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Reminder: Always double check the lineup card before rosters lock to make sure that a player you've chosen to roster is playing that day, and check the weather to make sure your players won't get rained out of their game.
Happy 4th of July! While you're sitting on the beach or barbecuing, set your FanDuel lineup with the FanDuel app on your smart phone and enjoy the holiday. Here are 6 options that I will be playing today:
3 from the early game
Pitcher- Michael Pineda vs Tampa Bay Rays, $9,700
Pineda has been prone to some bizarre blow up starts this year, but his peripherals scream ace. He has an elite 2.72 FIP/2.72 xFIP combo with a strong strikeout rate, which is important for FD scoring. Pineda has been victimized by a significantly elevated .349 BABIP and below average 66% strand rate, both of which should normalize as the season progresses. Starting a pitcher in Yankee Stadium is always less than ideal because of the park effects, but he faces a Rays offense that has the 6th highest K% vs RHP (22%) and a bottom third wRC+ (90). I like Pineda's chances at picking up the 4 point win, too.
Catcher- Yan Gomes vs. Jeff Locke, $2,300
Gomes is one of the best punt plays in the early game. In 314 PA since the start of 2013, Gomes owns a strong 136 wRC+ vs LHP. Locke has been a below average pitcher in 300 IP vs RHB in that time frame (4.07 FIP).
Third base- Matt Carpenter vs. Odrisamer Despaigne, $3,200
In 1200 PA vs RHP since the start of 2013, Carpenter owns a 143 wRC+, including a 158 wRC+ in 220 PA this season. Despaigne has a significantly below average 4.73 career FIP/4.78 2015 FIP vs LHB. Carpenter's very affordable price allows a fantasy owner to spend elsewhere for added production.
3 from the late game
First base- Joey Votto vs Jimmy Nelson, $3,400
Votto is similarly priced to Carpenter and owns similar production vs RHP. In 921 PA vs RHP since the start of 2013, Votto has a 153 wRC+, including a 150 wRC+ this year. Nelson has huge career platoon splits, posting an ugly 5.24 FIP vs LHB. The matchup takes place in Great American Ballpark, a hitter's haven for LHB.
Outfield- Marcell Ozuna vs Clayton Richard, $2,200
I was shocked to see that Clayton Richard, an old favorite of mine from his PetCo days, is still in baseball. Richard hasn't pitched since 2013, and has been hideous vs RHB since 2012 with a FIP over 5 in about 200 IP. Ozuna owns a 120 wRC+ in 252 PA vs LHP dating back to the start of 2013 (with it at a 145 wRC+ vs LHP this year) and gets a park upgrade in Wrigley. He's a strong punt play.
Pitcher- Zack Greinke vs New York Mets, $11,200
Greinke is very expensive, but worth it against the worst offense in baseball at the present moment. The Mets have averaged 1.5 runs per game over their last 25 games. It would be shocking for Greinke to not prevent runs at an elite level vs this offense, and the Mets have been strikeout prone on the season vs RHP with the 9th highest K% at 20.6%. Find value with hitters, like Votto and Ozuna, to squeeze Greinke into a productive lineup.
Follow me on Twitter at @TimFinn521, I usually tweet out more good options as lineups are released.