The Main Slate on FanDuel is comprised of 11 games and begins at 7:05pm ET. Let us hope it goes better than yesterday, when I decided to play Alex Rodriguez, a full San Diego Padres stack sans Ryan Schimpf, and to pitch Stephen Strasburg. It is so frustrating to need your ace pitcher to "pick up" your mediocre lineup due to a massive mistake (Schimpf) and to watch said pitcher get roasted by the anemic Atlanta Braves. Freddie Freeman was Drogon yesterday. Stephen Strasburg was a "Good Master" of Astapor. But just like in Game of Thrones, there was nothing good there. Except A-Rod. Go figure. Anyway, let’s get to Saturday and forget all about that debacle.
Pitching
Aces
Jacob deGrom ($10,800) and Madison Bumgarner ($11,400) are both on the docket today, but you don’t need me to explain those guys. I like deGrom’s matchup better, as the Padres strikeout 24.3% of the time (next to worst) and sport a .293 wOBA (worst) against RHP in 2016. The Orioles are not quite as anemic, but the park downgrade is considerable. MadBum made me look foolish the last time I questioned his matchup. I won’t make the same mistake today. Still, why pay for Bumgarner when deGrom faces a worse team and Jarred Cosart?
Value
Tyler Anderson ($6,400) is priced below guys like Tyler Duffey ($6,700) and James Shields ($6,600) for some goofy reason. Sure, Duffey has had two solid turns and Shields does have a wider range of outcomes (an arguably higher ceiling) but Anderson has been steadier than either pitcher and faces the anemic Philadelphia Phillies today. The Phillies strikeout 21.5% of the time (12th) but have a meager .298 wOBA (28th) and 82 wRC+ (29th) against RHP. Anderson opposes Jerad Eickhoff ($8,000) who has turned in a solid effort in 2016 (3.78 ERA, 117 Ks, 31 BBs). However, Eickhoff has only managed a 7-12 record this year, thanks in large part to that woeful Philadelphia offense. I’d put my money on Anderson today, and his price allows you to pay up for whichever bats you choose. And there are bats to be had today.
Hitting
Arizona Diamondbacks @ RHP Clay Buchholz
I always stack against Clay Buchholz. This is a prime matchup against a guy who has been lit up on numerous occasions throughout his career. The Diamondbacks have middling power numbers (.158 ISO) but rank 5th in stolen bases (69) against RHP in 2016. Against Buchholz, left-handed hitters have been on base far more often than right-handed hitters, but right-handed hitters have hit more home runs (2.03 HR/9 to RHH, 1.19 HR/9 to LHH). Lefties get the big edge in hard contact, though, at 36.3% this year. In summary...play all of the Diamondbacks. Especially right-handed power bats and any left-handed hitters with speed. Any right-handed bats with speed, too. Just play everyone.
Texas Rangers vs. LHP Matt Boyd
Adrian Beltre, Robinson Chirinos, Mitch Moreland, and Rougned Odor all have home runs off of Matt Boyd already. Texas is at home, too. They are sure to be very chalky with all of the pretty BvP numbers. Just don’t forget about Ian Desmond, Carlos Beltran, Jonathan Lucroy, etc. There are so many good bats in this lineup. I fear greatly for Matt Boyd. I think the Rangers at home are my favorite stack of the day at this juncture.
Miami Marlins vs. RHP James Shields
There is no such thing as a secret in daily fantasy sports. None. But perhaps Miami hitters at home against James Shields is a tiny bit sneaky. The park is not ideal, obviously, and that could be a smokescreen. But the matchup is prime, and Miami has one obviously monstrous power bat who can go deep anywhere (Stanton) as well as the do-it-all type in Yelich. Shields gives up far more fly balls and home runs to right-handed hitters, and has allowed a startling 38.6% hard contact rate to RHH so far in 2016. Giancarlo Stanton is looking almost as good as Jake Lamb. After Stanton, I’ll take Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna.
Minnesota Twins vs. RHP Dillon Gee
My final team of interest at this point is the Minnesota Twins against Dillon Gee at home. Gee allows 1.90 HR/9 to RHH so far, and that makes me super-interested in Brian Dozier and Miguel Sano. After those two, it’s Max Kepler and either Joe Mauer or Eddie Rosario. For my part, I think I’d roll with Rosario (.354 wOBA, .219 ISO) and find a first baseman elsewhere. I like Mauer, but the .140 ISO in my first base slot just isn’t exciting enough.
As always, I will aim to share my own lineup in the comments section prior to lock. I'm doing single entry, per my usual. One final caveat--I already worked one lineup that allowed me to go up from Tyler Anderson to get to Matt Shoemaker. I don't love Shoemaker's matchup but he does have the talent to pay off his salary in a big way. I'll be digging a little deeper into that scenario as the day wears on. Good luck in your own research, and good luck today, champs.