Three Teams to Target: Friday, June 7th
Stacking has become a common strategy used in tournaments on FanDuel. The concept is simple – roster multiple players from teams with the best MLB odds to score the most runs.
This article will take a closer look at the three teams on FanDuel’s main slate with the highest implied run totals.
Milwaukee Brewers (6.0 implied run total)
The Milwaukee Brewers lead Friday’s slate with a massive 6.0 implied run total as they host Rookie Davis and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Davis is making his first start of the season and will be followed by a Pirates bullpen that owns a 4.63 xFIP and is allowing 1.51 home runs per 9 innings. Notably, both left-handed pitchers in the Pirates bullpen were used in Thursday’s game which makes it more likely that Brewers hitters will face a right-handed pitcher the entire game.
Christian Yelich ($4,900) is the Brewers most expensive hitter but also clearly their top option as he’s been dominant this season with 23 HRs and 13 stolen bases. Mike Moustakas ($3,900) is more affordable and isn’t far behind Yelich with 18 HRs, including two long balls in yesterday’s game against the Marlins. Tavis Shaw ($2,400) has had a poor season but owns a career .225 ISO against right-handed pitching and gives you a lot of power for his cheap price tag. Yasmani Grandal ($3,500) and Eric Thames ($2,900) also contain a ton of power and are strong options to round out a 4-man Brewers Stack. Lorenzo Cain ($3,400), Ryan Braun ($3,100), and Orlando Arcia ($2,400) won’t have the platoon advantage but are low-owned alternatives if you’re looking for ways to differentiate your stack.
Los Angeles Angels (5.3 implied run total)
Marco Gonzales has struggled mightily as of late for the Mariners, allowing 16 earned runs over his last 8.2 innings pitched. Things won’t get easier for Gonzales on Friday night as he’ll travel to Los Angeles to take on the Los Angeles Angels who own the second highest implied run total on the slate.
Ownership will be interesting to track as Mike Trout ($4,800) is one of the top overall plays on the slate but may come at a significant ownership discount from Christian Yelich who is priced similarly. The problem with stacking the Angels against left-handed pitching is that behind Trout the majority of their power comes from the left side of the plate via Shohei Ohtani ($3,500) and Tommy La Stella ($3,300). Neither Ohtani nor La Stella having the platoon advantage should lead to low ownership which only makes them stronger tournament options. Albert Pujols ($3,200) is a strong way to round out your Angels stack as he has shown he has some power left against southpaws with a .294 ISO and six HRs this season. David Fletcher ($3,200), Luis Rengifo ($2,500), Cesar Puello ($3,600), Jonathan Lucroy ($2,700), and Brian Goodwin ($2,900). round out the Angels projected lineup and are listed in my order of preference.
Houston Astros (5.3 implied run total)
The injury bug has hit Houston early this season with George Springer, Jose Altuve, and Carlos Correa all on the injured list. Despite a watered down lineup, the Astros still have one of the highest implied run totals on Friday’s slate as they’ll host Gabriel Ynoa and the Baltimore Orioles.
Alex Bregman ($4,500) is clearly the Astros top option as the third basemen has already hit 18 HRs and tallied 44 RBIs this season. Derek Fisher ($3,000) has taken over the leadoff role for Houston and has been a pleasant surprise. Fellow outfielder Josh Reddick ($3,200) still possesses some power against right-handed pitching and has a more attractive price tag than Michael Brantley ($4,200) who is a strong option in his own right. Robinson Chirinos ($3,500) doesn’t have the platoon advantage but has the second highest HR probability behind Bregman. Jake Marisnick ($2,600), Tony Kemp ($2,300), Jack Mayfield ($2,000), and Yul Gurriel ($3,300) can be used if you’re looking for creative ways to fill out your 4-man Astros stacks.