MLB GPP Tournament Picks: 8-3-15

Tonight's slate is packed full of tough decisions, including a game in Coors Field with weather concerns. Be sure to keep your eye on Twitter for the latest updates regarding the weather and lineups! These are some plays that you can roster in your GPPs that will come at a lower ownership than the "chalk" plays of the night. Focus on setting yourself apart from the pack with under-the-radar plays with big upside!

Pitchers

Lester is coming off of one of the finest starts in his career, punching out 14 Rockies en route to an eight innings pitched, five hits, two earned runs, one walk and 14 strikeouts performance. While the Rockies' struggles against lefties are well-documented, these Pirates are no great shakes against southpaws either. They currently sit at 16th against lefties in team wOBA (.304), 20th in team ISO (.125), and 27th in strikeout rate (27.5%). The Cubs and Lester are small underdogs tonight, but that will only further suppress Lester's ownership in a solid matchup.

Top Hitters

At his current price tag, Cruz will be better suited for GPP action tonight, but he is also the top overall hitter on the board. The Mariners have a huge team total of five runs in Coors Field tonight against Eddie Butler, who has allowed a .361 wOBA to righties this season. The Mariners are in a great spot, and Cruz leads the way for them once again.

After a disappointing first half, Duda has exploded in the second half, with nine homers and three doubles in his last 16 games. He faces off against Tom Koehler, who has been dominated by lefties this season (.325 wOBA, 12 HR in 59.2 IP). Ride the hot hand here with a player who has a a pair of two-homer games and a three-homer game over his last eight appearances.

Belt has the good fortune of hitting in the heart of the Giants order tonight, and they have the second-highest team total on the night at 4.5 runs. Mike Foltynewicz has had struggles with lefties all season long, allowing a monstrous .395 wOBA. Belt is a great target to get a piece of the Giants action.

Marte has mashed left-handed pitching since his debut in the big leagues, and tonight should be no exception. Jon Lester has been terrific, but if I'm trying to get a piece of the Pirates tonight, I'll roll with Andrew McCutchen Jr. in Marte. He owns the rare power/speed combo that can lead to huge fantasy outputs in a hurry.

Value and Platoon Plays

Lance McCullers (SP - HOU) FD: $6,700 DK: $8,800

McCullers has burst onto the scene this season, posting a 25% strikeout rate and an impressive 0.35 HR/9 thus far in 2015. This game has a high total, but McCullers is in a great spot against the lefty-dominant Rangers lineup. McCullers owns a .244 wOBA against lefties and hasn't allowed a home run in 40 innings against them.

Mark Trumbo (OF/1B - SEA) FD: $2,300 DK: $4,000

Trumbo is a power hitter in Coors Field. He is grossly underpriced on FanDuel. Opposing pitcher Eddie Butler is allowing a .361 wOBA to righties this season, and Trumbo has double-dong upside.

Jason Castro (C - HOU) FD: $2,600 DK: $3,200

While Colby Lewis has been better this season against left-handed batters, he still owns a .325 wOBA allowed to lefties, and Houston's team total is at a juicy 4.5 runs tonight. Castro has an extra base hit in each of his last four games, including two homers. He owns the platoon advantage against an inconsistent pitcher tonight.

Preston Tucker (OF- HOU) FD: $3,100 DK: $3,600

Tucker's price across the industry is still far too low for his upside. He owns a .272 ISO and .396 wOBA against right-handed pitchers this season and is primed to have another big night against Colby Lewis.

Christian Yelich (OF - MIA) FD: $2,700 DK: $3,500

Yelich owns some substantial upside in a matchup with the aging Bartolo Colon. Colon owns a .342 wOBA against left-handed batters this season and although Yelich struggled for much of this season, he still owns a career wOBA of .344 against righties.