I’m filling in for Spencer today to provide you my cornerstone plays of the day and the top pitching options. As is the case with most Fridays, we’ve got a huge slate containing 28 of the 30 MLB teams. Among all the options, there is a trio of elite aces in excellent matchups, but a cheap stack that should be locked in. Let’s get into it.

Win cash playing in FanDuel’s MLB Squeeze

Pitcher Analysis

As you can see in the chart above which is filled with our daily projections, there is a trio of exceptional cash game options at the top from Gerrit Cole and Clayton Kershaw to Jacob deGrom. If you want to save some money, Brandon Woodruff makes for a solid option as well. While Cole versus the Orioles is certainly tempting, Cole has slowed down over the last three starts so I’m not quite willing to spend all the cash. I’ll be turning to Kershaw instead and saving $500

Clayton Kershaw (LAD): $10,700 @ SFG

• Ballpark upgrade to the best pitcher’s park in baseball
• Most consistent pitcher in baseball this season
• 6+ innings every week makes the QS a near-lock
• Huge favorite (-230)
• Extremely low opponent implied total (2.92)
• Giants are 30th in baseball against LHP in OPS (.620)
• Giants are 6th in most Ks vs LHP

Four Cornerstones

Lorenzo Cain (OF – MIL): $3,400 (vs R Davis)
If you don’t stack four Brewers tonight, you’ll be at a major disadvantage. Vegas has them implied for over 6 runs this evening against opener, Rookie Davis and the Pirates’ bullpen. Besides Christian Yelich and Mike Moustakas, everyone is easy to fit under the budget. While I love quite literally all eight hitters, Cain is the only one that has to be in my lineup. He might get 6 trips to the plate tonight and is a virtual lock for 5.

Adalberto Mondesi (SS – KCR): $3,900 (vs I Nova)
As always, shortstop is a nightmare. You can use up one of your Brewers spots with Orlando Arcia, but he is in the eight spot tonight. Or you can lock in one of the best fantasy assets in baseball with me and use Mondesi. The Royals are implied for 5.17 runs versus Ivan Nova, and seeing how lousy the Royals lineup still is, you can bet on Mondesi being in the middle of the action.

Derek Dietrich (2B – CIN): $3,000 (@ Z Eflin)
I initially wanted to squeeze Moustakas into my lineup, as he has been terrific this year, but he would have had to be my utility man because Dietrich is almost a gimme at just $3,000. I don’t think he is going to keep up the pace, of course, but no one ever goes at this rate for 150 at-bats who isn’t a legitimate power threat. Add in a sub .200 BABIP and you could argue Dietrich has been unlucky this year. Dietrich isn’t always worth playing, but he is much better against righties and has actually his all 17 of his homers against them this year.

Derek Fisher (OF – HOU): $3,000 (vs G Ynoa)
The Astros are also implied for a huge total tonight at 5.42 versus the Orioles. Fisher is batting leadoff again and is a potential source of both power and speed. Now, he hasn’t been as great as some other rookies this year, but he certainly has the prospect credentials and minor league numbers to back up the fact that we can expect much more than we’ve seen.

Current Cash Game Lineup 

*subject to change based on final starting lineups

• P – Clayton Kershaw (LAD): $10,700 @ SFG
• C/1B – Eric Thames (MIL): $2,900 vs PIT
• 2B – Derek Dietrich (CIN): $3,000 @ PHI
• 3B – Travis Shaw (MIL): $2,400 vs PIT
• SS – Adalberto Mondesi (KCR): $3,900 vs CWS
• OF – Lorenzo Cain (MIL): $3,400 vs PIT
• OF – Ryan Braun (MIL): $3,100 vs PIT
• OF – Derek Fisher (HOU): $3,000 vs BAL
• UTL – Jesse Winker (CIN): $2,500 @ PHI

GPP Double-Dong Threat: Justin Smoak (C/1B – TOR): $3,200 (vs M Kelly)

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