MLB FanDuel Cash Game Options: (5/02/2017)

Welcome to the Tuesday edition of the MLB FanDuel Cash Game Options. Tonight’s slate is shaping up to be a pretty nice one since all 30 teams are playing tonight and there are only a couple of minor weather concerns. As always, make sure you look at the weather throughout the day and check the team lineups as they are released. Let’s go ahead and take a look at my favorite cash game options for tonight on FanDuel.

Pitcher

Chris Sale CHW: $11,700 vs. BAL
Chris Sale has been outstanding so far this season with a 12.42 K/9 and a 1.19 ERA in five starts. Unfortunately he only has one win to show for it as the Red Sox have not supplied him with much support. Tonight he has a decent matchup against the Orioles, who have struggled against left-handed pitchers with an 87 wRC+ and a 0.295 wOBA.

Jon Lester CHC $10,400 vs. PHI
If you want to save a little bit from Sale and add another top notch batch, consider dropping down to Jon Lester in you cash game lineup tonight. Lester is not pitching as well as he did in 2016, but he has still been decent with a 3.68 ERA and a 7.98 K/9. The Phillies are a much improved offense this season, but they have a negative park shift tonight as Wrigley Field tends to be more of a pitcher’s park early in the season when the temperature is still pretty cool.

Catcher

Matt Wieters WAS: $3,100 vs. ARI
I normally would not spend over $3,000 in my cash game lineup for a player who hits near the bottom. However, catcher is pretty ugly tonight and Matt Wieters has been great so far in 2017. Wieters currently has a 142 wRC+ and a 0.395 through the first month of the season. Taijuan Walker has been better than expected so far, but he has not been great by any means against left-handed hitters, allowing a 0.339 and three home runs in his first five starts.I

Jonathan Lucroy TEX: $2,700 @ HOU
An alternative to Wieters for tonight is Jonathan Lucroy. Mike Fiers has been a reverse-splits pitcher over his career and Lucroy actually did better against righties in 2016, with a 0.371 wOBA.

First Base

Matt Carpenter STL: $3,800 vs. MIL
After a slow start, Matt Carpenter has picked it up and now has a 121 wRC+ and a 0.358 wOBA in 2017. Wily Peralta on the other hand has really struggled against left-handed hitters allowing a 0.429 wOBA and a 36.1% hard contact percentage.

Joey Votto CIN: $4,000 vs. PIT
Another top notch option at first base tonight is Joey Votto. Votto is a great cash game option, with a pretty safe floor since he’s a patient hitter and draws a ton of walks. Tyler Glasnow on the other hand has really struggled with his command in his brief time at the MLB level and has allowed a 7.98 BB/9 through his first four starts of the 2017 season.

Dan Vogelbach SEA: $2,100 vs. LAA
If you want to punt at first base tonight, consider using Dan Vogelbach. Being a Cubs’ fan, I paid pretty close attention to Vogelbach as he was moving up their system prior to being traded to the Mariners. Vogelbach is a pure hitter and has shown his power every step of the way through the minors. Tonight he has a solid matchup against Edinson Volquez, who has already given up three home runs to left-handed hitters in five starts this season.


Second Base

Neil Walker NYM: $2,800 @ ATL
Neil Walker’s 2017 numbers do not really jump off of the page, but i think the numbers can be a little misleading considering he does have a hard contact percentage of 33.3% against right-handed pitchers. On the other hand, it appears that R.A. Dickey has been a little lucky so far in 2017 since his 5.10 FIP is roughly 1.3 runs higher than his 3.80 ERA.

Scooter Gennett MIL: $2,200 vs. PIT
If you’re looking for a punt option at second base tonight, consider using Scooter Gennett. I already mentioned how Glasnow has struggled this season and Gennett provides a decent source of power and is barely above the minimum salary tonight on FanDuel.


Third Base

Jake Lamb ARI: $4,000 @ WAS
If you’re paying up at third base, Jake Lamb is my favorite option tonight. The park shift from Chase Field to National Park is not great, but Lamb has actually been much better on the road than at home. Tanner Roark is not a terrible pitcher by any means, but he is not one we should totally avoid either.

Jedd Gyorko STL: $3,000 vs. MIL
Jedd Gyorko has been on fire lately with eight hits in his last three games, including three home runs. Furthermore, he has been much better against right-handed pitchers over the past couple of seasons. I already mentioned how we can pick on Peralta with the Cardinals’ lefties and we can also do the same with a couple of their righties as well.


Shortstop

Aledmys Diaz STL: $2,900 vs. MIL
Speaking of another Cardinals’ right-handed hitter, Aledmys Diaz is another one we can use against Peralta. Diaz has been scuffling so far in 2017, but hopefully the home run he hit last night can spark him a little bit. He is still hitting in a premium spot of the order in the two-hole and I really believe the Cardinals are going to put up a ton of runs against Peralta tonight.

Asdrubal Cabrera NYM: $2,900 @ ATL
If you don’t want to use Diaz, consider using Cabrera. I already mentioned that Dickey is a pitcher we want to pick on and Cabrera is another Mets’ bat we can use. Similar to Diaz, Cabrera usually hits in the two-hole, so he should have plenty of opportunities to succeed against Dickey.


Outfielders

Jacoby Ellsbury NYY: $3,000/Brett Gardner NYY: $3,100/Matt Holliday NYY: $3,000 vs. TOR
All three of these outfield eligible players are in play tonight against Mat Latos. I would throw in the red hot Aaron Judge, but I don’t think it’s necessary to pay over $4,000 for him in cash games tonight. Latos does not strike out many hitters and he has really struggled with his command so far this season, allowing a 5.73 BB/9 through his first two starts.

Michael Conforto NYM: $3,500 @ ATL
Another Mets’ lefty who we can use tonight is Michael Conforto. The Mets have been using Conforto in the leadoff spot lately and he has really excelled with a 0.435 on-base percentage and six home runs in his first 46 plate appearances in that spot.

Billy Hamilton CIN: $3,200 vs. PIT
I don’t like using Billy Hamilton that often, but I do like using him against pitchers who really struggle with their command. All it takes is one walk to Hamilton and it’s off to the races with possibly two stolen bases and a run. If he simply does that, it will be worth it for your cash game lineup.

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