MLB DFS Bargain Bin- Monday, August 27th All Slates

MLB DFS Bargain Bin – Monday, August 27th All Slates

Welcome to a Monday 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 Monday evening’s slates!

DraftKings /

MLB DFS Bargain Bin – Monday, August 27th All Slates Bargain Pitcher

Jon Lester, CHC vs. NYM

It’s admittedly a bit odd to think of Lester as a bargain option, but he seems to be priced down across the industry Monday on the modestly-sized slate. The matchup lines up reasonably well for him also, making it a good set of conditions to roster him if you need to save some cash at the pitcher spot.

Lester handcuffed the Mets the only other time he faced them this season to the tune of a seven-inning, two-hit, scoreless quality start in which he rang up seven strikeouts. New York comes into Monday’s tilt with a 24.3 percent strikeout rate against southpaws on the road over the last month of play, and a nearly identical 24.2 percent figure when using the entire season as a sample size.

The one major risk element at play with Lester on Monday is his overall level of performance at home, especially recently. He’s allowed a combined 21 earned runs to the Cardinals, Padres and Nationals in three of his last four trips to the mound at Wrigley Field, but the Mets lineup he’s slated to face Monday carries a bit less pop on paper. New York’s projected starting nine has a pedestrian .312 wOBA and .125 ISO against left-handed pitching for the season, along with five hitters that have a higher-than-average strikeout rate versus that handedness.

While he’s got his share of blemishes, Lester presents as a viable cost-savings option on a night when the slate is limited and there aren’t really any other economical arms in better spots. And while a win could be relatively difficult to come by with Noah Syndergaard opposing him, Lester always offers a solid chance at a quality start, having accomplished the feat on 10 occasions this season. He’ll also come in on a bit of a roll, as he’s allowed just one earned run and recorded 11 strikeouts over the 11.2 innings encompassing his last two starts.

MLB DFS Bargain Bin – Monday, August 27th All Slates Quick Hits

The way Masahiro Tanaka and Carlos Rodon have pitched lately, runs may be a bit hard to come by for the White Sox and Yankees in the Bronx on Monday. However, on the White Sox offense’s side, it’s worth noting Tanaka has had trouble with right-handed hitters at home this season (.287 average, .368 wOBA, 41.5 percent hard contact rate allowed), and Avisail Garcia (.333 average over 11 plate appearances) has an encouraging history against him. Omar Narvaez, Matt Davidson and Daniel Palka also have strong metrics versus righties and can be considered as well.

On the other side, Rodon has been very effective against both handedness of hitter thus far, but he’s unsurprisingly had a bit more trouble with right-handed hitters. Austin Romine has a brief but successful history against him and will come dirt cheap if in the lineup, while Luke Voit is another righty bat with nice upside that will also be affordable and has hit southpaws well. Kyle Higashioka is another option if he’s in the lineup in place of Romine.

The Blue Jays’

Sam Gaviglio

has mostly been a train wreck on the road this season, as evidenced by an 8.36 ERA, .333 BAA and .414 wOBA allowed, among other poor metrics. As those numbers imply, neither side of the plate has spared him, essentially putting all Orioles bats under consideration for tournaments (since they’re all typically affordable). In terms of metrics versus right-handed pitching,

Renato Nunez

Trey Mancini

and

Cedric Mullins

have especially impressive numbers, but don’t hesitate to give others a chance as well. The fact the Toronto bullpen has allowed a .342 wOBA, a 4.88 ERA and 18 homers over the last month only furthers the case of Baltimore’s bats.

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The potential barrage of offense at Camden Yards may not just be one-sided, however, as the vulnerable David Hess takes the hill for the Birds. Hess has been hit hard by both handedness of hitter overall, including in his home park. Randal Grichuk (.400 average over five plate appearances) and the red-hot Kendrys Morales (.667 average over six plate appearances) have particularly enjoyed success against him in the past over modest samples, although Morales’ current homer binge has put him out of value range. However, all other affordable Toronto options from either side of the plate can also be considered. Worth noting that the Orioles bullpen has also been the worst in baseball against either handedness of hitter at home over the last month, allowing an 8.16 ERA and .388 wOBA to righty bats and a 9.00 ERA and .456 wOBA to lefty hitters.

The Nats and Phillies may be set for a relatively low-scoring game with Stephen Strasburg and Zach Eflin on the mound, but there’s a value bat or two that can be considered for larger-field tournaments. On the Washington side, Eflin’s troubles have mostly come against left-handed hitters this season (.288 average, .358 wOBA allowed overall), although he’s been appreciably better against them at home (.227 BAA, .311 wOBA allowed). Nevertheless, in terms of what should be affordable lefty options in the Nats lineup, Adam Eaton, Matt Wieters and the switch-hitting Wilmer Difo are in play.

On the Phillies side, while Strasburg has been very effective on the road, it’s worth noting that Maikel Franco has enjoyed plenty of success versus the right-hander in the past, posting a .318/.375/.591 line (including two homers) over 24 plate appearances (with only three strikeouts).

Another ace-quality arm on the mound Monday is Syndergaard, so not exactly too high on Cubs bats either. However, worth noting that Jason Heyward owns a .444 average over nine plate appearances against Syndergaard, while the switch-hitting Ian Happ, who he’s never faced, hits Syndergaard’s fastball-sinker very well and also owns an eye-popping .526 CXwOBA versus right-handed pitching.

MLB DFS /

MLB DFS Bargain Bin – Monday, August 27th All Slates Quick Hits (cont.)

Even though I typically wouldn’t recommend a hitter against my Bargain Pitcher suggestion, it’s hard to ignore Lester’s issues with lefty bats at home (.299 average, .425 wOBA allowed). Therefore, it’s not out of the question to roster a one-off Mets lefty bat like Jeff McNeil or Michael Conforto that also hits southpaws well.

The Astros’

Gerrit Cole

has been a tad more hittable lately, but he’s still extremely hard to crack at home (.178 BAA, .245 wOBA). One A’s value bat who does seem to have his number is

Jonathan Lucroy

, as he’s tagged the Houston ace for a .407 average over 28 career plate appearances.

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Meanwhile, Oakland’s Brett Anderson has been very impressive lately, but his road metrics still imply there’s some vulnerability. The veteran southpaw has allowed a .367 wOBA to left-handed bats and a .351 wOBA to righty hitters away from the Coliseum. While I’d still hesitate to go overweight on Astros bats due to how well Anderson had pitched recently, I’d give Josh Reddick (.1000 average over five plate appearances versus Anderson and .384 wOBA against left-handed pitching) and Tyler White (.357 OBA, .465 CXwOBA versus lefties) some consideration for large-field tournaments.

The Rockies’ Jon Gray actually has a slightly higher ERA on the road and allows a .332 wOBA, 32.4 percent line-drive rate and 45.2 percent hard contact rate to left-handed hitters outside of Coors Field. Therefore, the likes of Kole Calhoun, Shohei Ohtani (where affordable), Francisco Arcia and the switch-hitting Eric Young could be interesting.

Odrisamer Despaigne gets the call for the Angels and comes in allowing a .373 wOBA to left-handed hitters at home over a small 28-batter sample thus far this season. He’s traditionally been more vulnerable to lefty hitters over his career sample as well, so I’d give Carlos Gonzalez, David Dahl, Tony Wolters and Ryan McMahon particular consideration in terms of cheap lefty bats on the Rockies.

The Giants have a tough assignment in the form of D-Backs lefty Patrick Corbin on Monday, although in terms of cheap bats, know that Hunter Pence owns a .366 average — including four homers and 11 RBI — over 45 career plate appearances versus the southpaw. Meanwhile, Evan Longoria, Brandon Crawford, Nick Hundley and Chase d’Arnaud all have impressive metrics versus lefties, and against the low-90s fastball and fastball-sinker that constitute nearly half of Corbin’s pitches.

Arizona bats could hit the jackpot Monday, as the Giants’ Chris Stratton has allowed a 6.09 ERA, .332 average and .396 wOBA at home, along with a 31.6 percent line-drive rate and 39.1 percent hard contact rate. Consider all affordable D-Backs bats of either handedness to be in play, as Stratton has been battered by both sides of the plate.

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