This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
FanDuel has a full 15-game slate for Major League Baseball (MLB) on Sunday. Weather looks like it may be an issue in some of these too, so make sure you check our lineups page (which includes weather information) before first pitch. There are eight pitchers who are -130 favorites or better according to Vegas. We also have only one game with a run total under 7.5, so these matchups are expected to yield a good amount of runs. Here are some of the plays to keep an eye on for Sunday:Starting Pitcher
Shelby Miller ($9,200)
The pitching ownership should be very evenly spread, so taking the best option is the way to go for value. Value wise, it does not pay off to take a cheap starting pitcher, so there is merit to paying up for a guy like Miller, who has been great in both of his last two starts. In his last 23 innings, he has given up 12 hits, six walks and three runs while striking out 25. He is averaging seven innings pitched and over eight strikeouts during this recent run, so he has as much upside as anyone. He faces a Miami team, in a good pitcher's park, that has struck out the third-most times in all of baseball. He is the underdog in a low-run game, so he should also be under owned. A guy with the best recent numbers and under-owned as a slight underdog would be a great contrarian play without being risky or dumb.
Catcher
Evan Gattis ($3,100)
Gattis paid off his salary with a home run Saturday as the DH, so he should be in the lineup Sunday at catcher. He gets a matchup with Mark Buehrle, a lefty, which is the preferred split for Gattis. Buehrle has struggled more with right-handed bats, especially those with some power. That pretty much describes Gattis to a T. As long as he remains in that cleanup spot, he should be able to keep producing, especially in a nice matchup in a good hitter's park like Sunday.
First Base
Brandon Belt ($2,800)
Belt had a miserable April, but he is heating up with the weather in May. He currently has 17 hits in his last 42 at-bats, which includes consecutive games of 3-for-5 with a home run. He gets a matchup with the young right-hander, Anthony DeScalfani, who has 19 innings pitched this year against left-handed batters with a .286 batting average against, a WHIP of 1.83, three home runs and ten earned runs allowed. Belt should have a good showing as a red hot left-handed stick going up against a struggling pitcher who does poorly against left-handed bats.
Second Base
Jose Altuve ($4,700) vs. Jason Kipnis ($4,500)
This is the FanDuel value article and these are the two most expensive options. They are also both in great spots and head-and-shoulders above the other options at second base. Altuve is the best hitter in the league against left-handed pitching, and he gets to face Mark Buehrle, who struggles with right-handed bats and is in a game with one of the highest run lines on the day in a hitter's park. Kipnis also smashes right-handed pitching and has been hot lately. He has an eight-game hitting streak that includes multiple hits in six of those games. He had a 4-hit game, four 3-hit games, a 2-hit game, and two games with one hit in his streak. He gets Nick Martinez in a game with a high run line and also played in a hitter's park. Kipnis is $200 cheaper and has a bit more pop, but either of the two make sense.
Third Base
Matt Carpenter ($4,200)
Again here, paying up for the best option is worth the value and Carpenter is one of the only third baseman with a good matchup. He gets Alfredo Simon, who is allowing left-handed batters to hit .313 against him so far this year. Carpenter is starting to pick up a few more RBI now that he has dropped out of the leadoff spot. He has at least 4.5 fantasy points in four of his last five, and he should be in the two hole again with a good chance to make that five of his last six against a pitcher who struggles with left-handed bats.
Shortstop
Alcides Escobar ($2,800)
Escobar has hits in seven of his last nine, five of which have been multi-hit games. He has one home run, one stolen base, six RBI and eight runs scored over this stretch and gets a good matchup as a right-hander facing Chris Capuano on Sunday. He hits atop the order and should get on base a few times in a good matchup. He is relatively cheap and is also one of the safer options for cash games.
Outfield
Grady Sizemore ($2,200)
Sizemore is the guy you need in order to squeeze in some expensive bats. He is minimum priced and likely will be batting in the three hole again, since he is fresh off a four-hit game. He gets a good L/R split against Josh Collmenter, who is truly the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde of daily fantasy. In his last three games, Collmenter has an upside of 18 and a downside of -7.5. Sizemore should be in a good spot to produce, and you will not find anyone with better lineup placement or a softer matchup at that price.
Jason Heyward ($3,100)
Heyward should slide back up in the order against the right-handed Alfredo Simon. We talked about Simon with Carpenter already, but he basically struggles against left-handed bats. Heyward is now 3 for his last 4 with a double and a home run over his last two games. While many fear he has fallen into a platoon in right field, this is the split where he would be rolled out as a lefty. Heyward is too talented to underperform for as long as he has. This recent burst might be what it takes to break him out of the funk.
Kole Calhoun ($3,100)
Calhoun gets a matchup with the rookie from Baltimore, Mike Wright. Wright was pretty solid in Triple-A, but is being called up here as an emergency replacement, not on merit. Calhoun hits atop the order and has hits in eight of his last ten games. He does not have a huge upside, but he should be able to get to the rookie once or twice Sunday, based off his recent performances. It's always tough to gauge how a rookie pitcher will do and for how long. As the leadoff hitter for the visiting team though, I know Calhoun will get the most chances to do something positive for his fantasy score.
