FanDuel Price: $4,200
Leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter has been a popular option for the Cardinals’ series against the Cincinnati Reds. The reasons he was attractive on Tuesday and Wednesday -- a very good hitter atop a potent lineup with a gaudy implied run total -- also apply today. In the first two games of the series, St. Louis has racked up 18 total runs, and they are expected to have another big night as their implied total of 4.96 runs is the main slate's second-highest mark.
Carpenter, a lefty, is our top-ranked hitter despite his matchup with Reds’ southpaw Brandon Finnegan, who has struggled to an ugly 5.32 SIERA and 11.4% walk rate. Carpenter does prefer righties, but he boasts a solid .338 wOBA versus left-handed pitchers in his career. The contest will be played at Great American Ballpark, which ranks fifth in home run factor, per ESPN’s Park Factors. All signs point to another offensive explosion for the Red Birds.