MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Friday, June 8th Main Slate

MLB DFS Bargain Bin /

MLB DFS Bargain Bin

Welcome to the MLB DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to provide you with at least one selection that would be considered a “value play” relative to the top-priced players at each position for that particular slate.

Before we go bargain hunting, a few particulars about both format and content:

The nature of the beast with value plays is at least a modest amount (and sometimes substantially more) of risk. After all, these players are usually priced where they are for a reason. Therefore, the Bargain Bin may prove to be a bit more of a rollercoaster ride on some slates than your typical “tout” article!
Naturally, that doesn’t mean there isn’t upside to be had. All of these selections are therefore suitable for GPPs (and usually avoidable for cash games), and they can often help you accommodate multiple higher-priced studs into your lineup.
Typically, I’ll suggest players that are value-priced across all four major DFS sites (Yahoo, FanDuel, DraftKings and FantasyDraft)
There are certainly occasions, particularly with Yahoo, where one site prices a player significantly lower than others. Whenever possible, I’ll typically at least note them as a “XYZ site-only special” underneath the main selection.
On occasions when FanDuel lists a player at a different position than the other sites, I’ll note it in the player’s entry.
Depending on the slate, I may recommend only one outfield value option. Again, when sticking to the true spirit of what constitutes a viable value play, the pool of candidates can narrow pretty quickly. I don’t want to forcibly recommend three players in the outfield when I only feel one might be worthwhile, as this would be a disservice. However, if there’s more than one candidate I feel comfortable with, I’ll certainly deviate from that model.
The goal is to recommend truly affordable players, as opposed to, say, a player priced just $300-$400 away from the highest-priced option at his position. I don’t have set-in-stone price limits in mind for each site, but I do consider legitimate affordability a very important criteria.

With those housekeeping items out-of-the-way, let’s take a look at where there’s cash to be saved on Wednesday evening’s MLB slate!:

MLB DFS /

MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Pitcher

Eric Lauer– SD at MIA- Yahoo ($25)/ FanDuel ($6,000)/ DraftKings ($5,500)/ FantasyDraft ($11,100)

Admittedly, rostering Lauer hasn’t been for the faint of heart this season. The young lefty has undoubtedly surprised at times — a pair of quality starts against the Dodgers and the Nationals, with the latter on the road certainly qualify — but he’s also taken it on the chin against the Cardinals, and most recently, against this same Marlins squad.

Nevertheless, he presents as an intriguing tournament play Friday against a Miami team that’s actually struggled versus left-handed pitching overall. The Marlins check in with an anemic .271 wOBA (second lowest in the NL and fourth lowest in the majors) against lefties at home over the last month of play, along with a .109 ISO and 73 wRC+. Moreover, they’ve also struck out at a 22.1 percent clip against southpaws over that span at Marlins Park.

Lauer opened June with a solid five innings against the Reds last Saturday, and he’s undoubtedly been a bit on the unlucky side while surrendering a .393 BABIP over his 34.1 innings thus far. Marlins Park’s favorable pitching conditions (.0837 runs, fourth-lowest park factor ranking in the majors) certainly doesn’t hurt his case, either. While he undoubtedly has his fair share of blemishes, the significant discount he offers will afford you a ton of flexibility elsewhere in your lineup.

MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Catcher

Martin Maldonado– LAA at MIN- Yahoo ($14)/ FanDuel ($2,100)/DraftKings ($2,900)/ FantasyDraft ($5,600)

Maldonado has only encountered Twins starter Lance Lynn on seven occasions in his career, but he’s left a lasting impression by touching the right-hander up for a .667 average by reaching safely in five of those plate appearances. The Angels backstop has hit safely in four of his last five contests as well, and he sports a 36.4 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitching on the road.

For his part, Lynn has displayed his fair share of inconsistency, and he’s allowed a .344 wOBA, 23.0 percent line drive rate and 40.2 percent hard contact rate to righty bats overall. His significant vulnerability when throwing his trademark four-seam fastball could also haunt him against Maldonado, as the .448 wOBA and 198 wRC+ he’s surrendered with the pitch potentially spells trouble against Maldonado’s respective .390 and 161 figures over the 189 instances in which he’s faced it.

ALSO CONSIDER: Max Stassi– HOU at TEX- Yahoo ($14)/ FanDuel ($2,600)/DraftKings ($3,700)/ FantasyDraft ($7,300)

DraftKings /

MLB DFS Bargain Bin- First Base

Ryon Healy– SEA at TB- Yahoo ($12)/ FanDuel ($2,700)/DraftKings ($3,500)/FantasyDraft ($6,600)

Healy brings plenty of power upside and could be set to feast on the first two pitchers slated to take the mound for the Rays’ scheduled “bullpen day” Friday, Wilmer Font and Matt Andriese.

Although Font has been improved since joining the Rays, the bar he had to eclipse wasn’t exactly very high, considering he allowed an eye-popping 10 home runs over 17 innings prior to arriving. Andriese has yielded four round trippers himself over 35 innings thus far, and he generated a 1.67 HR/9 over a larger sample last season.

Healy has particularly hit righties well away from Safeco Field, posting a .348 wOBA, .259 ISO, 23.5 percent HR/FB rate and 44.4 percent hard contact rate versus that handedness on the road. Additionally, Healy’s proficiency against the four-seam fastball (career .421 wOBA and .293 ISO) dovetails well for fantasy purposes with the .355 wOBA and 17.0 RAA that Andriese — who could well put in a long-relief stint in Friday’s game — has surrendered when throwing the pitch over his career.

MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Second Base

Asdrubal Cabrera– NYM vs. NYY- Yahoo ($12)/FanDuel ($2,900)/DraftKings ($3,900)/FantasyDraft ($7,500)

Cabrera’s price is especially appealing on Yahoo, and he’s very affordable elsewhere as well. The matchup against Masahiro Tanaka might scare some off him Friday, especially considering he’s gone hitless in eight previous encounters against the Yankees starter.

However, it’s worth noting Tanaka has allowed a .342 wOBA, 5.13 xFIP and 33.0 percent extra-base hit rate against lefty bats on the road thus far this season. Additionally, the switch-hitting Cabrera has been considerably more effective against right-handed pitching, as evidenced by his .367 wOBA, .231 ISO, 29.1 percent line drive rate and 47.7 hard contact rate versus that handedness.

Cabrera also squares up consistently against the four-seam fastball (.414 wOBA, 176 wRC+), a pitch Tanaka has allowed a .419 wOBA, .179 wRC+ and .561 OBP on in the 189 instances in which he’s thrown it this season.

DraftKings /

MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Third Base

Christian Villanueva– SD at MIA- Yahoo ($12)/FanDuel ($3,000)/DraftKings ($4,400)/FantasyDraft ($8,000)

Marlins lefty’s Caleb Smith‘s numbers against right-handed hitters look impressive on the surface, but there’s some signs of potential regression when one digs deeper.

Smith’s .267 wOBA versus righty bats is belied to an extent by a .208 BABIP and 4.35 xFIP when facing that handedness, as well as by the 43.9 percent hard contact rate he’s allowed to right-handed hitters at Marlins Park. The latter figure is partly the result of the fact that of the 25 hits Smith has allowed to righty bats, a whopping 15 (nine doubles, one triple, five home runs) have gone for extra bases.

Villanueva’s potent bat could therefore thrive against Smith, considering the Padres slugger has blasted 11 of his 15 homers on the season off southpaws on his way to a .351 average, .552 wOBA, .596 ISO, 262 wRC+ and 46.0 percent hard contact rate versus that handedness. He’s also putting the ball in the air 54.1 percent of the time against lefties, a figure that dovetails perfectly with the 57.1 percent flyball rate Smith allows to right-handed hitters.

Villanueva has also feasted on the four-seam fastball to a .394 wOBA (including six homers), while Smith has allowed a .368 wOBA (including six homers) in the 630 instances in which he’s already thrown the pitch this season. The bullpen matchup also works in Villanueva’s favor, considering Marlins relievers have allowed a 5.21 ERA and .345 wOBA to right-handed hitters at home over the last month.

MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Shortstop

Dansby Swanson– ATL at LAD- Yahoo ($14)/FanDuel ($3,100)/DraftKings ($3,700)/FantasyDraft ($7,300)

Swanson’s body of work against right-handed pitching this season includes a .343 wOBA, 22.2 percent line drive rate and 31.0 percent hard contact rate. Meanwhile, Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy has been punished by righty bats for a .364 wOBA that bumps up to .375 when facing them at Dodger Stadium.

McCarthy is also allowing an elevated number of line drives to right-handed hitters, always a potential harbinger of trouble. That’s especially been the case at home, where he’s sporting a 30.4 percent line drive rate versus righty bats, which has helped lead to a 1.66 WHIP.

McCarthy’s vulnerability when throwing his curveball (.359 wOBA allowed) could also work in Swanson’s favor Friday, considering he’s impressively squared up on the curve to the tune of a .583 wOBA, 50.0 percent line drive rate and 287 wRC+ over a 75-pitch sample.

MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Outfield

Curtis Granderson– TOR vs. BAL- Yahoo ($8)/FanDuel ($2,500)/DraftKings ($3,500)/FantasyDraft ($6,700)

It’d be hard to fault Orioles starter Andrew Cashner if he has recurring nightmares about left-handed hitters in particular, considering they’ve decimated him for a .382 wOBA (including seven homers) that rises to .425 when facing them on the road. Moreover, Cashner’s 43.8 percent hard contact rate allowed to lefty bats outside of Camden Yards is a robust 13.2 percent higher than what he allows at home.

Granderson does have a solid .286 average (including a double and a home run) against Cashner over 16 career plate appearances, and he’s collected all five of his homers this season off righties. Additionally, he’s boasting a .350 wOBA, .246 ISO, 29.5 percent line drive rate and 40.9 percent hard contact rate versus that handedness at home, and a .417 wOBA against the four-seam fastball that Cashner is allowing a .362 wOBA, and that ranks as his second-most used pitch.

Next: MLB DFS Picks and Pivots

Best of luck in your MLB DFS contests across FanDuel, DraftKings, Yahoo, FantasyDraft and DRAFT and stay tuned to Fantasy CPR each and every day for all the latest DFS news and analysis!

MLB DFS Bargain Bin- June 8th Main Slate

By Juan Carlos Blanco | Jun 8, 2018