This article is part of our FantasyAces MLB series.
Be sure to checkout tonight's FAWBC Qualifier, as the winner gets an entry to the $250K Fantasy Aces World Baseball Championship live in Anaheim, California at Angel Stadium August 15. Only 20 will win a trip to the final, and the winner takes home $100K.
OPS is a great indicator of point potential under the scoring system, with walks being worth just as much as singles, and the progression of points per extra base is one per. Strikeouts are pretty heavily penalized, so be diligent with those prone to strikeouts or those against a high strikeout pitcher. While on the pitching side, strikeouts aren't quite as overpowering as on other DFS sites, and pitchers that can keep their pitch count low and go deeper into games can be better rewarded. Fantasy Aces offers a great selection of contests for Friday night's huge slate of 13 night games.
Pitcher:
Lance Lynn ($6,750): Lynn is the perfect example of a stud pitcher at a sub-stud price. His 2.84 FIP and 9.45 K/9 rank him very well in comparison to pitchers often priced well over $7,000. On the season, the Pirates sport a mediocre K/9 of 7.88 and OPS of .695. It takes a very short string of easy-to-find stats that lead to Lynn being a good target, especially for those looking for a very good points-per-dollar value.
Other Stud Pitchers to consider:Gerrit Cole ($7,750), Madison Bumgarner ($7,900)
Michael Bolsinger ($5,500): Bolsinger is one of the league's best-kept secrets falling behind Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in the Dodgers' rotation. His 3.02 FIP and 8.46 K/9 seem to have gone unnoticed. His 2.92 ERA and 1.08 WHIP at home seem to have fallen under the radar as well. He simply doesn't get the credit he deserves for what has been one of the better pitching performances on the season. The matchup with Milwaukee is good (despite a recent revival in their bats) as they still sport a season strikeout rate and OPS below the league average.
Other Value Pitchers to consider:Noah Syndergaard ($6,100)
Catcher:
John Jaso ($4,600): At a position hard to fill, Jaso has a unique dynamic. His price isn't great, but it's certainly affordable. The real kickers are his very low strikeout rate and wonderful spot leading off. Seldom will you get the chance to take a leadoff batter at the catcher position, and he is seemingly healthy as ever coming off a three-month absence, batting .583 in his first four games back.
1B/3B:
Adrian Gonzalez ($5,550): Gonzalez started the season hotter than any hitter on the planet. However, his last month has been worse than mediocre with an abysmal .216 batting average. Now with four home runs in the last seven games, it appears he has found that early power swing and reinstalled it into his repertoire. With a very hittable righty on the mound in Jimmy Nelson, Gonzalez is in the perfect scenario to keep his free-swinging going.
Joe Mauer ($4,800): Mauer is having a forgettable season, but for somebody who has hit for a .365 batting average in a season, he can never be totally forgotten. His batting average over the last two weeks is a solid .377 and he's hit two home runs in the last six days. The Twins rank highly as one of the best stacks on the day, and especially so for the lineup's affordable price points.
Juan Uribe ($4,000): He's a solid hitter at a good price, and gets to play at Coors Field. The equation is simple. Those looking to spend a bit more to get power can look at Kelly Johnson ($4,750), who has two home runs in his last four games.
2B/SS:
Derek Dietrich ($3,250): Nothing sexy here, just a very low price in a tough-to-fill position for a solid lefty against righty Mike Leake. If you buy into Leake being a good pitcher, you are mistaken.
Jedd Gyorko ($3,750): Gyorko gobbles up mediocre lefties like Rodriguez, and serves as an excellent cap-saving option to buy up players at the more valuable positions.
Outfield:
J.D. Martinez ($5,250): He has simply been wildfire over the past month, hitting an absurd amount of home runs. He's hit himself right into the All-Star game, and I'll be buying stock until the fire is extinguished. The guy had 11 home runs in just 13 games!
Matt Kemp ($4,650): It has been a poor year for the prestigious name of Kemp to fall to this price, but his last two games and mediocre Wandy Rodriguez on the mound instill hope. He's starting to find his power stroke (three homers in the last 14 days) and it may just be time for him to turn this poor season upside down.
Cameron Maybin ($4,850): The Coors effect in place, Maybin has two home runs in the past week and will have as good a chance as ever to add to the tally Friday night.
There are a number of value options in the OF Friday night, here are a select few:Clint Robinson ($3,800), Cole Gillespie ($3,000), Eddie Rosario ($4,000)
