5 MLB FanDuel Value Plays for 4/11/18

Javier Baez, 2B, Chicago Cubs

Price: $2,700

Javier Baez posted some extreme platoon splits in 2017, with an ugly .307 wOBA against right-handed pitching, but a .378 mark against southpaws. He also had a nearly 10% difference in hard-hit rate, with an excellent 39.6% clip against lefties and a pedestrian 29.8% against right-handers. We see a similar discrepancy looking at his numbers over his entire career as well, with a .346 wOBA against lefties and a .294 wOBA against right-handed pitching.

That gap in his splits keeps his overall numbers tame (especially because he makes more plate appearances against righties), which in turns keeps his salary down in daily fantasy.

He's up against a southpaw today in Pittsburgh's Steven Brault. Brault has pitched 21 career games at the major league level, posting a weak 4.99 SIERA. He has only allowed one earned run over eight innings to start the season, but that's a tiny sample-size. The 47.6% hard-hit rate and 15.2% walk rate he has allowed are much more telling.

With the numbers that Baez posts against lefties, we'd usually expect him to be more expensive, herego he offers a ton of value in this matchup.