Occasionally, a confluence of off-days and afternoon baseball gives us a primetime MLB slate so small that it’s actually sort of fun. Friends, tonight is one of those nights. Tonight, we have ourselves a three-game featured slate on DraftKings.
Let’s dig deep and find some studs and values on the diamond.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $100K Relay Throw [$25K to 1st] (Night)
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PITCHER
Value
Zach Eflin, Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox, $6,900 – It’s partly a product of the unique slate size, but Eflin’s price tag is hilariously low on Thursday. This is a man with a 3.30 xERA who was as expensive as $9.3K back in May. Also, the RHP has looked amazing since being traded to Baltimore. In three starts, Eflin owns a 2.33 ERA and a 3.07 FIP. It’s always interesting to see what a pitcher tweaks with a new organization and Eflin has started to throw his change-up more with the Orioles — that’s something to keep an eye on going forward. In terms of matchup, while the Red Sox can certainly hit, they possess baseball’s seventh-highest strikeout rate in August (25.8%). There’s easy upside here.
INFIELD
Stud
Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins at Texas Rangers, $5,200 – Might as well use him while he’s healthy, right? Lewis has been mashing at the plate, when available, for two years. However, this season, he’s been at his most dangerous when seeing a southpaw. In 55 plate appearances within the split, Lewis is sporting a 1.009 OPS and a 172 wRC+. On Thursday, he and the Twins will square-off with Cody Bradford ($8,000). Bradford’s been decent in a small sample in 2024, yet he is allowing 1.74 home runs per nine to opposing RHBs.
Value
Carlos Santana, Minnesota Twins at Texas Rangers, $3,400 – If you were wondering if the 38-year-old veteran still has any pop left in his bat — he does. Santana has been at his best against left-handed pitchers in 2024, slashing .303/.350/.578 with a .275 ISO and a 158 wRC+ in his 117 plate appearances as an RHB. That covers his at-bats against Bradford, but don’t forget about Texas’ bullpen. The Rangers’ relievers own a 5.26 FIP since the All-Star break. That’s the third-worst mark in MLB. Santana’s switch-hitting ability will make him valuable versus that vulnerable collection of RPs.
Value
Edmundo Sosa, Philadelphia Phillies vs. Washington Nationals, $3,300 – Sosa is a classic bench piece on a contending team. He plays three infield positions and is a fantastic platoon bat, as evidenced by his numbers in 2024 against LHPs. In 97 plate appearances within the split, Sosa is slashing .284/.351/.511 with a 138 wRC+. Philadelphia owns this slate’s highest implied team total in a matchup with Mitchell Parker ($6,000). You’ll want to stack some Phillies and Sosa is a cost-effective addition to any lineup.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Anthony Santander, Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox, $5,600 – Santander’s price tag has jumped in recent weeks, but it’s understandable considering his production. In fact, since the beginning of June, it’s the switch-hitting outfielder that has hit the most home runs in all of baseball (27). You know who loves surrendering home runs? Nick Pivetta ($7,500). Heck, he’s allowing opponents to hit 2.70 long balls per nine going back to the All-Star break. Seems like a good matchup to me.
Stud
James Wood, Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies, $4,600 – Wood’s introduction to MLB has gone swimmingly so far and I think there’s a chance he’s under-appreciated and under-owned on Thursday’s slate due to his matchup with Zack Wheeler ($9,600). That’s not necessarily a mistake, especially if you plan on rostering Wheeler, but Wood does have an .842 OPS and a 138 wRC+ against RHPs. He’s also got 70-grade raw power. I guess what I’m trying to say is: Wood has a clear ceiling. Don’t forget about him.
Value
Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox, $3,700 – Couple things to think about with Mullins. First and foremost, after a difficult start to the season, Mullins is hitting well since the All-Star break, posting a 140 wRC+ in his 72 plate appearances. It’s also worth noting that Mullins has seen a lot of Pivetta. Like, a lot. In 27 career at-bats, Mullins is hitting .333 off the right-hander with a home run and a pair of doubles.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $100K Relay Throw [$25K to 1st] (Night)
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
