A small six-game slate is on tap Saturday evening in FanDuel's main slate, getting underway at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Four of our 12 arms are priced at $9,100 or greater before things fall off sharply. It should be a fun decision as to whether you pay up or take the cheaper options and roll the dice.
All games come with at least an 8.0 run total, with Cubs-Reds being the high point at 10.0. The Dodgers (-275) again come as the slate's biggest favorite, followed by the Orioles (-158) with the other four games being coin flips. Weather could make this slate a disaster; rain is possible in Baltimore, St. Louis and Cincinnati. Because the slate is so small, I won't ignore any game, but you're going to need to be flexible and available to edit lineups well into the evening.
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Pitching
Trey Yesavage, TOR at SD ($9,300): Swinging back and forth from one day to the next isn't usually advisable. I wrote up a Padres stack last night, and now am suggesting the arm against them, so tread lightly. But it's beyond time to punt this lineup blowing up and Yesavage gives us some scoring potential at a heavy discount over the most obvious target in Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($10,900). He's earned two straight quality starts and three in four. His K rate is curiously down overall, but it's been better on the road (9.7/9). San Diego counters with a weak .299 wOBA and 90 wRC+ off righties.
Reynaldo Lopez, ATL at STL ($7,800): After a lengthy rain delay Friday, these two teams went through the motions and seem likely to be running on fumes again Saturday night. Lopez has quietly pitched okay in two starts, allowing just two runs and five hits over 10.0 innings while fanning 11. The Cardinals remain below average against righties with a 99 wRC+ and .314 wOBA and their 4.3 run expectancy is tied for the slate's third lowest.
Matthew Liberatore, STL vs. ATL ($7,400): Liberatore has topped 16 fantasy points just once in his last six starts; that outing was two starts prior against this Braves lineup, showing just how much of a funk Atlanta has been in. He fanned nine in that outing in route to 45 FanDuel points. Rain is a factor here that could cut both starters' workloads, but they are both priced favorably enough to consider prior to the forecast becoming clear. Once you work through the top four of this lineup, the bottom five scare no one.
Top Targets
Brandon Pfaadt is allowing a .392 wOBA to lefties overall, a number that rises to .410 with a .987 OPS on the road. Shohei Ohtani ($4,300) is too obvious and easily affordable if you're not paying for Yamamoto. Los Angeles has a plethora of lefties to covet, so stacking Freddie Freeman ($3,600) and Kyle Tucker ($3,200) is fine by me.
The top of the Cubs order merits ample consideration. Nick Lodolo is allowing a .388 wOBA to same-handed bats, so ruling out Pete Crow-Armstrong ($4,300) isn't wise. But Seiya Suzuki ($3,400) is cheaper, has a .398 wOBA, 155 wRC+ and .244 ISO off lefties, and is 5-for-15 off the Reds' starter.
Bargain Bats
Walker Buehler has allowed 16 runs in his last two starts. Toronto's offense has been bad all year, but it gives us no bat priced above $3,200 Saturday, so taking some shots here makes sense. Nathan Lukes ($2,600) stands out as a potential bargain. He should hit in the top portion of the order, and has a team-best .360 wOBA and 132 wRC+ off righties. Feel free to consider Toronto's bigger names as well.
Both pitchers in Baltimore are priced up, somewhat curiously to me in a game with a 9.0 run total. Noah Cameron has been more vulnerable to lefties oddly, but Taylor Ward ($3,000) and Coby Mayo ($2,600) stand out against the southpaw. Mayo has a .445 wOBA, 191 wRC+ and .414 ISO if he slots into lineup. Ward sits at .380/147 but a weak .124 ISO.
Joc Pederson ($2,700) presents as a random BvP option, going 4-for-14 with two homers off Peter Lambert.
Stack to Consider
Reds vs. Javier Assad (Cubs): Elly De La Cruz ($3,800), JJ Bleday ($3,400), Spencer Steer ($2,900)
This is obviously low hanging fruit; Assad is the cheapest pitcher on the slate, and the Reds have a 5.0 run expectancy. He's allowing a 5.90 ERA on the road, where lefties have earned a .386 wOBA and .897 OPS. De La Cruz always offers slate-breaking upside and has posted 18.5 FDP or better in four of seven. Bleday has a team-best .383 wOBA, 138 wRC+ and .273 ISO off righties. The third piece here is the challenge, as no one else stands out. I'm rolling with Steer for his second-base eligibility only despite his lackluster numbers against righties. Nathaniel Lowe ($2,600) is in poor form, but works as a third lefty if backing Assad's struggles against them fully.
