This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We have 10 games Thursday, so there's a decent amount of options out there. In addition, six are day games, so make sure to check the early lineups to ensure you don't waste money on players who won't be in the field.
Pitcher:
Hector Santiago, LAA vs. TEX ($7,600): If you like great pitching, then today is not your day. Danny Salazar ($9,300) is the highest priced and most attractive pitcher on the board but faces a talented Red Sox offense. Santiago presents a much better buying opportunity at an appealing discount because he offers upside in the strikeout department, as his 20.9 K% in 2015 attests, though a 9.2 BB% is some cause for concern. However, his .282 wOBA allowed to left-handed hitters last season should help against this lefty-heavy Rangers lineup, and being in the pitcher-friendly park is a positive as well.
Catcher:
Brian McCann, NYY vs. HOU ($2,900): I rarely pay up for a catcher, but McCann's cost isn't exorbitant when compared to others at the position, especially considering his upside. He's crushed right-handed pitching over his career (.352 wOBA) and hits in the one of the best parks in baseball for left-handed power.
First Base:
Chris Davis, BAL vs. MIN ($3,700): Davis hit his first home run of the season Wednesday and is a good bet to hit a bunch more. Today is as good a day as any for No. 2, as the slugger has done much of his damage over the years versus right-handed pitching (.371 wOBA) and was especially potent against them last season, as his .410 wOBA was the fifth-best mark in MLB.
Second Base:
Jonathan Schoop, BAL vs. MIN ($2,400): Schoop did a nice job in half a season's worth of games in 2015, largely due to his effectiveness against right-handed pitching. Despite batting from the same side of the plate, the 24-year-old had a stellar .379 wOBA off righties (in 217 plate appearances) while also hitting 13 of his 15 home runs. In addition, Schoop was far more successful at home (.416 wOBA) than on the road (.278 wOBA).
Third Base:
Maikel Franco, PHI at CIN ($3,100): Franco showed flashes of his potential last season. In his second month in the bigs he posted an insane .440 wOBA over the course of 27 June games, and he finished the season with an impressive .360 wOBA despite missing time with a fractured wrist. The 23-year-old seems poised to bust out in 2016 (he hit nine home runs in spring training if anyone is into that kind of thing). Lastly, you have to love the matchup with Robert Stephenson and his 1.26 WHIP over 449.2 career minor league innings.
Shortstop:
Elvis Andrus, TEX at LAA ($2,700): Listen, you can't go wrong paying up for Carlos Correa ($4,600), whose talent has been on full display in his two games this season (5-for-9 with three home runs and two stolen bases). But if you want to spread your money more evenly across positions, then Andrus offers a nice alternative. The 27-year-old hits left-handers well (.327 wOBA in 2015 and .340 wOBA in 2014) while Hector Santiago has struggled against hitters of the opposing side. Add in some stolen base potential and Andrus offers a fair amount of upside for a minimal investment.
Outfield:
David Peralta, ARI vs. CHC ($3,600): Peralta crushed right-handed pitching last season, sporting a .380 wOBA and hitting 24 of his 25 home runs against them. His opponent, John Lackey, has always been less effective against left-handed hitters (career .327 wOBA allowed). In addition, Peralta is hitting in one of the best hitter's parks in the league and is batting cleanup behind Paul Goldschmidt.
Kyle Schwarber, CHC at ARI ($3,400): Let's stay at hitters' haven Chase Field. This one is pretty simple: Schwarber crushes righties (.407 wOBA in 2015) and Rubby de la Rosa struggles against left-handed hitters (.404 wOBA allowed in 2015).
Billy Burns, OAK vs. CWS ($2,400): Burns is priced so reasonably that I struggled to find him initially because I didn't think he'd be that far down the price list. Burns bats lead off, is a better bet than most to steal a base (26 steals in 125 games last season) and faces perpetual disappointment Mat Latos.
