This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Sunday's main MLB slate begins at 1:05 PM Eastern time and features 11 games. Below, you'll find which individual pitchers and hitters are primed to provide the best value, as well as the top lineup stacking options in this slate.
Pitching Overview
This pitcher-friendly slate features a number of high-level options on the mound, led by Houston's Gerrit Cole ($12,000) against Seattle. Cole's 2.81 ERA and 2.88 FIP are accompanied by an astronomical 38.7 percent strikeout rate, while the Mariners strike out the third-most at 9.74 times per game.
Max Scherzer ($10,200) and Mike Soroka ($8,500) are set for a pitchers' duel in Atlanta, with Washington's Scherzer carrying significantly greater strikeout upside thanks to his 34.7 percent strikeout rate.
While there's no shortage of pricey pitchers to choose from, contrarian owners who instead choose to pay up for bats could opt to play matchups with Kansas City's Mike Montgomery ($7,800) against the 29th-ranked Marlins' offense.
Value Plays/Chalk
While the White Sox and Angels are primed to produce strong bang for the buck against each other and the Astros should give Cole plenty of offensive support, there's also value to be found outside of those three stackable lineups.
Switch-hitting second baseman Ketel Marte ($4,300) has been leading Arizona's charge into playoff contention, and he should stay hot against Reds righty Anthony DeSclafani. Marte boasts a .408 wOBA from the left side, while DeSclafani's .361 wOBA allowed to left-handed batters sits 100 points higher than his mark against those from the right.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. offers nice bang for the buck at just $2,900. Toronto's standout rookie third baseman comes in with a .362 road wOBA this season, and Rays starter Tyler Glasnow isn't expected to go more than three innings in his return from a forearm injury.
Left-handed batters have produced a .384 wOBA against Orioles righty Asher Wojciechowski. Outfielder Willie Calhoun ($3,600) represents one of the few Rangers who actually has done more on the road this season, and he's primed to add to Wojciechowski's struggles. Also, Calhoun's .352 season wOBA against righties climbs to .368 on the road.
Stacks
White Sox vs. Jaime Barria (Angels)
Yoan Moncada (3B - $3,100), Jose Abreu (1B - $3,700), Tim Anderson (SS - $3,100)
While offense will be tough to come by in most games with so many excellent pitchers taking the mound, one game stands out for its poor starters. We'll start with the home half of this contest, which will be going against a guy with a 6.27 ERA that balloons to 8.31 over 43.1 road innings in Barria. The switch-hitting Moncada has posted a .385 wOBA from the left side this season. Abreu and Anderson are both poised to take advantage of Barria's .392 wOBA allowed in righty-on-righty matchups. Anderson owns a .372 wOBA in that split this season, while Abreu has an OPS over .950 since the start of August.
Angels vs. Dylan Cease (White Sox)
Shohei Ohtani (OF - $2,900), Brian Goodwin (OF - $2,800), Kole Calhoun (OF - $3,000)
The flip side of the coin in this Angels-White Sox matchup will face Cease, whose 6.75 ERA and .394 wOBA allowed to batters from the left side leave a lot to be desired. And all three of Ohtani, Goodwin and Calhoun are left-handed sluggers. The first two both maintain wOBAs over .350 against righties, while Calhoun sports a .339 mark that climbs to .379 on the road. While Mike Trout ($4,600) won't enjoy the platoon advantage, his .448 wOBA in righty-on-righty matchups suggests the MVP candidate should fare just fine if he's able to return from a toe injury and suit up.
Astros vs. Felix Hernandez (Mariners)
Michael Brantley (OF - $4,000), Yordan Alvarez (OF - $4,200), Alex Bregman (SS - $4,400)
Hernandez is a shell of what he once was, as indicated by his 6.02 ERA and 5.89 FIP. Things get even worse on the road, where King Felix has been reduced to a pauper with a 7.67 ERA and .472 wOBA allowed to batters from the left side. The Astros boast a pair of elite left-handed sluggers in Brantley and Alvarez - the former with a .391 wOBA against righties while the latter sits at .433. Bregman won't have the platoon advantage, but his .400 wOBA in righty-on-righty situations suggests he doesn't need it.
