This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Eight games await FanDuel's Tuesday main slate, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Four bona fide aces are on the hill, which will force cash and GPP managers alike to make the choice on paying up, or building a balanced offense.
Pitching
Tyler Glasnow, TAM at BOS ($10,700): Glasnow has such a wide range of outcomes, it's hard to trust him as the slate's top-priced arm. He allowed just one hit and fanned six in his opener, and the Red Sox bats began the year ice cold, posting a meager 23 wRC+ entering Monday. Boston did hit him hard last year (nine runs, two homers in 11 innings, four homers in 26 frames dating back to 2019) and woke up in a big way yesterday. The upside may make him a better GPP, low-usage guy rather than a cash game anchor.
Clayton Kershaw, LAD at OAK ($9,000): GPP players may find Kershaw's salary intriguing. He's not the ace he once was, but can offer upside on occasion in the right spot. Oakland fanned 24.2 percent against lefties last season and has minimal familiarity with Kershaw. They are a feast or famine offense, and Kershaw profiles similarly at this point in his career.
Marcus Stroman, NYM vs. PHI ($8,000): We probably shouldn't get lost in the Phillies' 3-0 start against Atlanta, as they had just a 33.1 percent hard hit rate and seemed to benefit from soft contact flairs. That came back towards the mean against a dominant Jacob deGrom on Monday, and Stroman could benefit here from an overly aggressive group. He's a groundball guy who should find success against a lineup that's weak five through nine.
Adbert Alzolay, CHC vs. MIL ($6,200): I like both sides of this pitching matchup, but the Cubs started to lift the ball Monday, pushing me away from Freddy Peralta, though his salary and strikeout potential certainly bring appeal. The Brewers offense is ice cold though, fanning 30.8 percent of the time thus far while posting a .228 wOBA and .053 ISO. Alzolay has nice K potential and seemingly low combustibility with a salary that opens up free spending offensively.
Top Targets
Eric Hosmer, SDP vs. SF ($4,100): The three names here certainly aren't sexy, but they are in plus matchups. Hosmer leads the way facing Aaron Sanchez, who is making his first start since 2019. Hosmer has posted a .431 wOBA since the start of 2020 against righties, and had gone deep twice in three games entering Monday. I honestly don't buy this salary as sustainable, but it's a favorable matchup and he's hot.
C.J. Cron, COL vs. ARI ($4,000): Where do we value Cron on Tuesday? He's expensive and isn't tearing off the cover of the ball, but he has a beyond favorable matchup. In his limited Coors Field sample, Cron has a meager .167 ISO but a 1.056 OPS, .478 wOBA and 184 wRC+. That seems to play well here against Luke Weaver, who allowed a .405 wOBA and 6.32 FIP to lefties last year.
Jose Abreu, CWS at SEA ($3,800): Maybe we're getting a ballpark discount. Abreu logged a hit Monday, giving him four to date including one long ball. He's got a sound .393 wOBA against lefties since the start of 2020 and pairs it with a .352 ISO, so the upside is far greater than the tag.
Value Bats
Max Muncy, LAD at OAK ($3,400): Pick a secondary Dodger, any Dodger! Muncy profiles favorably with Chris Bassitt allowing a .360 wOBA to lefties a year ago against a .259 wOBA to righties. So this really is about your lineup construction. Go big with top Dodger bats, go small with Muncy or Gavin Lux ($2,900), who didn't play Monday and should be back in the lineup. Go RvR with Will Smith ($3,200) if he's in the lineup. Stack 'em all. You choose - just have some Dodgers shares.
Randy Arozarena, TAM at BOS ($3,300): Arozarena has hit safely in three straight with four knocks in total, but they are all singles, pushing his salary down. Few in this tier possess his upside, albeit in minimal exposure, and he sports a 1.411 OPS, .571 ISO, .567 OPS and 275 wRC+ against lefties dating back to last season. There's little reason to fear Red Sox starter Martin Perez, so we'll trust the small sample for the Rays' budding star.
Stacks to Consider
Rangers vs. Tanner Roark: Joey Gallo ($4,100), Nate Lowe ($3,300) David Dahl ($3,200)
It's a challenge to talk anyone into a stack built around K-heavy Gallo, but this is a heavy left-handed, high-upside option for GPPs. This trio has combined for 16 hits and two homers through four games and all three hit in the top of the order. I can't sell LvR splits against Roark, as he's been more successful against opposite-handed arms, but the Rangers' games have seen a lot of offense thus far and there's huge upside here with minimal expense, giving managers the opportunity to get safety elsewhere.
Mets vs. Chase Anderson: Michael Conforto ($3,200), Dominic Smith ($3,100), Brandon Nimmo ($2,900)
We're going all in on a LvR stack here. Anderson allowed a very targetable .431 wOBA to lefties last year, something the Mets lineup has plenty of. There's no shame is substituting in Francisco Lindor ($3,800) either, as he's affordable. Conforto brings a .414 wOBA and 166 wRC+ from last year, Smith a .425 wOBA and .331 ISO and Nimmo a .420 wOBA. Given Anderson's propensity for hard-hit elevated balls, this seems like a low-cost, low-risk, high-upside opportunity.
