MLB Daily Fantasy Helper: Saturday 4/30/16
The beauty of daily fantasy baseball is that the top targets are different each and every day. Whether it's the right-handed catcher who destroys left-handed pitching or the mid-range hurler facing a depleted lineup, you're not going to find yourself using the same assets time after time.
While this breaks up the monotony, it can make it hard to decide which players are primed to succeed on a given day. We can help bridge that gap.
In addition to our custom optimal lineups, you can check out our batting and pitching heat maps, which show the pieces in the best spot to succeed on that slate. Put on the finishing touches with our games and lineups page to see who's hitting where and what the weather looks like, and you'll have yourself a snazzy looking team to put up some big point totals.
If you need help getting started on that trek, here are some of the top options on the board today.
Pitchers to Target
High-Priced Pitcher
John Lackey ($9,000) - Lackey hasn't had a great start to the season, piling up a 4.97 ERA through his first four starts. Despite this, the cagey old veteran has compiled a 3-and-1 record and has averaged 37.8 FanDuel points per game. Good luck, right? Well, when your team averages over six runs per game, you can get away with a 4.97 ERA. Tonight, Lackey will take on the hapless Braves, who are on the other end of the spectrum -- averaging just three runs per game. Atlanta is 28th in wOBA and dead last in hard-hit rate against right-handed pitching this season, and Lackey should have no problem lowering his ERA against them tonight.
Value Pitcher
Ross Stripling ($7,900) - Without any elite options that stand out on today's slate, we're just targeting the weakest lineups. The Padres certainly qualify as such, with the lowest wOBA and fourth-highest strikeout rate against right-handed pitching. Stripling, a righty, has a 3.22 ERA through four starts and has a good chance to pick up his first win of the season, according to Vegas. The Dodgers are one-run favorites, and the Padres have the third-lowest implied team total on the board. The upside is limited with Stripling, who hasn't posted more than five strikeouts in a game this season, but he is a safe value option.
Hitters to Target
High-Priced Options
Mike Trout ($4,900) - After a slow start at the plate, Trout has hit safely in nine straight and averaged 16.6 FanDuel points over that stretch. He looks to stay hot tonight against lefty Derek Holland, who posted a 4.91 SIERA last season and struggled with right-handed batters. Trout has a .314 batting average in 35 career at bats against Holland and has crushed lefties throughout his career. Los Angles is projected for 4.4 runs tonight, and Trout is likely to be heavily involved in that.
Paul Goldschmidt ($4,500) - Goldy has had a relatively slow start at the plate by his standards, but could turn things around in a hurry tonight against lefty Chris Rusin. Rusin has a career 4.43 SIERA and has been unable to retire right-handed batters. That's good news for Goldschmidt, who absolutely crushes left-handed pitching. Arizona is projected to score more runs than any other team tonight, and Goldschmidt should be a big part of that.
Manny Machado ($4,300) - Machado has enjoyed his trip to U.S. Cellular Field, posting mulit-hit games in both contests, including three extra base hits and 57.1 total FanDuel points. He looks to stay hot tonight against Mat Latos, a righty. Machado has actually hit righties better throughout his career, and should be a major contributor to reaching the 4.5 runs Vegas has Baltimore projected for -- the fourth-most of the day.
Gregory Polanco ($3,600) - Polanco has broken out in a big way, and has been especially hot lately -- averaging 17.8 FanDuel points over his past seven games. His matchup with Alfredo Simon offers him an opportunity to build on that number tonight. Simon posted a 4.88 SIERA last season and has struggled to put away left-handed batters. Polanco, Pittsburgh's best lefty, has absolutely demolished righties in his career. Vegas gave Pittsburgh the third-highest implied team total today, and Polanco could put up fantasy points in a hurry as part of the scoring barrage.
Value Hitters
Mitch Moreland ($3,000) - Moreland and the Rangers will face off against righty Matt Shoemaker, who posted a 3.98 SIERA last season and struggled against lefties. Moreland, a lefty, has much improved splits against righties, and could put up some big numbers with the Rangers having the second-highest implied total today. Target him liberally at this bargain-bin price.
Stephen Vogt ($3,000) - Vogt is always worth a look when facing a weak right-handed pitcher, because he terrorizes righties and hits fifth when facing them. His opponent on the mound, Chris Devenski, has very little Major League experience from which to draw data, but he has posted unimpressive Minor League numbers and isn't a big-time prospect. He could certainly end up getting shelled tonight, making Vogt one of the more appealing catcher plays of the day.
Yasmani Grandal ($2,900) - Grandal has been effective in limited time this season, and is coming off of a home run last night. He faces right-hander Colin Rea tonight, who has a career 4.58 ERA. Grandal, a switch-hitter, has posted better numbers against righties in his career, and should help the Dodgers reach their 4.2 implied runs tonight.
Justin Bour ($2,100) - Bour is coming off of a three-for-four game with two homers, five RBI, and 53.9 FanDuel points. He has a chance to put up big numbers again tonight against right-hander Chase Anderson, who posted a 4.26 SIERA last season. Bour, a lefty, has much improved numbers against righties in his career, and will likely be hitting in the middle of the order for Miami. He's an excellent value and in a great spot. Hopefully Anthony Rizzo and Paul Goldschmidt's excellent matchups will keep the ownership to a dull roar following last night's double-dong game.
