This article is part of our FantasyAces MLB series.
Fantasy Aces has a great baseball product that offers games at every level and in a variety of formats. Whether you play Traditional or Salary Pro, this article will help you find the optimal plays and build a lineup that'll help build that bankroll. With September call-ups, you can find some very good value on under-priced former minor leaguers, though it's always important to check the lineups to make sure they are playing.
Pitcher:
Dallas Keuchel ($8,250): I'll start by saying I defaulted to Keuchel. He's probably the best pitcher of the night and the matchup with the Angels isn't a terrible one. Sexy, right? I'm not all that high on any pitcher. None of the matchups scream value to me, so I default to the stud.
Steven Matz ($6,000): A very talented young southpaw at $6,000; you could do worse. I don't love the matchup with the strikeout-elusive Braves, but when price and talent coincide such risks can be made.
Catcher:
Welington Castillo ($5,050): I don't love the idea of spending up like this on a boom-or-bust catcher, but you have to like the boom potential Castillo possesses. I wouldn't spend on him in cash games, but he makes quite a bit of sense as a high upside GPP swing.
1B/3B:
Matt Carpenter ($4,900): We know who Carpenter is by now. With his continued role as the leadoff hitter in a high run projected game, he makes quite a bit on sense for less than $5,000.
Evan Longoria ($4,950): As much as I dislike the Rays against righties, I love them against lefties. Wade Miley is a mediocre lefty and the Rays could very well line up with nine right-handed batters, and Longoria is the best of the bunch.
2B/SS:
Logan Forsythe ($4,650): Forsythe's recommendation comes from the same thread as Longoria's – he's just a little bit less in every category (talent and price included).
Jose Peraza ($3,500): I don't know if Peraza comes back into the balance Friday night, but at his price, he's worth a cheap grab if he does. The middle infielder has both hitting and base-stealing upside. Target Corey Seager if Peraza continues to ride the pine, but that hamstring is no longer the issue here.
Ketel Marte ($3,650): Marte is still too cheap. He leads off and has great base-stealing ability. The bats behind him have really been heating up too, increasing his chances to score runs if he can get on base.
Outfield:
Stephen Piscotty ($4,250): The Cardinals' minor league system comes through again, as the newest call-up is sporting a .329 batting average and .890 OPS in the majors. Piscotty's numbers are a tad unsustainable with an irregularly high BABIP, but he's still cheap and batting second in a Cardinals order projected to score some runs.
Mikie Mahtook ($3,100): You absolutely have to love the price on this guy. The Rays are, from what I see, a sneaky play as a very affordable stack against Wade Miley. Mahtook is coming off a home run last time out and has been fairly successful since being called back up.
Justin Ruggiano ($3,500): Another September call-up cheap in price and high on upside, Ruggiano has two home runs in his last seven at-bats.
