3 Under-the-Radar MLB FanDuel Plays for 6/6/19
When being contrarian in daily fantasy sports, there's a fine line between taking a calculated risk and being reckless. But differentiating your lineups from everyone else is the name of the game if you plan on taking down one of those highly lucrative DFS tournaments. Whether it's because of Vegas totals, other options at a given position, or some gem you've found that everyone is overlooking, we can always find potential under-owned plays if we look hard enough.
Here are three such players to consider branching out for on FanDuel's main slate
Joey Lucchesi, P, San Diego Padres
FanDuel Price: 8,200
A smaller five-game slate brings us three legitimate aces, which is where the ownership should be centered around, leaving some options in the mid-tier to attack.
One of those options in the mid-tier is Joey Lucchesi, who comes into this game allowing three or fewer earned runs in six of his last seven starts, which is reachable tonight but comes with a bit of risk. He has been stellar at home this season, allowing a .257 wOBA overall, a 3.54 xFIP, and has 38 strikeouts in 41.1 innings pitched. Those are some solid numbers and he is $2K-$3K cheaper compared to the top pitchers on the slate.
The bit of risk comes from the fact he is up against the Washington Nationals, who have a 122 wRC+ (fourth in the league) and a .197 ISO (11th in the league) versus left-handed pitchers this season. Certainly, a tougher lineup to face, but Lucchesi is at home and has the best park factor in his favor, hopefully allowing him to limit the damage.
Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels
FanDuel Price: $3,100
The Los Angeles Angels find themselves at home against Mike Fiers, who is a fly-ball pitcher and always ready to give up a home run.
Over the course of his career, Albert Pujols has 25 at-bats against Fiers, where he has come away with six hits, two home runs, and only one strikeout. That is good for a .346 wOBA and a .240 ISO, which gives him plenty of power to go deep, even on the back nine of his career. Pujols has three home runs in his last seven games and has a .183 ISO versus right-handed pitchers this season.
With Fiers allowing a 49.1% fly-ball rate and a 40.5% hard-hit rate, he is in a spot to give up the long ball, and with Pujols' recent stroke of power, he should be able to capitalize on that.
Ronald Guzman, 1B, Texas Rangers
FanDuel Price: $3,300
The Texas Rangers are at home in the best hitting environment on the slate, but will any of their hitters go overlooked?
Ronald Guzman always presents himself as an interesting option in DFS since his .300 ISO versus right-handed pitchers is no joke, but he has a 29.9% strikeout rate and often hits out of the eighth spot in the lineup. You are giving up a bit of offensive equity going to him since he won't get that one extra at-bat, but you are gaining some serious power at hopefully lower ownership.
Guzman is up against David Hess, who, simply put, isn't a good pitcher in any capacity. Looking back at last year, he carried a 5.64 xFIP, 45.5% fly-ball rate, 34.5% hard-hit rate versus lefty hitters, all leading to allowing 2.55 homers per nine innings. The Rangers might be popular tonight, but dipping into the bottom part of their lineup will carry lower ownership compared to the top hitters.
