FanDuel's Friday main slate includes 12 games and gets underway at 7:07 p.m. EDT. Only one arm is priced in five-figures, and while five more have a $9,000 price or more, they don't immediately pass the eye test, whether it be the name associated with the price, their current form or the matchup. This is a difficult slate to isolate one pitcher.
We've got double-digit run totals with Rockies-Diamondbacks and Athletics-Angels, making for obvious games to target offense. The low point is 7.5 runs coming in Blue Jays-Rangers, Orioles-Astros, and Rays-Giants. The Astros (-230) are the slate's biggest favorite, followed by the Dodgers (-190). Weather presents mainly calm; no rain is expected, and there initially only appears to be a minor wind boost in Kansas City.
Pitching
Framber Valdez, HOU vs. BAL ($9,900): As the intro states, I don't feel great about the payup options. With Valdez, it's that he's allowed nine runs and 15 hits in his last two starts, going 11.2 innings with just four strikeouts. But he's got a 1.65 home ERA, allowing a .233 wOBA to lefties, which Baltimore has plenty of, and a .274 wOBA to righties if they want to mix up their lineup. The Orioles have an 85 wRC+ against southpaws overall, fanning 23.9 percent of the time. Pair that with the Astros being heavy favorites, and there's a path to a fair return.
Noah Cameron, KC vs. CWS ($9,200): Cameron doesn't have a quality start in any of his last four outings, but has still topped 32 fantasy points in three of those. His strikeouts are up at home (8.4 per nine against 6.3 on the road), which can play up against a White Sox team with a 24.3 percent K rate against lefties. Low hanging fruit, so this may be popular with many unappealing options, but Cameron looks safe for both cash and GPP builds.
Hurston Waldrep, ATL at CLE ($7,600): Waldrep has been fantastic since being promoted, allowing two runs while striking out 10 across two starts (10.2 innings), and it's an extension of what he was showing at Triple-A. Cleveland ranks 26th with a 93 wRC+ against righties and remains a lineup we don't fear outside of Jose Ramirez. The price is still low enough on Waldrep where there's enough upside even if we're not chasing strikeouts with Cleveland fanning 21.6 percent of the time.
Top Targets
Tanner Gordon hasn't shown capable of getting out big league hitters, allowing 23 runs and 33 hits over his last three starts, spanning just 10.1 innings. His last outing came against these Diamondbacks, who posted 10 runs and 12 hits against him. Corbin Carroll ($4,700) and Ketel Marte ($4,600) are incredibly expensive but should be used if you can fit them in. Lourdes Gurriel ($3,500) is my preferred entry to Arizona's offense for a more reasonable price.
We've got a massive series between the Padres and Dodgers this weekend, and the Padres big two of Manny Machado ($3,500) and Fernando Tatis ($3,700) have enjoyed facing Clayton Kershaw, going a collective 20-for-65 (.308), each having homered four times. It's a playoff type series where stars need to shine.
Ronald Acuna ($4,000) is expected back tonight and is fairly priced in a surging Atlanta offense. He could come with lower roster percentages given the current IL tag, and Guardians' starter Joey Cantillo has a 5.26 home ERA.
Bargain Bats
Michael Harris ($2,800) is too hot to fade at this price. He has six-straight multi-hit games, going 13-for-25 (.520) with three homers, three doubles, nine RBI, seven runs and two steals. Xavier Edwards ($3,100) has slightly less upside, but has 19 hits during his current nine-game hitting streak.
Minnesota's Pierson Ohl isn't going to stick around long enough to target his splits, but we shouldn't trust the Twins bullpen to be clean for six-ish innings either. Detroit's never an offense we feel great stacking, so one-off pieces are the preference. Kerry Carpenter ($3,200) has three multi-hit games in his last five. Colt Keith ($2,800) has hit safely in seven of 10.
Baltimore's Brandon Young has been worse at home, but overall is allowing a .416 wOBA and .973 OPS to lefties and .385/.918 to righties. Carlos Correa ($2,600) had a nine-game hitting streak snapped last time out but is too cheap. Jesus Sanchez ($2,800) isn't in great form but allows a cheap way to target Young's splits to lefties.
Stacks to Consider
Red Sox vs. Sandy Alcantara (Marlins): Alex Bregman ($3,500), Jarren Duran ($3,400), Roman Anthony ($3,000)
This has been a popular trio when I pen this column of late, and we're going to stick with it Friday. Alcantara enters Friday with an 8.87 road ERA, allowing a .394 wOBA and .923 OPS to lefties, and .406/.949 to righties. You can pick and choose your pieces of the Boston offense as Bregman is the most expensive. It's just too obvious and convenient here; it's the top of the Red Sox lineup, and none of these three pieces has a wRC+ less than 140 against righties, none less than a .379 wOBA, and Anthony's .157 ISO is climbing after he homered in two of his last three.
Rockies vs. Brandon Pfaadt (Diamondbacks): Hunter Goodman ($3,500), Mickey Moniak ($3,300), Brenton Doyle ($3,300)
Pfaadt has been home-run prone, and isn't missing bats, with a career-low 7.4 K/9 this season. He allowed 11 hits in his last outing against the Rockies but limited them to two runs. Colorado has seen him well throughout, going 23-for-60 (.383) with a .920 OPS. It's a lineup where we may need to see how it's organized before we finalize which pieces to target. Moniak is a terrific stand alone option with a .361 wOBA, .280 ISO and 119 wRC+. Doyle is 6-for-12 off Pfaadt and has homered in three of his last six. Goodman brings a .366 wOBA, 123 wRC+ and .234 ISO off righties. Pfaadt is targetable for both-handed batters, allowing a .375 wOBA and .890 OPS to lefties on the road, and .373/.877 to righties, so again, see how the Rockies line up and what you can afford.
Try our FanDuel MLB Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
