Friday night is a fantastic night for MLB DFS, namely for gamers who love massive slates. As usual, tonight’s slate is gigantic, including 14 games and beginning at 7:05 pm ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. So allow this piece to help you navigate the oversized player pool and make informed lineup decisions.
Friday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
The pitcher selections tonight are moderately affordable with upside that belies their modest salaries. A locked-in lefty is the top hurler, with a tightly clustered group of three behind him. But, again, they're primarily a cap-friendly group, freeing up substantial cap space for elite hitters.
Friday night is a fantastic night for MLB DFS, namely for gamers who love massive slates. As usual, tonight’s slate is gigantic, including 14 games and beginning at 7:05 pm ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. So allow this piece to help you navigate the oversized player pool and make informed lineup decisions.
Friday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
The pitcher selections tonight are moderately affordable with upside that belies their modest salaries. A locked-in lefty is the top hurler, with a tightly clustered group of three behind him. But, again, they're primarily a cap-friendly group, freeing up substantial cap space for elite hitters.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Blake Snell (SD) vs. WSH
Snell hasn't always pitched consistently. Yet, his highs have been high, and he's been in excellent form for an extended stretch. According to FanGraphs, in his last 12 starts totaling 63.2 innings, he's had a 3.39 ERA, 3.09 xFIP, 1.32 WHIP, 31.8 K% and 29.1 CSW%. Yes, Snell's 10.2 BB% has left something to be desired, but it's an acceptable mark when he's punching out hitters at an elite clip.
According to Betting Pros, Snell and the Padres are massive -365 favorites, and the game's total is only 8.0 runs. The matchup is also eye-catching, with the Nationals ranking 23rd in wRC+ (90) against lefties. As a result, Snell is the top choice in cash games at DK and superb for GPPs as well.
Tyler Anderson (LAD) vs. MIA
Anderson has the literal best matchup for a lefty. The Marlins are dead last in wRC+ (71) against southpaws. Moreover, they've struck out at the highest rate (28.4%) against them.
As a bonus, Anderson gets them in his home digs, where he's been lights out this year. In 62.2 innings pitched at home, he's had a 2.30 ERA, 3.90 xFIP, 0.86 WHIP, 3.3 BB% and 21.3 K%. Finally, the Dodgers are -267, and the game's total is a non-threatening 8.0 runs. So, he's the optimal SP2 in cash games at DK. Anderson also has a compelling case for being the top option in cash games at FD after accounting for the salary relief he provides from Snell. Finally, Anderson has a case for GPP usage.
GPP Recommendations:
Brady Singer (KC) at TB
Singer is nipping at Anderson's heels for second on the table. However, he's opposing Shane McClanahan and has a more challenging matchup, decreasing his odds of earning a win while increasing his risk. Still, Singer has been sharp lately.
In his last 13 starts spanning 78.2 innings, Singer has had a 3.55 ERA, 3.57 xFIP, 1.17 WHIP, 6.5 BB%, 25.2 K% and 30.4 CSW%. In addition, while the Rays are a potentially tricky matchup, they boost his upside with an exploitable 24.7 K% against right-handed pitchers. So, there's much to like about pivoting to Singer in GPPs.
Patrick Sandoval (LAA) at DET
Sandoval has essentially been Snell-light lately. In his last 11 starts spanning 56.2 innings, he's had a 3.97 ERA, 4.01 xFIP, 1.66 WHIP, 11.1 BB%, 24.5 K% and 28.3 CSW%. Sandoval has top-shelf strikeout ability with shaky control that can get him into trouble.
Fortunately, Sandoval has a matchup to bring the best out of him. The Tigers are 18th in wRC+ (98) against lefties. However, they're also dead last in wRC+ (67) with a bloated 25.2 K% since the trade deadline. Detroit has also been dreadful at home, ranking 29th in wOBA (.286) in home games. Sandoval isn't a safe pick, but his strikeout ability, coupled with Detroit's ineptitude, makes him an exciting GPP pick.
Top Lineup Stacks
The Rockies are at home, and no one has enjoyed home cooking in 2022 more than the Rockies. They're first in wOBA (.349) at home, seven points clear of the second-highest mark. In addition, they face a pitcher who's been entirely incapable of navigating the pitfalls of Coors Field. According to Baseball-Reference, Alex Wood has been destroyed for an 8.26 ERA in 11 games pitched (10 starts), in which he lasted only 40.1 innings. As a result, the Rockies are a smart bet to light up the scoreboard.
- Road (Coors Field)
- Value: Medium(FD)/High(DK)
- Risk: Low
- Game Type: Cash
- Game Total/Moneyline: 11.5 Runs/SF -165
The Giants also receive a pick-me-up from Coors Field tonight as the visitors. Further, they're facing a below-average starter. Jose Urena has had a 4.80 ERA in 12 appearances (eight starts) this season. Remarkably, he's been lucky. The 30-year-old righty's 5.80 xERA, 5.04 xFIP and 5.46 SIERA have all been worse than his ERA. The Giants will likely be chalky, especially at DK, where their salaries are meager. So, they're a priority stack in cash. Their upside is high enough to warrant GPP consideration. Again, though, they'll probably be chalky, decreasing the appeal of completely stacking them.
- Road (Truist Park)
- Value: Low
- Risk: High
- Game Type: GPP
- Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/HOU +115
The Astros exploded for 21 runs yesterday, demonstrating the offensive upside to warrant stacking consideration as a GPP pivot from Coors Field. The matchup with Kyle Wright isn't easy, but Houston's offense gets a park-factor boost at hitter-friendly Truist Park. So, the range of outcomes for Houston's high-octane offense is vast in a challenging matchup. But, in GPPs, chasing Houston's ceiling outcome can pay off handsomely if their hot sticks remain ablaze tonight.
- C.J. Cron has top-shelf pop. Since 2019, he's had a .263 ISO against lefties.
- Yordan Alvarez is pulverizing baseballs this year. In 426 plate appearances, he's had 31 homers with a .401 OBP, .319 ISO and 186 wRC+.
- Brendan Rodgers thrives against lefties. In his career, he's had a .357 OBP, .215 ISO and 126 wRC+ against them.
- Joc Pederson has returned to standard form after back-to-back down seasons against righties. This year, he's had a .249 ISO and 133 wRC+ with the platoon advantage.
- Evan Longoria has plus power in same-handed matchups. Since last year, he's had a .203 ISO against fellow righties.
- Brandon Crawford has the minimum salary at DK. Thus, the bar is low for him to provide value. Still, Crawford has hit well since returning from the Injured List (IL) on August 6.
- Marcus Semien doesn't warrant consideration on DK. However, the leadoff hitter's $2,400 salary on FD is helpful for roster construction. Furthermore, Semien has had a 110 wRC+ against righties on the road this year. He also adds to his ceiling with speed, stealing 19 bases in 23 attempts.
Friday's Hitter Strategy
Investing in the hitters at Coors Field is the correct move in cash games. Additionally, there's nothing wrong with doing so in GPPs, too. However, the Astros are a desirable pivot in GPPs. Gamers should also consider weaving one-off options from the Rockies and Giants into their GPP lineups, even if they opt to stack other offenses.
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Whether you're new to fantasy baseball or a seasoned pro, our Fantasy Baseball 101: Strategy Tips & Advice page is for you. You can get started with our Sabermetrics Glossary or head to a more advanced strategy - like Maximizing Your Potential in Multi-Lineup Contests - to learn more.
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
