FanDuel MLB: Thursday Value Plays

FanDuel MLB: Thursday Value Plays

This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.

Tonight's main slate consists of eight games without any over/under run totals in the double digits and a few different stud pitchers to choose from. The only single-game option today will be the 7:35 PM ET contest between the Cubs and the Braves, which is also available on the main slate.

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PITCHER

German Marquez, COL at SD ($9,000): Marquez has been lights out lately for the Rockies scoring at least 40 fantasy points in six straight games and nine of his last 10. He now gets to pitch in one of the best pitching environments in baseball tonight against one of the weakest hitting teams. The Padres have the worst wOBA (.287) in baseball while also striking out at the highest rate (25.9 percent) against right-handed pitching.

GPP Fade: Justin Verlander, HOU vs LAA ($11,200): Verlander appears like he might be wearing down a bit here in August and doesn't have a great matchup at home tonight. He's struggled more at home this season (3.13 ERA vs a 2.26 road ERA) and has had games of -6 and 28 fantasy points in two of his last four starts. The Angels are not an ideal opponent either as they have the sixth best wOBA (.328) while striking out at the ninth lowest (20.7 percent) strikeout rate against right-handed pitching.

Cheap GPP Consideration: John Gant, STL vs PIT ($6,500): Gant looks like he's settling in as a big league starter and has games of 37, 37 and 40 fantasy points in his last four starts. He's a -130 favorite at home in a game with an over/under of eight runs suggest the Pirates are only expected to score less than four runs. The Pirates are in the bottom-half of the league (12th lowest) for wOBA (.313) against right-handed pitching and the price on Gant allows much flexibility for spending on bats.

FIRST BASE/CATCHER

Mitch Moreland, BOS at CWS ($3,000): Moreland continues to hit in the heart of the Red Sox lineup against right-handed pitchers and carries a .346 wOBA this season against that handedness. Lucas Giolito is allowing a .355 wOBA to opposing left-handed hitters and that number goes up to .377 at home. Moreland will have a good opportunity to rack up some RBI in this game and this seems like a spot that Giolito will implode in.

SECOND BASE

DJ LeMahieu, COL at SD ($3,100): LeMahieu going against a left-handed pitcher sometimes goes under the radar playing with lefty-killers like Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story. While the ballpark isn't ideal, a matchup against Eric Lauer coming off the DL is. LeMahieu has a .377 wOBA against lefties this season and oddly enough that number goes up to .405 on the road. Lauer has surrendered a .366 wOBA to right-handed hitters this season.

THIRD BASE

Matt Chapman, OAK vs SEA ($3,600): One of the first people to consider using for a lineup tonight has to be Chapman. He's been on fire with at least 9.2 fantasy points in eight of his last nine games and eight home runs are fueling a 1.047 OPS for the month of August. Chapman also has a .358 wOBA against left-handed pitching this season while Wade LeBlanc has a 5.07 ERA over his last nine starts.

SHORTSTOP

Marcus Semien, OAK vs SEA ($2,500): Semien usually hits in the leadoff spot (with Chapman likely right behind him) against left-handed starting pitching. He has a .335 wOBA against lefties this season (.339 career mark) and this is the lowest his price has dropped in a while at a thin position. LeBlanc has allowed four home runs over his last two starts and Semien has the added fantasy element of speed as his 13 stolen bases are a career-high. Nick Ahmed ($2,500) vs a lefty in Rich Hill is worth a look as well.

OUTFIELD

Mikie Mahtook, DET at NYY ($2,200): Mahtook is a good punt play tonight (and there should be many – Adam Duvall, Matt Holliday and Chad Pinder to name a few) at the position. Mahtook has found his swing in the month of August with a 1.000 OPS including five home runs in only 52 plate appearances. While J.A. Happ isn't the best matchup Happ has given up a career-worst 1.5 HR/9IP and a .308 wOBA to right-handed hitters.

Corey Dickerson, PIT at STL ($2,700): If John Gant isn't in a lineup today then Dickerson is one of the best options to use in the Pirates lineup. He's been very consistent for his career sporting at least a .334 wOBA against right-handed pitching every season (.342 this season) and he's hit better on the road with a .357 wOBA. Not surprisingly Gant has struggled more with left-handed hitters this season allowing a 4.67 ERA to that side of the plate while allowing right-handed hitters only a 2.38 ERA.

UTILITY

Evan Gattis, HOU vs LAA ($2,900): Several of the Astros bats will be in play against lefty Tim Heaney tonight as their .350 wOBA against that handedness is the best in baseball. Gattis is a cheaper way to get a piece of that lineup and his wOBA is right there at that team average mark of .350. Heaney has issued a .324 wOBA to opposing right-handed hitters and that goes up to .344 when he's been on the road.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Kevin Payne plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: Fanduel: kevinccp, Draft Kings: kevinccp, Yahoo: kevinccp.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin Payne
Kevin has worked for RotoWire over a decade and has covered basketball, baseball and football. A glutton for punishment, he roots for his hometown Bills, Sabres and the New York Yankees. You can follow him on Twitter @KCPayne26.
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