This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Welcome to my Daily Plays article for Tuesday August 4, 2015. The second half of the season is well underway, and there are a few potentially high scoring games on the schedule. Let's get on to the picks.
Pitcher
Alex Wood, $8,200 - Wood is making his first start as a Dodger and gets a nice matchup against the primarily left-handed lineup of the Phillies. With a game in Coors field it will be difficult to fit Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, or Chris Archer in your FanDuel lineup, although all three are excellent choices with double-digit strikeout potential. Wood struggled in Turner Field in 2015 (4.99 ERA) but has been very effective on the road (2.82 ERA). I expect him to be motivated by his trade to the playoff bound Dodgers, and with plenty of run support behind him (he is opposed by Jerome Williams), should earn a win in his debut. Wood has had mixed results in his career against the Phillies, but overall has a 2-1 record against them with a 2.57 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 28 career innings. Look for Wood to have a strong debut, and is an excellent value at his current price tag.
Jimmy Nelson, $7,600 - There are very few exciting cheap options at pitcher on Tuesday, but Nelson is an interesting choice with high strikeout upside. Nelson has pitched well at home in 2015, with a 3.54 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 61 innings at Miller Park. He faces the struggling Padres, who have had trouble with right-handed pitching all year, and strike out often. Nelson struck out eight batters in each of his past two starts at home, and is coming off a two hit performance against the Cubs over seven innings. Look for Nelson to continue his success at home in 2015, and is a tremendous value play against the Padres.
Catcher
Victor Martinez, $2,600 - Martinez had a rough road trip that saw his salary decrease significantly, but is back home and faces a left-handed pitcher. Martinez is batting .361 versus left-handed pitching, with a .912 OPS. He is facing Danny Duffy, who has been inconsistent and hurt in 2015, and could have trouble against Detroit's primarily right-handed lineup. Martinez bats at the heart of the Tigers' lineup, and is an excellent value play at his depressed price tag.
First Base
Adrian Gonzalez, $3,300 - Gonzalez and the rest of the Dodgers get the benefit of facing Jerome Williams, arguably the worst starting pitcher in baseball. Williams has a 6.36 ERA and is prone to serving up home runs. Gonzalez has hit 19 of his 21 home runs off of right-handers, and will look to hit number 20 on Tuesday night. Gonzalez offers multiple home-run upside at a very attractive salary, and bats in the heart of the Dodgers lineup. Fire up Gonzalez on Tuesday night, and consider inserting multiple Dodgers in your lineup.
Second Base
Kolten Wong, $3,000 - Wong has recently moved to the third spot in the Cardinals lineup following Matt Holliday's injury, and his price tag on FanDuel is very appealing. Wong loves facing right-handed pitchers, and has a .287 batting average against them. He ahs hit 10 of his 11 home runs off of them as well, and faces mediocre right-hander Anthony Desclafani in a hitters park. Wong also has 11 stolen bases on the year, and has a rare power-speed combination at an affordable price tag, making him a strong play at second base.
Third Base
Matt Carpenter, $3,200 - Carpenter is red-hot right now, and will look to keep it up on Tuesday night in Cincinnati. Like Wong above, Carpenter is a much better hitter against right-handed pitching, with a .388 OBP and 27 extra-base hits against them. He has recently found his power stroke as well, with four home runs and five doubles since the All-Star Break. Carpenter gets on base, scores runs, and is hitting for power, making him an excellent choice at third base for those that do want to pay the hefty price tags for Nolan Arenado or Kyle Seager in the Coors Field game.
Shortstop
Brad Miller, $3,000 - Miller is one of the few affordable Mariners, and is a nice choice at shortstop which has very few appealing options. Miller struggles versus left-handers, but has a very respectable .343 OBP versus right-handers with nine home runs. He had three hits on Monday night along with a home run, and is a great way to get some exposure to the Mariners without paying a lofty price. Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray is making his major league debut, but pitching in Coors Field is no easy task. Fire up Miller at shortstop, one of the few options at the position with home run power.
Outfield
Chris Young, $3,200 - I recommended Young last week due to his prowess against left-handed pitching, and will recommend him again since he faces Henry Owens at home in Yankee Stadium. Owens has not had success in the major leagues, and the Yankees could score plenty of runs against him on Tuesday night. Young has incredible numbers against southpaws in 2015, with a .363 batting average and .696 slugging percentage. His price tag has increased slightly, but he still makes a strong play in the outfield due to his juicy matchup.
Seth Smith, $3,000, and Drew Stubbs, $3,000 - Smith and Stubbs both make excellent choices at their identical salary, and offer exposure to the Coors Field game at a reasonable price. Smith bats fifth in the Mariners lineup when they face right-handers, and has sneaky power (30 extra-base hits against them). Stubbs loves hitting in Coors Field, with a .298 average and .660 slugging percentage. He should be in the lineup since they face a left-handed pitcher. Both make strong value plays with big time upside due to their matchups.
Joc Pederson, $2,600 - Pederson has struggled since the All-Star break, and his salary on FanDuel has dropped to a very appealing level. Pederson still has big time power (21 home runs), and had a decent road trip last week before struggling at home in Dodger Stadium. A date with Jerome Williams in Philadelphia could be just what the doctor ordered for Pederson to heat up again, so take advantage of his depressed price tag and fire him up on Tuesday night.
