This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Twelve games are included on FanDuel's Friday main slate, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Garrett Crochet ($10,900) leads three arms that are priced in five-figures but has a difficult matchup against the Yankees, making him potentially one to target for possible low roster percentages in GPPs. Just three other arms are priced at $9,000 or greater, so we're not required to pay up. There appear to be plenty of enticing upper middle-tier options.
We don't have any double-digit run totals, with Padres-Diamondbacks being our high spot at 9.5, followed by Braves-Rockies and Rangers-White Sox at 9.0. Atlanta (-320), followed by the Rangers (-184) and Dodgers (-180). There are rain concerns in Atlanta that need to be monitored. Wind looks like a pitchers friend in Detroit, with minimal at best impact elsewhere across the slate.
Pitching
Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($10,000): There are a plethora of pitching options I like Friday, to the point where I might build a core of my offense first and see what range you think you can afford on the bump. Yamamoto is my preference for an ace. The Giants lineup doesn't put fear in anyone, is slightly below average with a 99 wRC+ and strikes out 22.1 percent of the time off righties. Yamamoto has five quality starts in his last seven. He has surprisingly minimal exposure against a division foe, but current Giants are just 2-for-11 with five strikeouts.
Gavin Williams, CLE at SEA ($8,600): I expect many will target Bryce Elder, and while it's an obviously favorable matchup, we're not chasing his last outing and I have mild concerns over the pitch count from that having some adverse impacts. Williams has three quality starts in his last four, and while Seattle has decent numbers off righties (.320 wOBA, 111 wRC+), it comes with a 22.3 percent K rate, and there's the Seattle ballpark factor to help.
Charlie Morton, BAL vs. LAA ($6,500): This is obviously a risk, and perhaps an unnecessary one, given the depth of options Friday. Morton was his bad version in his last outing, but there were hints of old form prior, with him earning two quality starts and averaging 38.7 fantasy points across three starts. The Angels have a massive 26.0 percent K rate and below-average 96 wRC+ off righties. He's probably best used in multi-entry formats where you take other options on other lineups, but there's a path for Morton to far exceed this price point.
Clay Holmes ($9,400), Luis Castillo ($8,800) and Michael Wacha ($8,300) also pique interest.
Top Targets
Atlanta bats are the clear and obvious place to start, but rain concerns will keep me from stacking them for this column's purpose, but as first pitch nears and that potentially clears, it's all systems go against German Marquez, who's allowing a .449 wOBA and 1.050 OPS to righties on the road, and .382/.868 to lefties. Ronald Acuna ($4,000) isn't overpriced, but he's just 1-for-7 off Marquez. There's value in Matt Olson ($3,400), who is 6-for-13 off the Rockies starter, as well as Ozzie Albies ($2,800, 6-for-14, two homers) and Sean Murphy ($2,800, 4-for-10).
The high total in Arizona suggests we should consider both sides of this matchup. Diamondbacks' starter Ryne Nelson doesn't have targetable splits, so Manny Machado ($3,700) is the lead play due to recent form, though Fernando Tatis ($3,800) and Jackson Merrill ($3,400) have better BvP numbers. San Diego's Stephen Kolek has been far more vulnerable to lefties, so we can more safely roster Corbin Carroll ($4,100) and/or Ketel Marte ($4,000).
Bargain Bats
The Rangers have been scorching hot, scoring 16 runs in two of their last three games and are heavily favored, and the game has a high total. Yet I don't trust them enough to stack. Evan Carter ($3,000) is leading that charge, going 10-for-16 (.625) with three homers in his last four. Adolis Garcia ($2,900) has six RBI in his last four, and Marcus Semien ($3,000) has hit in seven of eight.
Minnesota has plus splits off lefties and is set to face Colton Gordon Friday. Byron Buxton ($3,600) belongs in the above section of this column with a .399 wOBA, 160 wRC+ and .273 ISO. But there's ample value/stacking consideration with Carlos Correa ($2,700) sitting at .438/188/.366 and Willi Castro ($3,100) at .394/197/.271.
Rookie debuts are a recurring theme of this season. If you're not buying what I'm selling in Morton above, Christian Moore ($2,000) is set to debut Friday after setting Triple-A ablaze, batting .350 with a .999 OPS.
Stacks to Consider
Orioles vs. Jack Kochanowicz (Angels): Gunnar Henderson ($3,100), Ryan O'Hearn ($2,900), Jackson Holliday ($2,900)
This one is about as obvious as it gets. Kochanowicz is allowing a 6.06 road ERA and a .430 wOBA and 1.005 OPS to lefties. Henderson sports a .420 wOBA, 177 wRC+ and .229 ISO off righties, O'Hearn .401/164/.201 and Holliday .348/127/.188. They'll hit 1-2-4 atop the lineup, come cheap and are poised to mash. No hard hitting analysis feels necessary.
Mets vs. Taj Bradley (Rays): Pete Alonso ($4,100), Juan Soto ($3,900), Jeff McNeil ($2,900)
Bradley doesn't have targetable splits, and when he's on, he's elite. When he's not, he's highly combustible, having allowed 10 runs across eight innings to the light-hitting Marlins. Alonso sits with a .433 wOBA, 186 wRC+ and .303 ISO off righties. Soto, while less favorable, has still been above league average and is surging with eight hits and two homers in his last four. McNeil has a .377 wRC+, 147 wRC+ and .280 ISO off righties, and he too is hot, with nine hits and four homers during a current six-game hitting streak.
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