This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
I usually don't write Friday articles, but I'll be filling in for the FanDuel piece. Nearly every team in MLB suits up every Friday, and it's typically one of the best days to play DFS. We actually have a split schedule here, with seven games making up the main slate that begins at 6:45 ET. We're going to zone in on that card, so let's get started with a pitcher all of us at RotoWire love.
Pitching
Spencer Schwellenbach, ATL vs. MIA ($10,600)
Many experts have Schwellenbach pegged to have a breakout season, and it's easy to understand why. The young righty showed glimpses of it last season, posting a 2.54 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 9.3 K/9 rate after June 1. The nasty stuff is simply impossible to overlook, and a one-hitter in his debut showcases how special this season might be for Schwellenbach. A home matchup with Miami only adds to his value, with the Marlins ranked 28th or 29th in runs scored, OBP, OPS and wOBA last season. That's why he's a -225 favorite, with Miami barely projected to crack three runs.
Gavin Williams, CLE at LAA ($7,700)
This is ironic because many experts have Williams pegged to be a breakout pitcher this year as well. The spring training form is what got writers really excited, with Williams posting a 2.08 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 38 percent K rate across 17.1 sparkling innings. We saw glimpses of that in his last full season in 2023, and it's hard to believe he's the third-cheapest pitcher when evaluating his pedigree. A matchup with the Angels is the icing on the cake, with LA ranked 26th in wOBA and 28th in runs scored last season.
Top Targets
Bobby Witt, KC ($4,100) vs. Dean Kremer
Witt was the top pick in numerous season-long leagues for a reason. This superstar was one of the only players averaging more than 12 FD points per game last season, and he's got an 11-point average through the opening week. That's scary because he hasn't really gotten going yet, but a matchup with Kremer could be the start of a run. The O's righty has a 4.33 career ERA and 1.32 WHIP, surrendering at least three runs in both starts against KC last season. If you want to stack KC, we'd pair Vinnie Pasquantino ($3,300) and Salvador Perez ($3,100) with Witt.
Matt McLain, CIN ($3,400) vs. Tyler Alexander
McLain doesn't have a massive sample size, but he's been a monster throughout his MLB career. The versatile second baseman has a .288 AVG, .354 OBP and .871 OPS, recording 19 homers and 15 steals across 95 games. His splits are even more unbelievable, as he's tallied a .381 OBP and 1.006 OPS against lefties. Alexander is an amazing matchup, too, amassing a 4.56 career ERA. A Cincy stack isn't the worst idea, with TJ Friedl ($2,800) and Spencer Steer ($2,700) looking way too cheap.
Bargain Bats
Michael Harris, ATL ($2,900) vs. Max Meyer
Harris has been struggling along with every other Atlanta player, but seeing him below $3K is hard to believe. We still acknowledge that this is one of the best offenses in baseball, and seeing their leadoff hitter this cheap is hard to pass up. Harris is not some empty leadoff hitter either, flirting with 20-20 averages in every season since his call-up. We're talking about one of the most versatile DFS players, and seeing him below $3K is incredible. He also has the platoon advantage against Meyer, and we'll dive into that later on!
Joc Pederson, TEX ($2,800) vs. Zack Littell
Joc Jams has always been a DFS darling when he faces right-handers. The slugger typically bats cleanup in these circumstances, and there are not many better spots in baseball surrounded by Corey Seager, Adolis Garcia and Wyatt Langford. The prominent lineup spot is no surprise since Pederson has a .369 OBP and .847 OPS against righties over the last three years. Don't be afraid to pair Seager ($3,600) and Garcia ($3,600) with Joc.
Stacks to Consider
Diamondbacks at Nationals (Jake Irvin): Corbin Carroll ($3,900), Eugenio Suarez ($3,800), Josh Naylor ($3,100)
It amazed me when I saw this last season, but Arizona was the highest-scoring team in baseball. That's not what most people would guess, but it's simply one of the best lineups in the sport. That alone makes them a sexy stack, and a matchup with Irvin is incredible. The Nationals righty has a 4.48 career ERA while surrendering 12 baserunners in his one matchup with Arizona last season.
Carroll has to be the first piece of our stack, averaging 11 FanDuel points per game. He also has a .352 OBP and .850 OPS against righties over the last three years while showcasing some of the best speed in the league. Suarez has been one of the best power hitters in that span, leading the league with five homers this year. Naylor is the final piece of the stack, sporting a .821 OPS against righties since 2023.
Atlanta vs. Marlins (Max Meyer): Marcell Ozuna ($3,800), Matt Olson ($3,300), Ozzie Albies ($3,300) and Harris ($2,900)
It sounds silly to stack Atlanta right now since they're winless through the opening week, but you might not see this offense this cheap all season. They still have one of the best lineups in baseball and have been a top five offense since 2013. We expect that to regress back to the mean soon, and a home series against Miami might start that positive regression. A matchup with Meyer only adds to that likelihood, as he's posted a 5.50 ERA and 1.40 WHIP throughout his career.
Ozuna is the most expensive option of the bunch, collecting 79 homers and 204 RBI over the last two seasons. Olson is the highest-projected player, according to our Optimizer, projected to score 17.6 FD points in this game. His splits are the cause for the lofty forecast, with Olson accruing a .377 OBP and .912 OPS against righties since 2023. Albies should bat second, and he's been one of the best DFS producers at second base throughout his career.
