FantasyBeast15 breaks down value plays for Saturday’s slate of FanDuel MLB contests.
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Here’s a look at the top value plays for Saturday on FanDuel. I will do my best to keep the top plays as cheap as possible but will include higher-priced players if their projections far exceed their salary-based expectation.
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Pitcher
Dallas Keuchel (HOU) vs. CHW ($8,600)
Keuchel will face the White Sox in Guaranteed Rate Field. The White Sox should start at least eight righties against Keuchel, but almost every bat in the White Sox lineup strikes out at an above average rate. As a team, they have a 26.2% strikeout rate, fourth highest in the league. After struggling with high pitch counts in his first three games, Keuchel threw a complete game his last time out. At $8,600, five other pitchers are priced ahead of Keuchel, and most of the pitchers below him either have bad matchups, or tough parks. Keuchel is a great tournament play, and may be a fringe cash game play as well.
Catcher/First Base
Lucas Duda (KCR) vs. DET ($2,300)
Duda will face Mike Fiers in Comerica Park. He’ll have the platoon advantage, and should bat fourth in the Royals lineup. Fiers is notorious for giving up home runs, yielding at least 1.20 HR/9 in each season since 2015 including 1.88 HR/9 last season. At $2,300, Duda has tournament upside with one swing of the bat.
Second Base
Eric Sogard (MIL) vs. MIA ($2,000)
Sogard is priced at the minimum and represents a solid value if he’s in the Brewers lineup on Saturday night. He’ll face Jose Urena, and will bat with the platoon advantage. Sogard will likely bat sixth if he’s in the lineup, but there’s an outside chance he leads off. If he is the leadoff hitter, his value increases dramatically. Sogard lacks power, but he’s in a great park for lefty power in case he gets a hold of one. The Brewers have a team run total of five, one of the highest totals on the slate. For $2,000, Sogard is a player I’ll take a chance on to fit some more expensive bats into my lineups.
Third Base
Kyle Seager (SEA) vs. TEX ($3,000)
Seager will face Bartolo Colon in Globe Life Park. It’s a solid park for hitters, and Seager will have the platoon advantage. Colon is a pitcher I like to pick on with my bats, even though he flirted with a perfect game in his last start. Colon’s season stats are solid, but all of the “luck” factors seem to be working for him. He has a low HR/FB ratio, a low BABIP, and a high left on base percentage. I expect all of these to regress to the mean, and so does Vegas as the Mariners have a team run total of five runs in this game.
Shortstop
Jean Segura (SEA) vs. TEX ($3,000)
For most of the same reasons as Seager, Segura is a solid play at $3,000 as well. He won’t have the platoon advantage, but will hit higher in the order. Usually Segura has stolen base upside, but Colon is good at preventing steals. Segura could still swipe a bag if Colon gets chased early. A Mariners stack is certainly viable in tournaments, and it looks like a few Mariners will make my cash game lineup as well.
Outfield
Nelson Cruz (SEA) vs. TEX ($3,300)
See above
Jay Bruce (NYM) vs. ATL ($2,900)
Bruce will face Julio Teheran in SunTrust Park. Teheran has a huge platoon split, giving up a .270 wOBA to righties and a .343 wOBA to lefties throughout his career. Bruce will have the platoon advantage and has the power to take advantage of Teheran’s struggles against lefties. Recording just one hit this week, Bruce is certainly on a cold streak. I’ll likely reserve him for tournaments, but the upside is accessible in this matchup.
