Friday night looks like another fun MLB slate to kick off the weekend with 14 games. The slate features a trio of high-priced stud pitchers to consider and some warm weather across the country so look for those bats to provide some early fireworks as we head into the pre-4th of July holiday weekend.
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Let’s mow down the competition 3 Up and 3 Down…
3 Up
Ace
Trevor Bauer (FD-$12,000 / DK-$13,300)
I’m not against rostering any of the “Big 3” on Friday’s slate but if I can choose just one it is going to be the red-hot Trevor Bauer who has racked up double-digit strikeouts in five of his last six outings. Bauer actually probably has the toughest matchup of the trio of high-priced arms going against the A’s who have hit righties fairly well but I’ll go with the theory that good pitching beats good hitting. If you want to squeeze out a little extra salary relief then I’d give Gerrit Cole the nod over Jacob deGrom.
Value
Marcus Stroman (FD-$6,200 / DK-$6,300)
Stroman tossed five scoreless innings against the Angels in his return from the DL while scattering six hits and striking out five hitters. When Stroman is on his game he gets the opposing hitter to just beat the ball into the ground as he did against the Angels with an 80% groundball rate. He’ll look to keep it going against the Tigers as one of the biggest Vegas favorites on the board. Stroman’s cheap salary is a perfect pairing with one of the high-priced arms on two-pitcher sites in Cash games.
Darkhorse
Marcos Gonzalez (FD-$7,300 / DK-$7,800)
Gonzalez could also be used as a value option in Cash games on two-pitcher sites or as a pairing with Stroman if you want to save up for some big-time hitters in a GPP. Gonzales will face a Royals offense that has been dreadful against southpaws over the last 30 days with a league-worst wOBA (.238) and wRC+ (45). Meanwhile, Gonzales will be a big home favorite where he has put up a solid 24.2% strikeout rate and while allowing just one homer in seven starts.
3 Down
Top Stacks
White Sox vs. Yovani Gallardo
Gallardo is a long way from his prime as he has posted an ERA over 5.00 in each of the last two seasons and is sporting a 12.08 ERA in five appearances (12.2 IP) this season for the Rangers. With hot temps in Texas, Gallardo should have trouble keeping the White Sox bats in check as he has allowed a wOBA over .440 to both sides of the plate this season.
Yoan Moncada (FD-$3,300 / DK-$4,500) – Moncada is riding a six-game hitting streak that has included four extra-base hits, four runs and eight RBI.
Jose Abreu (FD-$3,300 / DK-$4,300) – Abreu is 4-for-10 with a double and homer off Gallardo in his career.
Avisail Garcia (FD-$2,400 / DK-$3,600) – Garcia has homered in two of his last three games and has smacked a pair of homers off Gallardo in 10 career at-bats.
Yolmer Sanchez (FD-$2,900 / DK-$3,700) – Sanchez has three multi-hit games over his last four outings.
Contrarian Stack
Cardinals vs. Julio Teheran
I’m not in love with other stacks that I think will be highly owned so instead, I’ll provide two stacks that I think will be lower owned options. First, the Cardinals will get some hot temps in St. Louis while facing Julio Teheran. Teheran can be prone to a blow-up start like his last outing where he gave up seven runs to the Orioles. He has pitched better on the road the last couple of season but has some poor history against a couple of Cardinals bats.
Matt Carpenter (FD-$4,000 / DK-$4,900) – Carpenter continues to rake this month and is 6-for-12 with a pair of homers off Teheran in his career.
Marcell Ozuna (FD-$3,200 / DK-$3,700) – Ozuna is riding a six-game hitting streak and has crushed Teheran over his career batting .405 with three homers in 42 career at-bats.
Jose Martinez (FD-$3,500 / DK-$4,500) – Martinez has six hits over his last four games including two homers and has a .384 wOBA and .211 ISO against righties this season.
Yadier Molina (FD-$2,900 / DK-$4,100) – Molina has a .358 wOBA and .233 ISO against righties this season.
Nationals vs. Nick Pivetta
The Nationals will be facing Pivetta for the third time this season on Friday night. In their first matchup, the Nationals roughed him up for six runs and two homers in just one-plus inning. In the second matchup just five days ago, Pivetta fared better allowing just two runs in six innings but it could be a little bit of a mirage as he allowed a 60% hard-hit rate. I expect the familiarity to give an edge to the Nationals hitters with hot temps in Philly.
Bryce Harper (FD-$4,300 / DK-$4,900) – Harper is 3-for-7 with a double and two homers off Pivetta.
Daniel Murphy (FD-$2,700 / DK-$4,200) – Murphy is 4-for-6 with a double off Pivetta.
Anthony Rendon (FD-$3,800 / DK-$4,300) – Rendon is 4-for-8 with a pair of long balls off Pivetta.
Trea Turner (FD-$3,600 / DK-$4,600) – Turner is 3-for-9 with a homer and a steal against Pivetta.
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