This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We've got a relatively light slate Thursday, with just eight games -- only two of them during the day. With so little action, it's a good day to hedge your bets in FanDuel contests that permit multiple entries. Here are our daily value plays for Thursday, September 10.
Pitcher:
Felix Hernandez, $11,000: King Felix has been decidedly un-king like this season, as the 29-year-old is on pace for his worst statistical season since 2008, outside of a somewhat fluky 16 wins. However, the upshot is he's priced slightly cheaper than the top two aces on the board in Arrieta ($12,200) and Price ($11,900), and thus there is some potential value. Felix pitched well in his last outing and was skipped the turn prior to get some rest, which could help him down the stretch. Furthermore, despite being less effective on the whole this season, Felix has still been terrific at home, only allowing a .615 OPS to opposing hitters at Safeco Field. In addition, the Mariners and Rangers play a 12:40pm game to finish off the four-game series, which has all the makings of a low-scoring "getaway day" type of game. Expect vintage Felix at a slightly discounted rated today.
Catcher:
Miguel Montero, $2,800: Montero has had an uninspiring offensive season, but has started to heat up lately with an .852 OPS over the last 28 days. The 32-year-old faces beleaguered rookie Alec Asher who's been tuned up in his two starts this season, as evidenced by his less-than-sterling 10.61 ERA. Montero has hit 12 of his 15 home runs against right-handed pitchers, and is available for a cheaper price than "studs" like John Hicks, Steve Baron, and Dustin Garneau. For the price, Montero is a nice play at a weak position.
First Base:
Mark Reynolds, $2,300: My first thought about putting Mark Reynolds in my lineup is: "Ew, gross." But, when you see Reynolds' dirt cheap price, you have to at least consider him. Upon further review, Reynolds has actually been better than expected lately, with an .842 OPS over his last 20 games. Also, he faces rookie lefty John Lamb who has an ungly 6.11 ERA on the season. Reynolds has been solid against left-handed pitching this season - .794 OPS - and is so inexpensive, that he ends up making for a nice upside buy for very minimal risk.
Second Base:
Starlin Castro, $2,600: Let's go back to Philly, as a Cubs stack against Asher is a strong idea. Castro has been on a tear lately putting up a 1.063 OPS over his last 10 starts, and has been seeing more playing time as Joe Maddon has been rewarding the 25-year-old for his production. As the 14th-most expensive second baseman available, Castro presents a good value play with the potential for a big day.
Third Base:
Yangervis Solarte, $3,400: Solarte just keeps hitting. No one believes it will continue, and yet, the dude just keeps producing. Since the start of August, the 28-year-old is sporting a .914 OPS and has been especially hot lately with a .478/.538/.826 slash line over the last week. And yet, Solarte is still only the ninth-most expensive third baseman available, and that's on a day with only eight games. Lastly, Solarte has been significantly better at home than on the road, and he faces Jorge De La Rose in Petco Park today. Ride with Solarte and feel good about it.
Shortstop:
Francisco Lindor, $3,200: Lindor has been far better offensively this season than anyone expected. The 21-year-old is hitting .304 on the season, and has really turned it on recently with an insane (considering his age and position) .971 OPS in his last 25 games. Also, Lindor faces Alfredo Simon, who is basically the worst pitcher ever. Obviously I'm exaggerating, but Simon does stink. Even though Lindor is tied for the fifth-most expensive shortstop available, he is worth the price based on his recent output and his matchup with Simon who, again, is bad at pitching.
Outfield:
Dexter Fowler, $3,300: Fowler has been terrific as the leadoff man for the Cubs this season, and has been especially hot lately. The 29-year-old sports an impressive 1.121 OPS over the last 28 days, and is exhibiting a nice power surge with six home runs over that span as he continues to add to his already career-high 17 long balls on the season. In addition, the hot-hitting Fowler faces Alec Asher who's first taste of the majors has not gone well; the 23-year-old has surrendered an atrocious 11 earned runs in his 9.1 innings pitched this season. Lastly, despite being among the league's hottest hitters, Fowler's cost is still shockingly cheap, making him a great value buy that could help carry your day.
Stephen Piscotty, $3,000: Piscotty has been tremendous since coming up to the majors. The rookie has an .893 OPS on the season, and has been even better over the last 28 days with a .927 OPS. Piscotty faces afore mentioned rookie left-hander John Lamb, which also adds to Piscotty's value as the 24-year-old has crushed left-handed pitching to the tune of a .366/.386/.561 slash line. For the surprisingly low price of $3,000, Piscotty is one of the best plays on the board today.
Mark Trumbo, $2,800: Trumbo has not been very good this season, as the 29-year-old has struggled with both Arizona and Seattle. However, he has been better recently with an .875 OPS over his last 20 games, and has still hit 20 home runs in 437 at bats this year, so he can still flash the power from time to time. Trumbo faces left-hander Derek Holland who's been good since returning from the D.L. a few weeks ago, but is far from an ace. Trumbo has hit left-handers well this season with an .835 OPS against them, plus he's actually been significantly better at home than on the road, so that is a positive for him as well. For the extremely low price of $2,800 Trumbo makes a nice low-risk high-reward play.
