MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Friday, August 17th Evening Slates

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MLB DFS Bargain Bin – Friday, August 17th Evening Slates

Welcome to a Friday edition of the MLB DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to provide a general overview of the ledger and touch on where the weakest pitching spots might be, and by extension, where there may be some value bats to consider. Additionally, I’ll look to identify where a value arm or two might be intersecting with an offense that’s running cold or is otherwise inefficient against a certain handedness.

Before we go MLB DFS Bargain Bin hunting, a few particulars about 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.
In this DFS MLB Bargain Bin Quick Hits version, I’ll suggest players that are typically value-priced across all four major DFS sites (Yahoo, FanDuel, DraftKings and FantasyDraft). Naturally, check final pricing before making your lineup decisions, as I am not listing salaries in this edition.
This is not a position-by-position breakdown, but rather, I’m just identifying games where I think there’s value players in potentially favorable fantasy spots.
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 criterion.

With those housekeeping items out of the way, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit on Friday evening’s slates!

MLB DFS Bargain Bin – Friday, Aug. 17th Evening Slates Bargain Pitcher

Brian Johnson, BOS vs. TAM

There’s a trio of appealing value arms that stand out to me Friday, with Johnson leading the way. The lefty has had some rocky outings at home, but he did fan 11 Yankees over five innings his last time out at Fenway. He owns a 44:13 K:BB over 40.2 home innings overall, and he’ll draw an appealing matchup against a Rays team that’s proven to be much less capable versus left-handed pitching.

Tampa comes into Friday sporting a .225 wOBA and 42 wRC+ versus southpaws on the road over the last month, along with an MLB-low .152 average and absurd .022 ISO. While that sample is modest (55 plate appearances), extending the time frame out to two months reveals more of the same — the Rays sport a .271 wOBA, 70 wRC+, .096 ISO and 24.1 percent strikeout rate against lefties away from Tropicana Field during that span, which encompasses 166 plate appearances overall.

The Red Sox naturally always offer the potential for excellent run support as well, enhancing Johnson’s case. The Rays’ projected starting lineup also sports just a .115 combined ISO versus left-handed pitching, along with a 24.2 percent strikeout rate. Additionally, one key to getting a potential quality start out of Johnson will be his control, as it’s prevented him from going deep enough in multiple prior starts. To that end, it’s worth noting that the Rays are sporting a modest 7.2 percent walk rate against lefties over the aforementioned two-month span, which could lead to a more economical pitch count the likes of which led to a season-high seven-inning outing versus the Blue Jays in his most recent start on Aug. 8.

ALSO CONSIDER:

Wade LeBlanc, SEA vs. LAD

Kyle Gibson, MIN vs. DET

MLB DFS Picks /

MLB DFS Bargain Bin – Friday, August 17th Evening Slates Quick Hits

The Nationals’ lefty bats should be a particularly popular stack Friday, given the fact Marlins starter Dan Straily has allowed a .386 wOBA to left-handed hitters on the road. Although they don’t have favorable track records against him, Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams would naturally be under consideration as affordable options, as would Adam Eaton and the switch-hitting duo of Wilmer Difo and Matt Wieters.

Cole Hamels has been a different pitcher since the change of scenery from Arlington to Chicago, so he’s not someone I’m rushing to target at present. However, he has had trouble with same-handed matchups on the road this season over a small sample (45 batters). Therefore, Adam Frazier, Gregory Polanco and Corey Dickerson would all be worthy of consideration for larger-field tournaments were they to be in the lineup. Moreover, right-handed bats Adeiny Hechavarria (.355 average over 32 plate appearances) and Starling Marte (.471 average over 17 plate appearances) have enjoyed plenty of success against him in the past, so they’re in play as well.

On the other side, the Cubs’ bats haven’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard recently, but one affordable Chicago bat who’s enjoyed success against Pirates starter Trevor Williams in the past is Ian Happ (.455 average over 11 plate appearances).

Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman has mostly been good of late, with the exception of a battering at the hands of the A’s three starts ago. The Yankees naturally have the potential to light up any pitcher and Stroman has allowed a .339 wOBA to right-handed hitters on the road, so Austin Romine (.387 CXwOBA versus right-handed pitching) is one cheap Yankees bat to consider.

Meanwhile, Lance Lynn is another veteran pitcher who’s looked like a different player since switching uniforms, as he’s been excellent over his first three starts with the Yankees. Incredibly — given the trouble he usually has with left-handed hitters and the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium — he’s yet to give up a homer in his two starts there. However, there could be trouble brewing Friday, as the switch-hitting Yangervis Solarte and Kendrys Morales have both enjoyed considerable success against him in the past. The right-handed hitting Russell Martin also owns a .400 average over 24 plate appearances versus Lynn. Lefty-hitting Curtis Granderson and the switch-hitting Justin Smoak (where affordable) are also options.

Left-handed hitters are always in play against Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani, who’s allowed a .370 wOBA and .357 ISO to that lefty bats. Brandon Crawford, Joe Panik, Steven Duggar and Brandon Belt all check in as appealing options, as well as the switch-hitting Alen Hanson if in the lineup.

FanDuel MLB /

MLB DFS Bargain Bin – Friday, Aug. 17th Evening Slates Quick Hits (cont.)

Giants starter

Casey Kelly

has been impressive thus far this season in limited action out of the bullpen, but he’ll draw the start Friday and has been hit hard by both sides of the plate over his career (.365 wOBA allowed to lefty bats and .369 wOBA allowed to righty hitters). Therefore, I’d consider any affordable Reds bats of either handedness, with

Preston Tucker

especially standing out.

More from FanSided

David Hess takes the mound for the Orioles on Friday, meaning the ball is likely to be flying out of the park at a brisk clip. The usual selection of what would qualify as affordable Indians bats are in play, including Yonder Alonso, Jason Kipnis, Yandy Diaz, Melky Cabrera and Yan Gomes.

With Odrisamer Despaigne and Drew Hutchinson taking the hill for the Angels and Rangers, Globe Life Park could be a significant source of offense Friday. There’s no need to get too deep into the weeds here — I’d roll out any and all affordable bats of either handedness on either squad in tournaments, as both starting pitchers have had considerable issues with hitters from either side of the plate. Additionally, the Rangers bullpen has been especially vulnerable of late at home, so if anything, you can weigh game stacks for this contest slightly toward Angels hitters.

Tigers starter Matthew Boyd‘s metrics look solid overall, but one weakness has been righty hitters on the road (.333 wOBA, including seven homers allowed). The red-hot Logan Forsythe, Miguel Sano, Tyler Austin, Mitch Garver and the switch-hitting Ehire Adrianza (.364 average against Boyd over 13 plate appearances) are all under consideration here.

Another spot where the homers could come in bunches would be Guaranteed Rate Field, considering Jake Junis takes the mound for the Royals while James Shields toes the rubber for the ChiSox. On Junis’ end, he’s been vulnerable to giving up the long ball to either handedness of hitter, so all affordable White Sox bats with pop can be deployed — with Jose Abreu, Omar Narvaez, Daniel Palka and Matt Davidson especially standing out in terms of metrics against righties. Meanwhile, worth noting Yoan Moncada‘s 4-for-5, two-homer career tally against Junis.

On the KC side, Lucas Duda, Ryan O’Hearn and Brett Phillips have all taken Shields deep in the past. Alex Gordon also has a solid and extensive history (.282 average over 40 plate appearances) versus the right-hander, who’s allowed 13 homers to lefty bats overall.

Lots of solid pitchers in the late slate Friday, so not too much that I’m targeting offhand there. Worth noting that Cory Spangenberg, Freddy Galvis and Jose Pirela do all have solid histories against D-Backs starter Robbie Ray, however, and that the likes of Franmil Reyes, Wil Myers, Hunter Renfroe, Austin Hedges and Christian Villanueva are all worth a look for deeper tournaments considering Ray’s .369 wOBA allowed to righty hitters (although the majority of his trouble has come at home).

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MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Friday, August 17 Evening Slates

By Juan Carlos Blanco | Aug 17, 2018