After another great week of fantasy baseball, Friday night brings a great 13-game slate on DraftKings with big contests and a deep player pool to pick from headed into the weekend. Five of the 13 matchups are divisional games, and there might be a few with weather concerns, so be sure to keep a close eye out for updates as we approach first pitch. Friday’s contests lock at 7:05 p.m. ET with most of the action underway early and three games from the West closing out the night with their late starts.
With a massive 26-team pool of players, there are many ways to break down the slate and find matchups to attack. Some teams look like great stacking options, or you can jump around more and pick your favorite plays from multiple teams. However you go about assembling your squad, be sure to consider these three bargain plays that can save you salary for the superstars you want while also bringing high ceilings at their very affordable salaries.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
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SP Andrew Heaney, Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels, $6,600
Heaney has been one of the Rangers’ few healthy starters this season, and the 32-year-old lefty has pitched much better than his 0-4 record indicates. In his eight starts, he has a 4.39 ERA and 3.99 FIP across 41 innings with 39 strikeouts. He has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his eight outings including each of his last three but is still in search of his first win of the season. He’ll try to grab his first win on Friday as he faces his former team. He played over six seasons with the Angels before being traded to the Yankees and then landing with the Dodgers and Rangers. Coming into this outing, Heaney has earned over 16 DKFP in four straight starts including his most recent outing which was at Coors Field. He had a season-high eight punchouts in that contest against the Rockies but only lasted five innings. He’ll look to continue his strikeout spike and get that elusive first win of the season on Friday against the Angels, who come into the matchup scuffling after going 4-8 in their last 12 games.
2B/3B Otto Lopez, Miami Marlins vs. New York Mets, $2,600
The Marlins had to put Tim Anderson (back) on IL earlier this week, which has opened up playing time for Lopez on a regular basis. He has started five straight games at second base and gone 5-for-17 (.294) with a double, two homers and an average of 9.8 DKFP per game. On the season, he is not hitting a solid .282 with a .389 WOBA, three home runs and a stolen base in 19 games. The 25-year-old hasn’t profiled as much of a power threat through his climb to the majors, but he has posted very strong batting averages and showcased decent speed. The Marlins grabbed him off the waiver wire from the Giants after San Francisco acquired him from the Blue Jays this past offseason. He isn’t an elite prospect but can play multiple positions and contribute in many ways to Miami’s lineup. He brings similar value as a fantasy baseball option since he can fit at either 2B or 3B and find ways to get on base and contribute even if his current power surge is short-lived.
OF Jordan Beck, Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants, $2,100
The Rockies are on the road so there is no Coors Field effect, but they still have a very strong bargain outfield in the outfield in Beck. Coming into the season, the 23-year-old righty was ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the organization by MLB Pipeline, and he has gotten regular playing time in LF since Nolan Jones (back) landed on IL. He has played 15 games in the majors and is hitting just .235, but he seems to be making the needed adjustments and may be ready to deliver more of his potential. He has a five-game hitting streak coming into Friday’s matchup in San Francisco and is hitting .333 (9-for-27) over his last eight games with a .371 wOBA and an average of 7.6 DKFP per contest. He exploded for 30 DKFP on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with five RBI and his first MLB home run as the Rockies rolled past the Padres, 8-0.
For a player at barely more than the minimum salary, Beck brings excellent power and speed potential. In 126 games in the minors last year, he had 25 homers, 20 stolen bases and hit .271. In 25 games in Triple-A this season, he had five homers, five stolen bases and a .426 wOBA. He is still figuring things out at the MLB level, but with that much potential, he’s a great bargain at only $2,100 against lefty Kyle Harrison ($8,200) and the Giants this Friday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
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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.
