MLB

FanDuel Daily Fantasy Baseball Helper: Saturday 7/16/22

In a matchup versus Dean Kremer, the Rays are an intriguing stack on Saturday with a 4.3 expected run total. Which other teams and players should we examine for FanDuel's six-game main slate?

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Let's check out the top options on today's main slate.

Pitchers

Justin Verlander ($11,100)

At his second highest salary point, Saturday's most expensive pitcher will face an Oakland Athletics' lineup with a projected .272 weighted on-base average (wOBA) including seven expected hitters with K-rates over 22.1% and contact percentages under 76.2% in their last 386 plate appearances.

With optimal recent form including a 3.48 expected Fielding Independent Pitching rating (xFIP) in his last seven starts and matchup versus his division rivals, Verlander currently ranks as numberFire's top pitcher with a 36.9 FanDuel point expectation and 6.7 projected strikeouts.

Max Fried ($10,700)

Despite an average strikeout opportunity versus a Washington Nationals' team with a .319 wOBA and a 18.7% K-rate, Atlanta's steady left-hander rates as Saturday's second overall pitcher with a 32.4 fantasy projection and 5.75 expected strikeouts.

Even at his highest FanDuel salary point this season, Fried potentially offers the best form among Saturday's 12 pitchers with a 3.10 xFIP, a 11.6% swinging strike percentage, and a 23.3% K-rate.

Logan Gilbert ($10,300)

In his second largest sample size starting in the Majors, Seattle's 25-year old right-hander has overall improved upon his rookie season, accounting for a 3.80 xFIP and a 22.9% strikeout percentage in 106.0 innings.

As numberFire's third ranked pitcher, Gilbert's Saturday expectation includes a 30.9 FanDuel point projection and 5.7 expected strikeouts against a Texas Rangers' lineup with a .328 wOBA and a 23.2% K-rate in their last 710 plate appearances.

Ranger Suarez ($8,300)

After the top-tier over 10K, Philadelphia's left-hander is a value option to consider with a 4.04 xFIP and a 18.6% K-rate against a Miami Marlins' team with a low .281 wOBA and a 23.6% strikeout percentage in this particular split.

At his second highest FanDuel salary, Suarez still ranks third in value at his position with a 3.39 rating and fifth overall with a 28.1 fantasy projection.

Stacks

Atlanta Braves

In his second chance starting against his division opponent this season, Paolo Espino will challenge an Atlanta Braves' offense projected for a slate-high 5.7 runs.

Although Washington's veteran right-hander allowed only two earned runs and a 3.72 xFIP in four innings during his most recent start versus Atlanta, Matt Olson (12.3% barrel rate, .482 expected slugging) and Michael Harris II (.498 expected slugging, 10.6% barrel percentage) remain in great spots to counter Espino's main weakness (4.73 xFIP versus LHB) while Austin Riley (14.9% barrel rate, .606 expected slugging), Dansby Swanson (.545 expected slugging, 12% barrel rate), and Travis d'Arnaud (8.6% barrel percentage) provide power among infield possibilities.

Houston Astros

Oakland's journey-man left-hander Jared Koenig will make his fifth career start versus a Houston Astros' unit with an underestimated 5.1 implied run total.

Through 18.1 career innings, Koenig has profiled as a subpar Major League starter with an ugly 6.18 xFIP and a 11.6% strikeout percentage, while his minor league production (4.58 xFIP in 64.0 Triple-A innings, 4.88 xFIP in 121.1 Double-A innings) unfortunately further supports this negative outlook.

With overall trouble versus both sides of the plate, Houston combinations can include their top power hitters including Kyle Tucker (.573 expected slugging, 10.8% barrel rate), Jose Altuve (.488 expected slugging, 8.6% barrel percentage), Alex Bregman (7.3% barrel rate, .479 expected slugging), Jeremy Pena (10.6% barrel rate, .478 expected slugging) and Chas McCormick (11% barrel percentage, .456 expected slugging).

Tampa Bay Rays

Dean Kremer will make his eighth start this season on the road against a Tampa Bay Rays' lineup with a .311 wOBA in their last 535 plate appearances.

While Baltimore's right-hander has recorded a career-best 2.15 Earned Run Average through 37.2 innings, Kremer is due for massive regression when examining his 4.65 xFIP and his 84.4% left on-base percentage (career 71.5%).

To best counter his top weakness versus right-handed bats (5.51 xFIP), Christian Bethancourt (13.3% barrel rate, .561 expected slugging), Yandy Diaz (.294 expected average, .365 expected wOBA), Harold Ramirez (.351 expected wOBA, .452 expected slugging) and Randy Arozarena (7.1% barrel percentage) present top stacking options while Ji-Man Choi (10.6% barrel rate) and Brandon Lowe (10.6% barrel percentage) can also be mixed in.