We've got a nearly full lineup card this evening with 28 teams in action and every game taking place under the lights. First pitch is at 7:05 ET. Let's get right to the good stuff and look at the players with the highest positive park factors for today. They are, in descending order, Yankees and Orioles left-handed batters, the Giants and Reds right-handed batters and Tigers and Indians left-handed batters.
As for insights Vegas can provide us from the lines they've set, the games with the highest projected run totals are: Yankees at Orioles (8.5), Rangers at Blue Jays (9), Twins at Astros (8.5), Giants at Reds (8.5) and Angels at Brewers (9). The teams that are the heaviest favorites are the Dodgers (-200), Mariners (-200), Tigers (-200), Rockies (-210), Diamondbacks (-220), and the Mets (-230).
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball MLB lineup picks for FanDuel on 5/3/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from high-priced to low-priced options and identify options who will out-perform their expectations, including sleepers and value plays on FanDuel.
DFS Lineup Stacks to Target for FanDuel
Giants against Jon Moscot
The Giants batters - especially the right-handed ones - get a major park upgrade going from San Francisco to Cincinnati today, but that isn't the only reason I'm giddy about the boys in black and orange. The Giants have a .4.7 run expectancy - one of the highest of the day - and they have a wealth of strong hitters that, in my opinion, are very under-priced tonight. It's like a value stack complete with power upside. The best part of it all might be the fact that Jon Moscot is currently allowing 2.04 HR/9 this season.
Also Consider: Mets against Matt Wisler
DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider for FanDuel
Matt Harvey (SP, NYM) - $9,500
Harvey certainly has been less impressive than his normal self this season, but the BABIP data (.352!) reveals he's also been the victim of bad luck. He hasn't lost his strikeout upside, but with the Braves striking out in just 20% of their at-bats, that isn't the angle I'm approaching this from. The angle here - it's a cash game one - is that the Braves have the weakest offense in the major leagues (.065 ISO against RHP) and the Mets are heavy favorites, which should put Harvey in line for the win. Jake Arrieta is a nice cash game play as well, but I'd rather save the cash and load up on big hitters.
Hisashi Iwakuma (SP, SEA) - $8,000
Facing Oakland in Oakland, Iwakuma has one of the strongest tournament opportunities of the day. It's an excellent park to pitch in and while his 7.9 K/9 isn't stellar, the Athletics are currently striking out 30% of their at-bats against right-handed pitching this season. The upside is most certainly there. On top of that, Iwakuma sports one of the lowest hard-hit rates of any of the pitchers throwing today, sitting at just 20% this season.
Also Consider: Jake Arrieta (SP, CHC) - $12,100 (cash) and Jose Quintana (SP, CHW) - $8,600 (GPP)
DFS Infielders to Consider for FanDuel
Catcher (C)
Buster Posey (C, SFG) - $3,600
If you read my stack suggestion, by now you know the deal. I'm in love with the right-handed bats on San Francisco today, and Posey comes at a fair price and normally hits right in the middle of the order. If he's withheld from the lineup, Trevor Brown is an excellent, cheap option in his place.
Also Consider: Trevor Brown (C, SFG) - $2,100
First Base (1B)
Chris Davis (1B, BAL) - $4,100
Crush is a little pricey tonight, but he's worth the price when you look at the matchup, his numbers (.420 wOBA, .362 ISO against RHP in 2016) and the boost he gets tonight in park factors at Camden Yards.
Also Consider: CJ Cron (1B, LAA) - $2,600
Second Base (2B)
Neil Walker (2B, NYM) - $4,000
For being a nearly full slate, the options at second base leave a lot to be desired. Walker may be a little pricey for cash games, but I'm willing to pay up for him in tournaments. He's flashing great power this season, has a hard hit rate of 50% over the past two weeks, and faces a subpar pitcher in Matt Wisler.
Shortstop (SS)
Brandon Crawford (SS, SFG) - $2,800
I know I mentioned right-handed Giants as my favorite stack, but if you're going to add a left-handed bat, Crawford is most certainly the play. He's under-priced, gets a park boost, and sports a .204 ISO against right-handed pitching in 2016.
Third Base (3B)
Evan Longoria (3B, TAM) - $3,100
Longoria will be overlooked tonight thanks to the awful park factors (relative to rest of the options), but he's a bargain at this price, hitting in the middle of the order. Most importantly, he's sporting excellent numbers against southpaws this season with his .381 wOBA and .281 ISO power.
Also Consider: Matt Duffy (3B, SFG) - $2,900
DFS Outfielders to Consider for FanDuel
Curtis Granderson (OF, NYM) - $3,400
Granderson gives me access to a piece of the Mets lineup for a very reasonable price. He's got great numbers against right-handed pitching, has power upside, and is cheaper and should be less owned than the likes of Michael Conforto.
Hunter Pence (OF, SFG) - $3,700
Pence is a key-cog in my favorite stack of the day. He has big power upside against right-handed pitchers (.218 ISO and .521 slugging percentage this season) and faces a pitcher in Jon Moscot that has been abysmal in 2016.
Carlos Beltran (OF, NYY) - $2,500
Beltran is just criminally under-priced at $2,500. As such, I'll easily find a way to fit him into both cash and tournament game lineups. He faces a mediocre pitcher in Chris Tillman and has excellent park factors to go along with .368 wOBA and .214 ISO against right-handed pitching this season.
Also Consider: Michael Saunders (OF, TOR) - $3,400
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