A nine-game main slate awaits at FanDuel on Tuesday evening, with first pitch at a slightly later 7:35 p.m. EDT. Six of our 18 arms sit in the pay-up tier.
Coors Field is present, giving us our predictably high 10.5 run total, though it's with an unpredictable Giants offense. White Sox-Twins sits at 9.5 and two other games are at 9.0, so there should be some offenses available. Yankees-Astros and Mariners-Red Sox are our low points at 7.5 runs. San Francisco (-240) is the slate's biggest favorite. We need to monitor rain in Tampa Bay and Minneapolis, where wind will be in favor of offenses if the game happens.
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Pitching
Shota Imanaga, CHC vs. ATL ($9,500): Imanaga has turned in five straight quality starts, striking out 32 across 34.0 innings while allowing 10 runs. Atlanta's offense has found its form of late, but the team's hitters still swing freely and come with a 23.0 percent K rate against lefties. Imanaga looks like the safest of the pay-up options, with others having far more difficult matchups.
Yu Darvish, SD vs. BAL ($7,600): Darvish has alternated quality starts with duds over his last six outings, and if that trend holds, he's in line for a solid outing Tuesday. Baltimore's 103 wRC+ is above league average but ranks a moderate 14th, and their 23.2 percent K rate off righties is elevated, potentially giving Darvish a boost.
Joey Wentz, ATL at CHC ($6,100): Wentz has allowed just one run in three of his last four starts, and has three 40+ fantasy point outings in his last six, giving him surprising upside in this salary tier. The Cubs rank seventh offensively against lefties with a 106 wRC+ however and only strike out 21.1 percent of the time, likely capping his ceiling. Wentz is a complete punt play to allow you to pay for offense, but one that appears to be a better bet than some of those priced above him.
Top Targets
There's shockingly no price increase in Coors Field for the Giants. Perhaps that speaks to their erratic offense, but it also makes it a clear and obvious smash spot and stacking opportunity. Rafael Devers ($3,500) has homered in consecutive games and has 13 hits in his last seven. Heliot Ramos ($3,000) and/or Matt Chapman ($3,100) can round out a stack, or give you some righties to target against Kyle Freeland, who is allowing a .403 wOBA and .908 OPS in that split at home.
Bobby Witt ($3,700) had an 18-game hitting streak snapped in his last game, and he doesn't have elite splits against lefties. Still, his form is top notch and he'll face Mitch Farris, who's making his major-league debut after coming up from Double-A.
Bargain Bats
Regression is coming for Nabil Crismatt, who's 1.84 ERA is backed by a 4.22 xFIP, and he doesn't miss bats (6.8 per nine). He's allowing a .474 wOBA and 1.144 OPS to lefties in limited exposure. Joc Pederson ($2,700) has 12 hits and four homers in his last 10. Rowdy Tellez ($2,500) gives a second lefty with power potential.
Miles Mikolas doesn't have targetable splits despite a poor ERA, but he isn't going to scare anyone off from using Athletic bats. Jacob Wilson ($2,800) has six hits in his last two and has 14 hits in nine games since returning from the IL. Lawrence Butler ($2,800) has seven hits in his last five.
Stack to Consider
Yankees vs. Framber Valdez (Astros): Giancarlo Stanton ($3,700), Cody Bellinger ($3,500), Paul Goldschmidt ($3,000)
One of the easiest ways to differentiate a build is to stack against one of the top arms on the slate, if there's a good reason to do so. New York's roster is 24-for-80 (.300) against Valdez with a reasonable .826 OPS. Stanton is 6-for-15 (.400) with a homer off him and has a .399 wOBA, 159 wRC+ and .256 ISO off lefties. Bellinger sits at .436/185/.262 and Goldschmidt .459/200/.280, giving us three solid top of the order guys while not forcing a pay up for Aaron Judge ($4,800).
