Michael Wacha see a park boost Friday with the Cardinals visiting the Giants

Friday night has a full slate of games with a lot of stud pitchers taking the mound. With there being so many offenses to target, you shouldn’t have a hard time using a top pitcher and finding enough value on offense. Clayton Kershaw is the top option on the board, but is he worth paying $13,000 with there being so many other options? Even in cash games the ownership levels should be spread out, but my assumption is most will go with Max Scherzer at $11,500.

The run totals range from 6.0-9.5 with six teams being a -200 favorite or more. The Pirates, Padres, Nationals, Tigers, Indians, Mets, Rays, Yankees, Orioles, Rangers, Mariners, and Astros all have TT over 4 runs. The Blue Jays have a TT over 5.

Every game looks to have good weather for baseball tonight. Pay attention to games with high temperatures or winds blowing out. Make sure to stay updated on the weather by following Kevin Roth on Twitter @KevinRothWx. He will have a full DFS forecast.

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Pitcher

• Michael Wacha – STL – $9,200

Danny Salazar was originally the pitcher that was going to be featured but was scratched while writing this article. Wacha makes for a fine pivot, coming in at the same price as Salazar. The Giants are solid vs. right-handed pitching but Wacha had his way with them recently and he is getting stronger as the season goes on. He also gets a ballpark boost while pitching in the spacious AT&T Park in San Francisco. Wacha’s velocity has increased and pitch count isn’t a concern for him anymore. In the 2nd half of the season, Wacha has a 23.2 K% along with a 3.35 FIP. He also comes into this game as a -110 favorite on the road.

Other Notables

• Clayton Kershaw – LAD – $13,000
• Max Scherzer – WAS – $11,500
• Matt Harvey – WAS – $11,000
• Francisco Liriano – PIT – $9,500
• Masahiro Tanaka – NYY – $9,200
• Raisel Iglesias – CIN – $8,000
• Taijuan Walker – SEA – $6,700

Catcher

• Russell Martin – TOR – $2,500

Martin received the day off yesterday due to the day game after night game. He should be back in the lineup tonight and gets a great matchup at home vs. Matt Boyd. The Blue Jays have the highest projected TT and Martin will most likely hit sixth in the lineup. Martin is the top option at the catcher position tonight with a .436 wOBA, 182 wRC+, .273 ISO at home vs. left-handed pitching this season.

Other Notables

• Travis d’Arnaud – NYM – $3,500
• Brian McCann – NYY – $3,400
• Yasmani Grandal – LAD – $2,700
• Wilson Ramos – WAS – $2,700
• Victor Martinez – DET – $2,600
• Yan Gomes – CLE – $2,600
• Stephen Vogt – OAK – $2,500
• Dioner Navarro – TOR – $2,300 (If Russell Martin is out of lineup)

First Base

• Joey Votto – CIN – $4,700

Usually when Votto is on the road he gets a downgrade in ballpark factor, but Miller Park in Milwaukee plays as one of the top parks in homeruns for left-handed hitters. Votto gets to face Taylor Jungmann who has been solid this season, but has struggled two of his last three outings. Votto has mashed right-handed pitching all season with a .421 wOBA, 168 wRC+, .247 ISO.

Other Notables

• Miguel Cabrera – DET – $5,500
• Edwin Encarnacion – TOR – $5,300
• Ryan Zimmerman – WAS – $3,300
• Carlos Santana – CLE – $3,300
• Mark Teixeira – NYY – $3,200
• Michael Cuddyer – NYM – $3,100
• Freddie Freeman – ATL – $3,000
• Billy Butler – OAK – $2,400
• Jesus Montero – SEA – $2,200

Second Base

• Chase Utley – LAD – $2,400

Utley was having a miserable season in Philadelphia then he landed on the DL. He has turned things around since coming back from injury and being traded to Los Angeles. He has a .415 wOBA, 168 wRC+, .192 ISO in the 2nd half of the season and he will be making his home debut in Los Angeles. #NarrativeStreet?

Other Notables

• Ian Kinsler -DET – $4,200
• Robinson Cano – SEA – $3,800
• Anthony Rendon – WAS – $3,500
• Brian Dozier – MIN – $3,200
• Neil Walker – PIT – $3,000
• Kolten Wong – STL – $2,300
• Scooter Gennett – MIL – $2,200

Third Base

• Todd Frazier – CIN – $2,900

Sorry, I’m not sorry about featuring Frazier at this spot again, but his price is just too low. His horrid start after the All-Star break drove his price way down and it hasn’t caught back up to his recent success. Frazier has 4 multi-hit games in his last 10 with 5 extra base hits. The Todd Father has a .354 wOBA, 122 wRC+, .257 ISO this season and doesn’t get a downgrade in ballpark factor in Milwaukee.

Other Notables

• Josh Donaldson – TOR – $6,000
• Manny Machado – BAL – $3,900
• Nolan Arenado – COL – $3,900
• David Wright – NYM – $3,600
• Alex Rodriguez – NYY – $3,500
• Matt Carpenter – STL – $3,400
• Nick Castellanos – DET – $3,400
• Kyle Seager – SEA – $3,100
• Justin Turner – LAD – $3,000

Shortstop

• Troy Tulowitzki – TOR – $3,800

Tulo is pretty much a must start with his price below $4,000, facing a left-handed pitcher at home in the Rogers Centre. Tulowitzki looks much more motivated and happy playing for Toronto with them being in the hunt for October. Tulo has always owned left-handed pitching and is doing so this season with a .388 wOBA, 136 wRC+, .172 ISO.

Other Notables

• Carlos Correa – HOU – $3,900
• Wilmer Flores – NYM – $3,200
• Jhonny Peralta – STL – $2,400

Outfield

• Nelson Cruz – SEA – $5,000
• Andre Ethier – LAD – $2,300
• Carl Crawford – LAD – $2,200

Cruz is similar to Edwin Encarnacion when it comes to getting hot and hitting home runs in bunches. Cruz is in the middle of one of those streaks and draws one of the best matchups of the night vs. left-handed pitcher, John Danks. Cruz also gets a ballpark boost while hitting at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. Cruz has absolutely crushed left-handed pitching this season, posting a .481 wOBA, 219 wRC+, .348 ISO.

Ethier has been hitting in the heart of the Dodgers lineup and could see another bump in the lineup if Adrian Gonzalez is out (knee contusion). Ethier is having a solid season and has made a career out of hitting left-handed pitching. Dre sees the ball very well at home and comes into this game with a .459 wOBA, 200 wRC+, .285 ISO at home vs. left-handed pitching.

This was the last spot in the lineup to fill with only $2,300 left to fill it. Crawford comes in at minimum salary and should get the start tonight due to Yasiel Puig re-injuring his hamstring in yesterday’s game. Crawford hasn’t played many games this season so his 2015 sample size is small, but he has a .487 wOBA, 219 wRC+, .250 ISO at home vs. right-handed pitching.

Other Notables

• Jose Bautista – TOR – $5,300
• Andrew McCutchen – PIT – $5,100
• Yoenis Cespedes – NYM – $4,400
• Justin Upton – SD – $4,100
• J.D. Martinez – DET – $3,900
• Starling Marte – PIT – $3,800
• Jason Heyward – STL – $3,700
• Jacoby Ellsbury – NYY – $3,300
• Shin-Soo Choo – TEX – $3,200
• Gregory Polanco – PIT – $3,100
• Brett Gardner – NYY – $3,000
• Mark Trumbo – SEA – $2,800
• Mitch Moreland – TEX – $2,800
• Jayson Werth – WAS – $2,800
• Jay Bruce – CIN – $2,700
• Byron Buxton – MIN – $2,600
• Kevin Pillar – TOR – $2,600
• Anthony Gose – DET – $2,400
• Rajai Davis – DET – $2,400

My Lineup

• P: Michael Wacha -STL – $9,200
• C: Russell Martin -TOR – $2,500
• 1B: Joey Votto – CIN – $2,600
• 2B: Chase Utley – LAD – $2,400
• 3B: Todd Frazier – CIN – $2,900
• SS: Troy Tulowitzki – TOR – $3,800
• OF: Nelson Cruz – SEA – $5,000
• OF: Andre Ethier – LAD – $2,300
• OF: Carl Crawford – LAD – $2,200

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Matthew Davis is a correspondent for FantasyPros. You can find more from Matthew by viewing his archive or following him @_mattywood_.