This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
FanDuel is offering a 10-game main slate for the final Tuesday evening of the regular season. Just six of the listed 20 pitchers are priced at $9,000 or greater, which would lead you to believe there should be ample offense available. Vegas doesn't immediately agree however, with no game having a listed double-digit run total, though Dodgers-Rockies at Coors Field is currently without a number. Conversely, four games sit at eight or lower, so we may be able to find some pitching value.
Rain is looking very likely in Chicago for White Sox vs. Diamondbacks, enough so we should consider avoiding that game altogether. That's a shame too, because Arizona was set to tee off on Jose Urena. And while winds look to be blowing in for a handful of games, we've reportedly got major outbound winds in San Francisco, making it prudent to target Giant and Padre bats.
Pitching
Braxton Garrett, MIA at NYM ($9,400): If you're paying up for an arm, Kevin Gausman is my preferred choice, but I think we can get by and save some funds with a few options, starting with Garrett. He's fresh off facing these Mets where he provided 43 FDP, striking out seven in six shutout innings. He's earned quality starts in five of seven, with the down games coming against the Dodgers and Astros. New York doesn't offer a ton of upside with just a 22.0 percent K rate off lefties, but the form is solid enough we can back Garrett for all contests.
Bailey Ober, MIN vs. OAK ($9,000): It's matchup over form when choosing to back Ober. You'd have to go back to July 23 to find the last quality start he's produced, having earned 30+ FDP just twice in his last eight starts. Oakland comes with a 25.1 percent K rate and 89 wRC+, giving Ober a chance to rediscover the success he had in the season's first half. He's thrown 25 innings more this season than at any point in his career however, so it's fair to question if he's out of gas and if the Twins are limiting his exposure, so the upside isn't nearly as high as Garrett's. Still, the matchup suggests a fair return.
Cristian Javier, HOU at SEA ($7,700): It's a postseason series here, and if one night is any indication, it looks like the Astros have flipped the switch. Javier is off his best outing since May, fanning 11 Orioles in five innings, earning 45 FDP. Seattle ranks seventh with a .320 wOBA off righties, but fan at a high 25.6 percent rate. Javier hasn't faced the Mariners since May, but he earned 40 FDP while striking out eight across seven innings. There should be a reasonable floor and ample ceiling for someone with a sub-8k price.
Top Targets
If we're believing the wind situation in San Francisco, the Padres will be highly stackable given their lineup's overall success off lefties. Curiously, Giants starter Kyle Harrison has been far more vulnerable to lefties, making it somewhat less obvious. Still, Fernando Tatis ($3,800) and his .401 wOBA and 159 wRC+ off southpaws is a great anchor Tuesday.
It's strength on strength in Atlanta, where Cubs' ace Justin Steele faces a lineup that crushes lefties. With Steele appearing to slow, allowing 12 runs and 15 hits across his last nine innings, it's a clear spot to back bats from the NL East winners. Ronald Acuna at $5,000 is far too expensive for most, but either of Austin Riley ($4,000) or Ozzie Albies ($3,900) give us more reasonable options. Albies is a known lefty masher, sitting with a .423 wOBA, 168 wRC+ and .216 ISO while hitting safely in 10 of his last 11. Riley sits at .384/141/.288, collecting nine hits in his last five while going for double-digit fantasy points four times.
Bargain Bats
It's a strict BvP play, but Paul Goldschmidt ($3,500) is priced low enough and has enough exposure to Adrian Houser to back here. He's 9-for-31 (.290) with three hours, 12 RBI and a .904 OPS off of him.
If we want some secondary pieces to the Padres rather than stacking, Manny Machado ($3,500) or Xander Bogaerts ($3,200) make sense. But for real value, consider Garrett Cooper ($2,600), who's had a .398 wOBA, 158 wRC+ and .290 ISO off lefties since joining the team at the trade deadline.
The wind is reportedly blowing out up to 20 mph in San Francisco, dramatic enough we likely want shares on both sides. Seth Lugo doesn't have targetable splits, and he's found success against the Giants as well, so a stack isn't statistically in play, but Mike Yastrzemski ($2,900) is priced low enough to consider, given his team-best .366 wOBA off righties. Thairo Estrada ($3,200) has seen Lugo well, going 3-for-7 with a 1.000 OPS, albeit in a small sample.
Stacks to Consider
Brewers vs. Zack Thompson: William Contreras ($3,200), Mark Canha ($3,200), Carlos Santana ($2,900)
Milwaukee bats have such positive splits off lefties, and are priced so cheaply, it makes sense to take a shot here in GPPs, which allows you to pay for pitching and top bats elsewhere. Contreras has done it all year off southpaws, posting a .453 wOBA, 193 wRC+ and .299 ISO, making him a stand alone option. Canha has cooled over the last week, but sits at .410/159/.293 and Santana .393/148/.233. Josh Donaldson ($2,600) is also in play should he feature in the lineup. Thompson has allowed three or more runs and five or more hits in four straight starts, including four in five frames to Milwaukee in his last start.
Cubs vs. Bryce Elder: Cody Bellinger ($3,900), Ian Happ ($3,300), Dansby Swanson ($3,200)
Elder pitches to far too much contact, doesn't miss bats (6.6 Ks per nine) and walks too many (3.1 per nine) to have sustained success, and it's bit him over his last two starts as he's allowed eight runs in 8.2 innings. The Cubs don't have terrific numbers off righties however, so this makes for a bit of a risky stack. Bellinger anchors with the power potential, bringing a decent .350 wOBA and 120 wRC+. Happ has better splits at .357/127, and has hit safely in nine of 10, collecting 14 total knocks in that stretch. Swanson sits at just .326/104 off righties, but has the revenge angle in his return to Atlanta, while hitting safely in four straight and five of seven.
