FanDuel MLB: Sunday Value Plays

FanDuel MLB: Sunday Value Plays

This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.

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PITCHER

Aaron Nola, PHI at ATL ($10,500): Nola hasn't been his best of late, but continues to pile up strikeouts. The play here is against a Braves offense that figures to rest a handful of regulars after clinching the NL East Saturday. That's 100 percent a gut feel, but check the Braves' lineup Sunday morning, as they are still playing for home field and won't simply roll over. Nola comes in with a 2.95 ERA against Atlanta this season, but only nine Ks in 18.0 innings. Atlanta owns as a mediocre offense against righties, owning a mere .316 wOBA and .159 ISO.

GPP Fade: Carlos Rodon, CWS vs. CHC ($8,400): Rodon has arguably registered the best season of his career and looks ready to make due on his long-held potential. But his stamina isn't there and he's clearly fading down the stretch, allowing 14 runs in his last four starts – spanning 24 innings – while striking out only 14. The Cubs aren't prolific against lefties as it takes some of their left-handed power out of play, but ranking 12th with a .315 wOBA is enough when paired with Rodon's form to look elsewhere.

Cheap GPP Consideration: Charlie Morton, HOU vs. LAA ($8,000): Maybe he's higher priced than preferred for a 'cheap' option, and Morton may also fall into the Rodon category of wearing down this late in the year. But the Angels look to have mailed it in, having scored a total of 11 runs in their last four games. The 'Stros lineup should feast on Tyler Skaggs, who has allowed 17 runs in his last 9.2 frames, setting Morton up for a great win chance. For those in search of a bargain, Washington's Eric Fedde ($6,700) has notched 22 strikeouts over his last 15 innings.

CATCHER/FIRST BASE

Yuli Gurriel, HOU vs. LAA ($3,500): Angels' starter Tyler Skaggs' struggles were just noted. Mix in Gurriel's .374 wOBA, 142 wRC+ and .171 ISO into the equation, and you're starting to warm. Gurriel also went 3-for-4 with two homers Friday and is riding a seven-game hitting streak into Sunday, collecting 11 hits during that span.

SECOND BASE

Scooter Gennett, CIN at MIA ($3,800): All Reds' bats are in play against Marlins starter Trevor Richards, who has allowed 14 runs in his last three outings – spanning a mere 11.1 innings. Gennett is cheaper than teammate Joey Votto, and plays at a position where you're forced to punt or pay up. By paying up at the keystone, you're greeted with a .379 wOBA, 137 wRC+ and .198 ISO.

THIRD BASE

Kris Bryant, CHC at CWS ($4,000): Trust the numbers here. Bryant enters with a .448 wOBA, 185 wRC+ and 345 ISO against lefties. That looks worth paying for, and at a premium position for a fair price; the only downside could be high ownership for Bryant.

SHORTSTOP

Javier Baez, CHC at CWS ($3,900): A full-on Cubs stack is not advised even if fading Rodon as noted above. But Baez and Bryant come at positions void of numerous options, and aren't too expensive where you can't fit them in under most budgets. Baez brings great upside with a .273 ISO, and his .379 wOBA and 139 wRC+ certainly aren't shabby.

OUTFIELD

Andrew McCutchen, NYY vs. BAL ($3,600): If salary is no factor, Aaron Judge ($4,000) makes great sense. But McCutchen has been rejuvenated in the Bronx, sporting a .385 wOBA, 144 wRC+ and .200 ISO against righties across 61 at-bats. Check the Yankees' lineup with Judge returning to health, although McCutchen should do damage against Alex Cobb, who hasn't done well in any situation.

Harrison Bader, STL vs. SFG ($3,100): Bader has gone deep twice over his last five outings and sports a .229 ISO against lefties. That gives further potential to his .385 wOBA and 145 wRC+ entering Sunday's matchup with Andrew Suarez, who has allowed a .401 wOBA to opposite-handed bats on the road.

Jorge Bonifacio, KAN at DET ($2,500): Bonifacio's .344 wOBA and 117 wRC+ against lefties play well at this price. He's enjoying a points surge over the last 10 days thanks to a .242 ISO since Sep. 11, and a matchup with Derek Norris is certainly not one to avoid with the hurler having allowed seven runs over his last 10 innings.

UTILITY

Tommy Pham, TAM at TOR ($3,700): Pham has been raking since joining the Rays, carrying a .497 wOBA, 225 wRC+ and .33 ISO against left-handed pitching. Toronto's Ryan Borucki has faired decently against righties, allowing a .321 wOBA at home, but Pham's current form doesn't suggest fading.

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. Chris Bennett plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: k30kittles, DraftKings: k30kittles.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Bennett
Bennett covers baseball, college football and college basketball for RotoWire. Before turning to fantasy writing, he worked in scouting/player development for the Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos. He's also a fan of the ACC.
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