This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Welcome back to another edition of my FanDuel value plays of the day for Wednesday, September 23. It happens to be my birthday today so I'm hoping the Fantasy Gods will make their presence known and lead us to the promise land tonight. We've got a heavy slate this evening with 13 games on the schedule and a ton of different options to choose from. Be sure to check up on any last minute lineup changes and any players that have been battling injuries before you make out your lineups. There are a handful of games tonight that will have serious playoff implications and we're going to dig into some guys who could provide some sold value along the way.
Starting Pitcher:
Max Scherzer, $11,000 - There are two other monster aces on the mound tonight, but Corey Kluber ($10,100) is pitching on the road against a team in the playoff hunt and Zack Greinke ($12,600) is quite a bit more expensive than Scherzer. I love the matchup at home against an Orioles team that owns the second-worst road record in the American League at 31-47. The 31-year old ace ranks fourth in the league in strikeouts with 237 and he's struck out six or more batters in 12 of his last 13 starts. I also like Jake Peavy at $6,800 tonight if you're in need of a lower priced option.
Catcher:
Russell Martin, $2,900 - Martin had the day off on Tuesday while Dioner Navarro got his scheduled start with Marco Estrada on the hill. Despite a .239 average, the veteran catcher sits on 20 home runs and 69 RBI in just 420 at-bats. He hits in a stacked lineup behind three great hitters, and he could see a couple RBI opportunities tonight against the Yankees. Martin gets a matchup against Ivan Nova who enters with a 7.46 ERA in his last seven starts.
First Base:
Adrian Gonzalez, $2,900 - Gonzalez battled some back stiffness over the last week or so but he seems to be back to full strength after playing the last two nights. The 33-year old first baseman has hit safely seven of his last nine contests with 12 hits and two home runs in those games. Gonzalez has been one of the best hitters at the position for the last decade and he gets a nice matchup at home against Chase Anderson of the Diamondbacks. Anderson enters with a 4.52 ERA from the right-side and 24 of Gonzalez's 28 home runs have come against right-handed pitching. Greg Bird ($3,000) of the Yankees is another great option tonight. He's hit a home run in five of his last seven games.
Second Base:
Starlin Castro, $3,300 - Castro has hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games with 20 hits, four home runs and 15 RBI. Despite the recent hot streak, there are still seven other players at the position that are priced higher than Castro. I love the matchup at home against Zach Davies of the Brewers who's making just the fifth start of his career. The Cubbies are in the middle of a playoff hunt and their lineup could have a big night tonight in Chicago. Jason Kipnis would be another solid play at $2,900 tonight.
Third Base:
David Wright, $3,500 - Wright is another hot hitter who's hit safely in seven of his last eight games. In those seven contests, the veteran third baseman has recorded four multi-hit games, five doubles and a home run which came in last night's game. He plays at home tonight against Williams Perez of the Braves who enters with a 5.16 ERA across 18 starts on the year. Wright has been a staple in the Mets offense since his return and he should have a good opportunity to stay hot tonight in New York. I also love Adrian Beltre at $3,300 tonight.
Shortstop:
Jordy Mercer, $3,100 - Mercer has filled in very nicely since the injury to Jung-Ho Kang back on September 17th. He's recorded eight hits in 19 at-bats with three runs scored and two RBI. If you have extra money to spend, Xander Bogaerts at $4,000 would also be a solid option as he's been on an absolute tear since the All-Star break.
Outfield:
Yoenis Cespedes, $4,600 - Cespedes gets that same matchup against Williams Perez of the Braves tonight in New York and he's been one of the hottest players in all of baseball during the second half of the season. Since the All-Star break, Cespedes has hit .287 with 22 home runs and 52 RBI which has launched him into the most recent NL MVP conversations.
Shin-Soo Choo, $3,700 - Speaking of post All-Star break success, Choo is batting .350 since the mid-summer classic with seven long balls and 31 RBI. He's recorded 27 hits in his last 18 games with 14 runs scored and he's starting to look like the player we used to see back in Cleveland. Choo bats near the top of a stacked Rangers lineup in front of some veteran hitters who know how to drives in runs, and until he cools down, he's a must play.
Carlos Beltran, $3,300 - I guess the trend tonight is to select outfielders who've had great success since the All-Star break and Beltran would also fit that description. He's batting .295 with nine home runs and 28 RBI over just 193 at-bats. The 38-year old veteran is coming off a 2-for-3 night with a home run and two RBI. He's hit two home runs in his last four games and he should love his matchup tonight against youngster Marcus Stroman of the Blue Jays who'll be making just his third start of the season.
Other Notable Outfielders:
Lorenzo Cain, $3,900
Ben Revere, $2,800
