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FanDuel’s main slate Friday features 13 games, as there are two afternoon games and Game 2 of the Phillies-Mets doubleheader is also off the slate. However, we naturally have plenty of choices to work on both the pitching and hitting side, even though there are only a handful of what could be considered aces in action.
Salaries are such that it’s possible to put together a lineup that exploits some of the numerous advantageous matchups/venues while still rolling out a solid pitcher.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 6/25/2021. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Carlos Rodon – vs. SEA ($11,200)
Rodon carries the highest salary on the slate for good reason, considering he’s averaging 46.3 FD points and has posted 46 to 61 FD points in four of the last six starts alone. The left-hander has also allowed either one or zero earned runs in five of his trips to the mound during that sample, and he owns a 1.99 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 0.6 HR/9 across 31.2 innings at home. The Mariners came up empty and produced just two hits while striking out nine times against Rodon back on Opening Day, and Seattle comes in with a .304 wOBA and -0.9 wRAA against lefties on the road in the last month.
Potential Alternate Play
Jon Lester – at MIA ($6,900)
Lester still has his usual trouble with both location and the long ball on occasion, but he’s been solid thus far in DC with a 3.96 ERA. He’s also coming into Friday’s matchup with plenty of steam, as he owns a 2.55 ERA over the 24.2 innings covering his last five starts. The veteran southpaw has been more hittable on the road and has allowed a bloated 3.1 HR/9 when traveling, but the Marlins don’t exactly shape up as the type of team that can exploit that. Miami checks in with a 28.4 percent strikeout rate, .213 average, .269 OBP, -5.8 wRAA and MLB-low .257 wOBA, along with an anemic 72 wRC+, against left-handers at home over the last month.
ALSO CONSIDER: Sean Manaea ($9,400)
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Max Muncy- 1B, vs. CHC ($3,900)
Muncy went into Thursday’s no-hit loss to the Cubs with a .266 average and .954 OPS, as well as a .292 average and 1.077 OPS over 124 plate appearances at Dodger Stadium. The lefty-swinging slugger will take aim at a familiar target in Jake Arrieta on Friday, who he’s touched up for a .400 average and a pair of homers in 10 career encounters. The success isn’t surprising, considering Arrieta has allowed a .310 average, .989 OPS and .412 wOBA to left-handed hitters on the road. Meanwhile, Muncy has eviscerated right-handed pitching at home, where he’s battered that handedness for a 1.033 OPS, .435 wOBA and .302 ISO.
Marcus Semien – 2B, vs. BAL ($4,100)
The Blue Jays get the gift of facing Matt Harvey in their hitter-friendly home park Friday, meaning rolling out a stack of their right-handed bats certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea. In this case, I’ll spotlight Semien, who’s tallied a .917 OPS, .391 wOBA, .280 ISO and 148 wRC+ against right-handed pitching at home. Harvey makes about the perfect target for him, as the quickly fading right-hander has given up a .373 average, .887 OPS and .383 wOBA to right-handed hitters on the road, and a .413 wOBA to that handedness overall. Semien also has an .890 OPS at home, enhancing his already strong case.
Abraham Toro– 3B, at DET ($2,500)
Toro’s season slash line now sits at a rock-solid .282/.378/.436 following a pair of walks over three plate appearances in Thursday’s blowout win over the Tigers, and he makes for an excellent value consideration Friday against a highly vulnerable pitcher in Wily Peralta. The 32-year-old right-hander allowed five earned runs, including two homers, in his first start of the season against the Angels on Saturday. Peralta has given up a .375 average and .669 wOBA to the nine left-handed hitters he’s faced thus far this season, and a .278 average and .363 wOBA over his much larger career sample. In the meantime, Toro has hit both his homers off right-handed pitching this season and owns a .504 wOBA against the four-seam fastball, which is Peralta’s most often-thrown pitch in this season’s small sample.
Wander Franco – SS, vs. LAA ($3,000)
Franco reached safely in his first two games before going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Thursday’s 1-0 win, but there’s no doubting the phenom’s prodigious ability. The switch-hitting Franco was tormenting pitchers of either handedness at Triple-A Durham to the tune of a .315/.367/.586 slash line before his promotion. Angels starter Griffin Canning has struggled against left-handed hitters on the road, as he’s given up a .289 average, .847 OPS and .373 wOBA in that split.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Adolis Garcia– vs. KC ($3,500)
Garcia has been a breakout star, as he’ll enter Friday’s matchup with 28 XBH, 52 RBI and an .846 OPS. The slugging outfielder has been better against right-handed pitching, but he’s still tagged southpaws for eight extra-base hits, including seven home runs, over 23 total hits versus that handedness. He also boasts a .354 wOBA and .288 ISO at home, and Royals starter Mike Minor has given up 13 of his 14 homers on the season to righty bats, leading to a 1.6 HR/9 in that split. The Royals bullpen could also be good targets for Garcia once Minor exits, considering they’ve allowed a .330 wOBA to right-handed hitters in June.
Juan Soto- at MIA ($3,800)
Soto has a tough matchup on paper against Marlins right-hander Pablo Lopez, who has an impressive 2.86 ERA, including a 1.89 ERA, .192 BAA and .246 wOBA at LoanDepot Park. Nevertheless, it’s a matchup Soto has conquered before, as he’s punished Lopez for a .471 average, three doubles and five home runs across 21 career encounters. Additionally, Soto has been absolutely lethal against right-handed pitching, furnishing a .354 average and .432 wOBA against that handedness on the road, along with a 41.7 percent HR/FB rate and 45.2 percent hard-contact rate in that split.
Whit Merrifield – at TEX ($3,600)
Merrifield makes for an interesting option against Rangers starter Dane Dunning, who’s allowed a .294 average, .347 wOBA and 1.5 HR/9 to right-handed hitters. Merrifield boasts a .322 average, .812 OPS and .348 wOBA in June, along with a stellar 25.4 percent line-drive rate. Merrifield also happens to do very well against Dunning’s trademark sinker, as he’s posted a .391 wOBA against the pitch this season (and a .439 one for his career) while Dunning has given up a .360 wOBA when throwing the pitch this season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tommy Pham ($3,400)
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