On Friday night, Major League Baseball fires up a great weekend of fantasy baseball action with a massive 12-game slate under the lights. Contests lock at 7:05 p.m. ET and include 24 teams in the player pool. The top matchups include the Dodgers and Padres meeting in a big NL West series, the Mets and Braves facing off in New York, and the Rockies welcoming the defending champion Rangers to Coors Field.
Whether you’re going with a balanced approach and spreading your picks around or building a stack from one specific matchup, you may need some bargain plays to help stretch your salary to get the stars you want to build around. Check out these three value plays that bring a high ceiling despite their very affordable salaries this Friday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DraftKings Network on Twitter @dknetwork.
SP Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants, $6,700
Abbott hasn’t had things break his way this season, and as a result, he only has one win in seven starts despite a solid 3.32 ERA, 4.66 FIP and 8.29 K/9. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of his seven starts but has gotten very little run support. The 24-year-old lefty hasn’t been pitching deep into games, but he has stepped up his strikeout production in his last few outings. He had a season-high eight strikeouts in his last start, which was last Saturday against the Orioles. He held Baltimore to just two runs (on two solo homers) over five innings and finished with 19.1 DKFP in the loss. Abbott produced double-digit DKFP in all but one of his starts this season while averaging 14.9 DKFP per outing. With his strikeouts trending up, he has a good ceiling against the Giants. San Francisco overhauled their offense this past offseason but still ranks in the bottom 10 of the MLB in runs scored. Not counting their three-game stop at Coors Field, the Giants have scored three runs or fewer in 10 of their last 11 games. This should be a good matchup for Abbott at Oracle Park, which ranks as the fourth-best pitchers park over the last three years. He’s due for some positive win regression and brings a good ceiling for a starter under $7,000.
OF Sean Bouchard, Colorado Rockies vs. Texas Rangers, $3,200
It’s easy to default to stacking against the Rockies, which is usually a strong strategy, but don’t forget that the Rockies batters also get the Coors Field boost. Bouchard is remarkably affordable at just $3,200 and has been very productive for Colorado over the last week while helping to fill in for the injured Kris Bryant (back). In his 14 games this season, Bouchard is hitting .286 with a home run, a stolen base and a .382 wOBA. He has hit safely with an extra-base hit in three of his last four games, going 6-for-14 (.429) with two walks and a .569 wOBA over that short span, averaging 11.25 DKFP per contest. He has been starting against both righties and lefties after platooning with Jake Cave ($2,300) when he was first called up. The 27-year-old rookie should remain a good source of value for as long as he hits in the middle of the order at Coors Field at this affordable salary.
2B/3B Jose Fermin, St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers, $2,000
The Cardinals face lefty Robert Gasser ($5,000) in his MLB debut on Friday as they open their series in Milwaukee. The last time they took on a lefty, Fermin hit leadoff and went 2-for-4 with a run scored and 8.0 DKFP. He’ll be an elite value if he’s back in the leadoff spot on Friday. The 25-year-old got off to a great start in Triple-A with the Memphis Redbirds, hitting .350 with four homers, five stolen bases and a .480 wOBA over his 18 games before being called up. He hasn’t gotten a ton of opportunities since joining the team, hitting .273 with a .343 wOBA and a stolen base in 11 at-bats. Fermin has shown he can produce at Triple-A and should get a look against this lefty. If he’s hitting leadoff, he’ll be a great play at the minimum salary which will enable you to spend up for the stack or the superstar you are targeting on Friday’s megaslate.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
For sports betting, head over to DraftKings Sportsbook or download the DK Sportsbook app.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
