We have a stacked 15-game MLB slate on Friday, which means there are plenty of entries to sift through on PrizePicks.
A quick refresher if you aren’t familiar with PrizePicks: You can combine up to five different player squares to pay out up to 10x your entry.
You can do a Flex Play or a Power Play. A Flex Play provides lesser odds, but you can win money even if you don’t nail every pick. A Power Play is all-or-nothing.
Here’s how I would approach Friday’s MLB slate.
What is PrizePicks? A daily fantasy operator — meaning they’re available in more states (30) than sports betting is! — PrizePicks offers a unique opportunity for action on player picks in which you combine two or more entries together.
Bryce Harper Fantasy Score More Than 7
The first installment of this four-game series gets underway Friday with the NL East's Philadelphia Phillies hosting the NL West's San Diego Padres.
Right-hander Yu Darvish will take the mound for San Diego, though he's putting together a fade-worthy campaign. Through 15 starts, he is 5-6 with a 4.87 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Entering this game in particularly poor form, Darvish is 1-2 with a 7.17 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP over his past four outings.
The first Philadelphia hitter to back is Bryce Harper, who has put up solid numbers in a limited campaign. Through 56 games, Harper boasts a .290 BA, a .400 SLG and a .786 OPS.
Harper has notched seven or more fantasy points in eight of his past 11 outings and we should be able to count on him again. Through 15 career plate appearances against Darvish, Harper boasts a .250 BA, a .750 SLG and a .425 wOBA.
Trea Turner Fantasy Score More Than 7.5
The other Phillies hitter to back in this game is Trea Turner. Also entering this series in tremendous form, Turner has recorded at least eight fantasy points in six of his past 10 games.
Like Harper, Turner has thrived against Darvish. Through 20 career plate appearances against the right-hander, Turner boasts a .350 BA, a .750 SLG and a .460 wOBA.
After a poor start to the season, Turner has seemingly turned things around over the past month, a trend that should continue against Darvish.
Francisco Lindor Fantasy Score More Than 6.5
The NL East's New York Mets host the NL West's Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game weekend series
Left-hander Julio Urias will take the mound for Los Angeles and could be a good fade candidate. Through 12 starts, he possesses a 4.76 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.
His underlying metrics suggest positive regression is unlikely as he ranks in the 49th percentile or lower in xERA/xwOBA, xBA, xSLG and Barrel%.
That brings us to Francisco Lindor, who should be a good hitter to back against Urias.
When facing left-handed pitching this season, Lindor's splits jump by roughly 5% to a .237 BA, a .536 SLG and a .829 OPS. Entering this contest in great form, the switch-hitter boasts a .375 BA with three homers over his past eight games.
This tick up in performance is not shocking given that Lindor ranks in the 78th percentile or higher in Average Exit Velocity, xwOBA, xSLG and Barrel%.
Pete Alonso Fantasy Score More Than 6
The other Mets hitter to back in this contest is Pete Alonso. Once again, Alonso is putting up big power numbers and ranks third in MLB in home runs (26).
We should expect that to continue over the second half of the season as he ranks in the 91st percentile or higher in xwOBA, xSLG and Barrel%. When facing left-handed pitching since 2021, Alonso boasts a .236 BA, a .515 SLG and a .856 OPS.
Additionally, Urias is susceptible to giving up homers and ranks in the 24th percentile in xSLG.
