This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Sunday's main slate features eight games that all get going between 1:00-2:15 PM ET. Two true aces are on the bump, followed by a plethora of secondary options. With so few top arms, batting prices feel slightly elevated (Nick Markakis at $4,000 for example) which means owners have to be creative to pay top dollar for pitching.
Three games come in with totals under eight as well, further suggesting difficulty in picking the right bats.
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PITCHER
Mike Soroka, ATL vs. SFG ($7,300): Lets just get this out of the way first – there is nearly no reason to not play Max Scherzer ($11,600) even at his price. But if you're willing to gamble on a contrarian play, Soroka needs to turn in a solid performance after the Braves' starters have laid eggs in the first two games of the series. Despite the Giants' two day success in Atlanta, they carry just a .306 wOBA and 97 wRC+ against righties to date while fanning 23.6 percent of the time. I worry about Soroka being afforded the chance to work deep into the game, but there's reason to believe he can replicate the success he found in his first start.
GPP Fade: Chris Archer, TAM vs. TOR ($8,700): As if Archer's 6.05 ERA weren't immediately enough to look in another direction, the Blue Jays rank sixth offensively against righties, owning a .331 wOBA to go along with a 105 wRC+ and .212 ISO. Archer has allowed four or more runs in four starts thus far, and is far too combustible to justify this steep price.
Cheap GPP Consideration: Kyle Freeland, COL at NYM ($6,900): By already featuring Soroka here, I'm left with only six cheaper options to choose from for this spot. Freeland makes a ton of sense, as the Mets have a league-worst .262 wOBA, 66 wRC+, .091 ISO and 26.7 percent strikeout rate against lefties. Freeland has fanned 13 in his last 14 innings, and seems poised for a solid 30+ point outing.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Joe Mauer, MIN vs. CWS ($3,200): Any and all Twin bats are in play Sunday against James Shields, and I was disappointed to see their collective price that seems to prevent stacking the top of their order. I still suggest getting as many shares as possible. Mauer seems to offer a stable floor with limited power upside, bringing a .366 wOBA, 127 wRC+ and only .122 ISO against righties to the table. His spot atop the order gives him ample run scoring potential, suggesting at least 10 fantasy points.
SECOND BASE
Daniel Robertson, TAM vs. TOR ($2,800): Something is off in this game, as it features two starters with ERA's north of six, but a total of just 7.5. I'd cautiously say this will go over, but cautiously enough that I'm unlikely to invest heavily in either side. As such, Robertson makes sense at a non-premium position. Despite his cold bat over his last four games, he leads the Rays with a .401 wOBA and 156 wRC+ against righties, and Jays's starter Marco Estrada is allowing a .422 wOBA to same-handed bats.
THIRD BASE
Anthony Rendon, WAS vs. PHI ($3,000): Rendon's price hasn't caught up to his potential after being activated from the DL prior to Saturday's game. He earned a .377 wOBA a year ago against righties, and hitting second behind Bryce Harper should afford Rendon some run-producing chances.
SHORTSTOP
Brandon Crawford, SFG at ATL ($2,600): This position is incredibly top heavy Sunday, and there's a quick and immediate drop off in price after the first five options. If you're not paying up, Crawford could be worth a gamble given his white hot bat. He has nine hits in his last four games, driving in seven and scoring four times. The .307 wOBA and 90 wRC+ he produced last year against righties is in line with his price, but the tag is low enough that taking a chance on his current form won't hurt you.
OUTFIELD
Christian Yelich, MIL vs. PIT ($4,000): Pirates starter Chad Kuhl has a 7.04 road ERA in the early going, and has been torched by lefties to the tune of a .478 wOBA and 1.154 OPS, clearly putting all Brewers' left-handed bats in play. Yelich comes in in good form with nine hits in his last six games, and owns a .390 wOBA and 147 wRC+ against righties to date.
Michael Brantley, CLE at NYY ($3,800): Brantley has been a steady producer all year, only failing to produce points in three games to date. He brings a team-high .440 wOBA and 177 wRC+ to the table from the cleanup spot Sunday against fill-in starter Domingo German, who has been hit hard at Yankee Stadium.
Jorge Soler, KAN vs. DET ($3,700): Soler has been too hot to ignore, especially against lefties, whom he currently boasts a .531 wOBA and 239 wRC+ against. He saw a 10-game hit streak snapped Saturday, but should get back into a groove against Matt Boyd, who's allowed a moderate .349 wOBA to righties since 2017.
UTILITY
Justin Smoak, TOR at TAM ($3,000): While Smoak makes more contact traditionally against left-handed arms, he's shown much better power against right handers, with 31 of his 38 bombs a year ago coming against them. Rays starter Chris Archer has been abused by left-handed bats, allowing a .434 wOBA and four long balls to 89 batters faced.
