been hit or miss all year, he's quietly allowed one run or none in five of his last seven outings. He's fanning 11.58/9, has 21 across 11.2 innings against Arizona to date, and while the D'Backs aren't strikeout prone normally to lefties (22.0 percent), their .317 wOBA and .166 ISO shouldn't worry us.
Charlie Morton, ATL at WAS ($9,000): If you're not hunting top-shelf upside, but a high floor, Morton is your guy. He posted 43 FDP against these new-look Nats last time out despite not factoring in a decision. He's turned in six quality starts in his last eight outings, fanning at least seven at the same ratio.
Nick Pivetta, BOS vs. BAL ($7,300): Navigating the bottom of the pitching options probably requires trusting some lesser names in positive matchups. The Orioles are putting up crooked numbers, but have proven far better against lefties, sporting a.295 wOBA, 86 wRC+, .156 ISO and 24.5 parent K rate against right-handers. Pivetta has faced them twice to date, allowing six runs across 12 innings, fanning nine. It resulted in 33 and 28 FDP, which at worst flirts with 4x return.
Brett Anderson, MIL at PIT ($6,600): The soft-tossing lefty has nearly zero strikeout potential, fanning just 5.38 per nine, and Pitt only brings a 21.0 percent K rate against lefties. But he doesn't allow hard contact, and limits damage when he does, having surrendered one or no runs in four of his last five starts and three or less in seven straight. He's faced the Bucs twice and put up 38 and 40 FDP. If he can even flirt with that, it opens up huge spending opportunities offensively.
Top Targets
Starling Marte, OAK at TEX ($4,100): Rangers' starter Dane Dunning has incredible home/road splits, particularly against lefties, so I'll tread lightly and fade Matt Olson ($4,400). Marte however is white hot and impossible to ignore. He's hit safely in 10 straight, seven times collecting multiple knocks. Marte doesn't offer much power (.142 ISO), but form paired with a .393 wOBA and 152 wRC+ against same-handed arms works well.
Kris Bryant, CHC vs. COL ($3,900): Not much to overthink here. Bryant mashes lefties to the tune of a .452 wOBA, 183 wRC+ and .341 ISO. He's been a bit feast of famine as a Giant, but he has hit safely in six of his last eight, with three double-digit FDP outings despite no homers.
Nolan Arenado, STL at KC ($3,800): Arenado is always in play when facing a lefty, sporting a rising .385 wOBA, 143 wRC+ and .291 ISO to date. He's averaged 12.2 FDP across his last eight games, and while Royals' starter Mike Minor is allowing only a .310 wOBA to righties at home, it's largely because he's keeping guys off base. He's allowing a .458 slugging percentage, and 1.44 HR/9. Paul Goldschmidt ($3,600) is in play if BvP is your thing (5-of-9, 2 HR).
Value Bats
Patrick Wisdom, CHC at MIA ($2,900): I don't have a clue who the Cubs plan to trot out tomorrow, but I do know I want some option facing Jesus Luzardo, whose move to Miami hasn't cured what ails him. He's allowing a .404 wOBA and .959 OPS to righties, allowing at least three runs in three straight, 13 total in just 10.0 innings. Wisdom's .361 wOBA and .238 ISO can play up here, if he can make contact, as he fans 41.8 percent of the time against lefties.
Magneuris Sierra, MIA vs. CHC ($2,200): This section of the column inadvertently evolved into some dirt cheap dart throws in positive spots that may not provide zeros. Sierra has zero power, and Marlins largely don't have any usable lefty bats to target against Adbert Alzolay, who hasn't solved opposite-handed bats, allowing a .410 wOBA to them. Sierra's speed is what I give the nod to. If he can reach, there are multiple paths for him to put up some fantasy points. Joe Panik ($2,400) and Isan Diaz ($2,400) are cheap lefties that have a path to 3x.
Wilson Ramos, CLE at DET ($2,200): Tigers' starter Tyler Alexander stifled Cleveland in his last start, allowing no runs, four hits and striking out four in 5.1 innings. While I expect a better approach from the offense here, it's not something I want to sell out on. Enter Ramos, who is a hot bat at a near minimum price. He's hit in three straight and five of six, homering twice. Alexander is far more vulnerable to opposite-handed bats. Very minima risk, and there's not much needed to get 3x.
Stacks to Consider
Dodgers vs. Tylor Megill: Max Muncy ($3,700), Cody Bellinger ($3,200), Corey Seager ($3,000)
Megill profiles similarly to Allay above; he's terrific against right-handed bats (.221 wOBA) and gets hit hard by lefties (.372 wOBA, 33.9 percent hard hit rate). The difference here is the Dodgers have plenty of capable lefties to pick from, led by Muncy and his .390 wOBA, 148 wRC+ and .270 ISO. Seager qualifies as a value if we're ignoring the 2k+ guys above. He's getting his timing down after an injury-plagued year, hitting .304 in August, adding a .387 wOBA, 146 wRC+ and .217 ISO, averaging 11.1 FDP in his last seven. It's been a trying year for Bellinger, but he had a quiet eight-game hitting streak snapped yesterday, and he's homered four times in his last five games, and gives this stack further power upside.
Brewers vs. Mitch Keller: Eduardo Escobar ($3,700) Willy Adames ($3,400), Christian Yelich ($3,400)
Perhaps we don't need the bargain basement options above when we can stack names like this on the cheap. Keller is attackable from both side of the plate, allowing a .388 wOBA and .908 OPS to lefties, and a .391 wOBA and .913 OPS to righties. Escobar has been great since going the Brew Crew, posting a .425 wOBA and .313 ISO in this spot, as has Adames in a much larger sample size, posting a .415 wOBA and .279 ISO. This lineup is volatile, having put up 17 runs Thursday thanks to 15 RBI from their 5-6-7 hitters, the last being a backup catcher. Yelich hasn't found his groove all year, but I'll roll the dice on the name and not the form in hopes the top of the order comes through here.
