Squad Up Daily MLB Early Fantasy Dose: Nats stack presents the highest floor

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily MLB fantasy picture for the seven-game early slate beginning at 1:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 29:

Hitter Stacks

• Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets (RHP Zack Wheeler): The fact that Wheeler has had an up-and-down season through four starts isn't a shock; the Mets' pitcher missed the past two seasons having undergone Tommy John surgery. The Nationals rank second in weighted on-base average against righties, so don't expect Wheeler's division rivals to show him much mercy.

3-player stack: 2B Daniel Murphy (59K), OF Bryce Harper (63K), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (K)

• Cleveland Indians vs. Seattle Mariners (RHP Yovani Gallardo): With respect to Gallardo, whose 3.64 FIP underscores an unlucky 4.84 ERA, this is an awful matchup for the veteran righty. Cleveland ranks third in team wOBA vs. RHPs (.346), and Progressive Field will be the most hitter-friendly park Gallardo has started in this year.

3-player stack: 1B Carlos Santana (K), SS Francisco Lindor (58K), OF Michael Brantley (59K)

• Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays (LHP Francisco Liriano): Liriano has gotten off to an uneven start for the Jays, recording a 4.58 ERA through four starts. The Rays' .331 wOBA vs. LHPs is good for sixth in the majors, and Rogers Center is more conducive to offensive than the cavernous Tropicana Field back in St. Petersburg, Florida.

3-player stack: 3B Evan Longoria (K), SS Brad Miller (44K), OF Steven Souza Jr. (46K)

Pitcher Breakdown

• TARGET - RHP Stephen Strasburg (121K), Nationals (vs. Mets): The Mets rank 28th in the majors in team wOBA vs. RHPs (.275) -- and much of that is owed to the performance of injured OF Yoenis Cespedes (.363 wOBA vs. RHPs). Strasburg is the total package: a 9.3 K/9, 2.89 ERA and the league's best offense (6.3 runs per game) supporting him.

• FADE - RHP Danny Salazar (73K), Indians (vs. Mariners): Salazar draws a significant portion of his fantasy value from his ability to rack up strikeouts. His high K approach lends itself to short outings; he hasn't gotten out of the sixth inning yet this season. The Mariners have the eighth-best wOBA vs. RHPs (.327) and the eighth-lowest K-rate vs. RHPs (20.3%). Salazar is too expensive for this much risk.

• CONTRARIAN - RHP John Lackey (56K), Cubs (at Red Sox): Lackey has been a mixed bag, going six innings in each of his four starts, though he's allowed 11 earned runs over his past two outings. He faces a Red Sox lineup that hasn't been nearly as effective against RHPs as they were a year ago, collectively hitting for a .309 wOBA, good for 20th in the league.

Bargain Plays

• OF Kevin Pillar (46K), Blue Jays (vs. Rays): Pillar has tallied a .328/.371/.586 triple slash line when leading off this season. The main issue has been the quality of the batters hitting behind him; the Blue Jays rank 28th in the league with a .283 wOBA out of the two spot. Even if his teammates can't cash him in, Pillar could still return solid 50/50 value if he can get a couple of hits.

• OF Michael Conforto (43K), Mets (at Nationals): Whether it's because of his consistent role or the presence of Strasburg, Conforto is cheaper than any leadoff many with a .435 wOBA vs. RHPs should be. He offers similar upside to teammate and fellow outfielder Jay Bruce (more on him later) but without the long history of success at the major league level.

Top Fades

• 3B Manny Machado (53K), Orioles (at Yankees): Machado is off to an uncharacteristically poor start to 2017, particularly against RHPs, which accounts for much of his power production. Machado has just one HR and two doubles through 59 PAs vs. RHPs so far this year. The bad times won't last forever, but against Michael Pineda and the top-ranked Yankees bullpen, it's best to continue fading Machado until he shows some signs of life.

• 2B Jason Kipnis (54K), Indians (vs. Mariners): Kipnis appears to be trading on name recognition alone; his .211 BA through six games with no extra-base hits doesn't warrant a price 2K lower than phenom Trea Turner's. If you really want exposure to Cleveland's lineup, you're better off rostering Jose Ramirez, who has hit .342 with five HRs and two steals through 21 games.

Contrarian Plays

• OF Jay Bruce (40K), Mets (at Nationals): Bruce will continue to be without his main protection in the lineup with Cespedes on the DL, but decreased pressure could play to his favor if Stephen Straburg opts to pitch to him. Bruce has a red-hot .488 wOBA vs. RHPs this season -- and a .359 BABIP that suggest it might not be entirely unsustainable. It doesn't hurt that the slugger is 5-for-13 against Strasburg for his career.

• C James McCann (43K), Tigers (vs. White Sox): Among Tigers backstops, McCann has gotten the bulk of the work when facing a lefty. While he's only amassed a 4-for-19 line against LHPs so far this season, three of those hits left the park. For his career, McCann has a .375 wOBA vs LHPs, so even as a boom-or-bust candidate, the upside is clear.

For up-to-the-minute starting lineups, check out Baseball Press.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)