Welcome to MLB FanDuel: Daily Pitching Focus. This is the Friday, April 14th edition. Again today, we’re focused on the MLB FanDuel MAIN slate of games only. We will focus on top pitching plays, along with mid-range and cheap value options. We’ll also discuss pitchers to avoid in your lineup, and target for hitting. We believe evaluating pitchers is a vital part to building your MLB FanDuel lineup for a big pay-day.
There is a plethora of pitchers to pick through for tonight’s MLB FanDuel Main slate, which begin at 7:05pm ET. With thirteen games, there are 26 pitchers to review. Tonight provides a strong list of top-notch pitching talent, so ownership per pitcher could be lower given the options. Also, you’re more likely to get 30+ MLB FanDuel points with the top 10 salaried pitchers than most nights.
However, we’re going to dig through the weeds and find the top values, some mid-range value, and cheap value. We’ll also find some pitchers to target for the batting lineups. Here’s a look at the list of games we’re target:
BAL Wade Miley at TOR Aaron Sánchez (7:07pm ET)
NYM Noah Syndergaard at MIA Edinson Volquez (7:10pm ET)
TB Chris Archer at BOS Rick Porcello (7:10pm ET)
DET Daniel Norris at CLE Trevor Bauer(7:10pm ET)
SD Jhoulys Chacin at ATL Julio Teheran (7:35pm ET)
We’re going to be Mets heavy today for MLB FanDuel. I’m a Nats fan, so that’s very hard for me to write, and focus on for lineups. But it’s just too good of a match up to avoid.
Let’s start by looking at our top scoring MLB FanDuel pitcher for Friday…
Next: Top Scoring Pitchers
Top Scoring MLB FanDuel Pitchers
Kershaw ($12,600) is always a solid option when pitching. He’s arguably the best pitcher and baseball and averages around, or above, 40 MLB FanDuel points each year. But I don’t like the match up tonight for the salary. The D-Back has been hot at the plate since the start of the season and I am going to target some expensive hitters, so I’m fading Clayton tonight.
Noah Syndergaard ($11,200) and Aaron Sánchez ($9,300) are my two favorite top pitchers Friday evening. Syndergaard, aka Thor, is having a remarkable, although not surprising, start to he season. Noah has pitched a solid thirteen innings in two starts and only given up ten hits, less than one per inning. Syndergaard has 16 strikeouts, no walks, and has only given up one earned run. Add that to a win and two quality starts and you’re looking at a nearly 50 MLB FanDuel point average pitcher.
Tonight, Thor is facing a Marlins lineup whose only 17th in offensive value. If Noah can get around Ozuna and Dietrich, the only two threats from the Marlins for Syndergaard, then he’s going to have another 50+ night.
Sanchez is almost $2K cheaper, which immediately makes him attractive. Aaron only has one start against the Rays, who have one of the highest strikeout ratios in MLB. So his 40 MLB FanDuel point start may be a little misleading. But he’s facing a struggling Orioles lineup, now 20th in run value. So if you’re fading the top two expensive options, he’s your next best target.
Speaking of the Rays, Chris Archer ($9,100) is facing-off with the Boston Red Sox Rick Porcello ($9,400) in one of the best MLB match ups of the night. That should be a pitching duel and I would avoid both lineups tonight. But between the two pitchers, I like Porcello because of the Rays likely 6-10 K’s tonight.
Next: Mid-Range Salary Value
Mid-Range Salary Value
It’s got to be frustrating to be a great pitcher on a terrible team. If we’re curious how irritating that is, we should ask Julio Teheran ($8,500). Teheran has pitched thirteen innings, given up only ten hits, four walks, and no earned runs. Julio also has ten strikes. Add the two quality starts, and you have an impressive start to the season for Teheran.
The problem is, neither start ended in a win. Julio should’ve had well over 40 MLB FanDuel points in each of his starts, but his offensive lineup for the Braves have struggled significantly against any sliver of quality pitching. But tonight, Teheran could get the win from Chacin. And Julio is facing a Padres lineup who’s struggling just like the Pirates he mowed down last week. Teheran is easily the best mid-salary range starter on the list tonight.
Next: Pitching Value
Pitching Value
As you continue to scroll down the list of salaried starting pitchers tonight, you’re going to find a good one. The Detroit Tigers young 23-year-old starter from Johnson City Tennessee, Daniel Norris ($6,900) is a sneaky value pick at pitcher tonight.
The lefty had a decent start to the season last week, giving up seven hits and three walks over 6.1 innings, and three earned runs. But Daniel only had two strikeouts. Still, with a quality start on the books against a solid Red Sox lineup, he was able to compile 20 MLB FanDuel points. If youre like me, you’re thinking…yes, but they’re playing the Indians who have a strong lineup.
That’s where details get more interesting. The Indians haven’t been successful against Norris in 33 at-bats. This only hitting .273 against Daniel, with only four extra base hits, all doubles. And Norris has a higher strikeout ratio against the Tigers, over 18%, than most of his starts. So if you’re really loading up on expensive hitters like Cespedes tonight, you may want to consider Norris for affordability.
Next: Offensive Pitching Target
Offensive Pitching Target
Now that we’ve got our pitcher locked up, you’re going to start grabbing your batting lineup picks. Before you do so, let’s look at some pitchers our top hitters will be feasting on tonight. As we said earlier, we’re really loading up on Mets tonight. Yoenis Cespedes ($4,200) is on an absolute tear lately. As fellow FantasyCPR expert Brian Tulloch told me this morning, Cespedes is in video game mode. His bombs look effortless!
So who is throwing home run practice to the Mets tonight? Marlins right-hander Edinson Volquez ($6,100). Volquez had a solid start against the Nationals on Opening Day, but has been unable to get a quality start or win against the Nats or Mets. On April 9th, Edinson lasted six innings, but gave up seven hits, a walk, and four earned runs. Bruce, Cabrera, Cespedes, Conforto, Flores, and Reyes are all hitting well over .300 against Edinson. The Mats should be a heavy offensive target tonight.
While looking for pitching value earlier, I originally wanted to pick Martin Pérez ($6,900) against the Mariners. Perez was one of our value picks last week and his piled up 40 MLB FanDuel points against the A’s. But tonight’s match up is different. In 103 at-bat against this Mariners’ lineup, Perez is giving up a horrendous .311 batting average and .533 slugging average. Cruz and Seager alone, have a combined six home runs off Martin, or a HR in 15% of their at bats. That’s very high! The Mariners are another lineup which should be targeted tonight.
Finally, I love the White Sox match up against the Minnesota Twins Adalberto Mejía ($5,500). I would have considered this a higher offensive target option, but given the weather tonight, I would suggest avoiding the Twins and White Sox due to a likely delay, and possible postponement.
Next: FanDuel MLB Picks and Pivots
Always check MLB lineups throughout the day when playing MLB FanDuel. You can typically find starting pitchers a few days, or day before, each game. But as the season progresses, pitchers develop injuries, sometimes only hours before a game. So always stay tuned for changes before locking in your lineup. Follow us on twitter, @fantasycpr, for updates as we get closer to lineup lock time. Good Luck today FanDuelers!