This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
PITCHER:
Danny Duffy, KAN vs. DET ($8,300): The Tigers have a 24.1 percent strikeout rate and .258 wOBA versus southpaws on the road in September, while Duffy has a 2.45 ERA, .209 BAA and .238 wOBA allowed in his two starts since returning from a knee injury. He's also posted a 2-0 record against the Tigers this season and a 3.12 ERA and .285 wOBA allowed over 57.2 home innings.
CATCHER:
Robinson Chirinos, TEX vs. OAK ($2,500): Chirinos offers some cheap right-handed exposure to A's southpaw Sean Manaea, who's allowed a .367 wOBA (including 11 homers) and 37.3 percent hard-contact rate to right-handed hitters on the road. Chirinos sports a .464 wOBA against left-handed pitching that rises to .511 when facing that handedness at Globe Life Park. He also boasts a 29.4 percent HR/FB rate and 44.4 percent hard-contact rate versus lefties at home, as well as a .459 wOBA versus the four-seam fastball that Manaea allows a .357 wOBA on when throwing. A's relievers also have a 5.84 ERA and .396 wOBA allowed (including seven homers) to righty bats on the road in September.
FIRST BASE:
Adam Lind, WAS vs. PIT ($3,100): Pirates starter Ivan Nova's struggles versus lefty bats on the road include a .369 wOBA (including 12 homers), 4.89 xFIP and 20.0 percent HR/FB rate allowed, and he's surrendered a 35.0 percent hard-contact rate to that handedness overall. Lind has hit all 14 homers this season off right-handed pitchers and owns a .410 wOBA, .237 ISO and 39.3 percent hard-contact rate versus that handedness at home, while also posting a .518 wOBA against Nova's trademark sinker. Moreover, Pirates relievers have a 6.62 ERA and have allowed a .358 wOBA (including four homers) to lefty bats on the road in the last month.
SECOND BASE
Brandon Phillips, LAA at CWS ($3,300): White Sox starter Dylan Covey has yielded a .448 wOBA (including 10 homers), 2.78 HR/9, 6.48 xFIP and 40.9 percent hard-contact rate to right-handed hitters, and a .375 wOBA when throwing his trademark sinker, a pitch that Phillips boasts a .442 wOBA against. Phillips has hit 11 of his 13 homers on the season off righties and sports a .320 wOBA versus that handedness overall. White Sox relievers also have a 5.76 ERA and have allowed a .333 wOBA (including three homers) to right-handed hitters at home in September.
THIRD BASE:
Mike Moustakas, KC vs. DET ($2,700): Moustakas is in play despite the lefty-on-lefty matchup against Tigers starter Daniel Norris, who's allowed a .398 wOBA (including six homers) and 38.4 percent hard-contact rate to left-handed hitters. While a lot of those struggles have come at home, it's notable that Norris has been bailed out against lefty bats on the road by an unsustainable .161 BABIP over a modest sample. Meanwhile Moustakas owns a .324 wOBA (including nine homers) and .203 ISO against southpaws, and a .347 wOBA versus the four-seam fastball, a pitch that Norris is allowing a .422 wOBA on.
SHORTSTOP:
Alcides Escobar, KAN vs. DET ($3,000): Norris has had his share of struggles versus righty bats as well, allowing a .354 wOBA, 4.95 xFIP and 42.9 percent hard-contact rate. Escobar has been a much better hitter in the second half and is sporting a .396 wOBA and .258 ISO over 92 September plate appearances, numbers partly comprised of 15 extra-base hits (10 doubles, two triples, three homers). Tigers relievers also have an AL-high 7.63 ERA and .466 wOBA allowed to righty bats on the road in September.
OUTFIELD:
Howie Kendrick, WAS vs. PIT ($2,800): While Pirates starter Ivan Nova hasn't been as vulnerable to right-handed hitters, he's still allowing a .323 wOBA (including 10 homers) and 36.8 percent hard-contact rate to that handedness on the road. Furthermore, he's allowing a .360 wOBA and 41.4 percent hard-contact rate to righty bats overall since the All-Star break, while Kendrick boasts a .351 wOBA versus right-handed pitching and a .364 wOBA versus Nova's trademark sinker.
Andrew McCutchen, PIT at WAS ($3,300): McCutchen's body of work versus righties includes a .334 wOBA and 33.3 percent hard-contact rate, and he boasts a .363 wOBA over 98 September plate appearances, a number significantly boosted by his two-homer, eight-RBI explosion on Tuesday that netted 73.8 fantasy points. Nationals starter Edwin Jackson has allowed a .415 wOBA (including 14 homers), 6.26 xFIP, 22.6 percent HR/FB rate and 32.3 percent hard-contact rate to righty bats, and he has a 12.38 ERA and has allowed a .494 wOBA (including nine homers) in the 16 innings encompassing his last four starts. McCutchen also owns a .416 wOBA versus the four-seam fastball, a pitch that Jackson allows a .350 wOBA on.
Matt Joyce, OAK at TEX ($2,900): Rangers starter Miguel Gonzalez was pounded for seven earned runs over 2.1 innings by the Mariners in his only Globe Life Park start since arriving in Texas, and he's allowing a .364 wOBA (including 11 homers), 5.82 xFIP and 34.3 percent hard-contact rate to lefty bats overall. Joyce has hit all but one of his 24 homers off righties and boasts a .358 wOBA and .254 ISO versus that handedness. Joyce's .398 wOBA versus the four-seam fastball also matches up nicely with the .402 wOBA that Gonzalez allows when throwing it, while Rangers relievers have an 8.38 ERA and have allowed a .371 wOBA to lefty bats at home in September.
