Welcome to my weekly Sunday DraftKings MLB DFS plays. I’ll break down some of the prime picks on the board, including studs and value plays, and why these players can lead your lineup to victory.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB 300K Mega 8s (100K to 1st Place)
Top MLB DFS Targets
Pitcher Studs
SP MacKenzie Gore (WSH), $10,300: This is one hefty price tag. Washington’s 26-year-old ace has the third-highest price on the board, but it’s well worth it. He’s leading the league in strikeouts per nine innings at 12.6. Gore is coasting over his last four starts; he’s gone at least six innings in all four, while striking out at least six and allowing just three total earned runs. Miami’s offense has scored 15 runs in the first two game of the series, but Gore has a bucket of cold water waiting for them.
SP José Berríos (TOR), $8,000: It was a rough first month of the season for José Berríos. Over his first six starts, he pitched to a 4.24 ERA. He’s turned things around since the calendar turned to May and carried into June. Over his past eight, he’s averaging six innings per start with a 2.77 ERA. Conversely, this Phillies offense is slumping over the past two weeks. They still miss Bryce Harper and have struggled as a team. It’s a good time for Berríos to square off with the Phils.
Pitcher Value Plays
SP Jeffrey Springs (ATH), $6,500: It hasn’t been a great season for Springs. In his first season with the Athletics, the 32-year-old is pitching to a 4.64 ERA across 73 innings. He’s given up at least three earned runs in his last four starts. But the good news: he’s pitched six or more innings in four of his last five. And this Kansas City Royals offense has not been scoring this season. If you’re looking for good SP2 value, Springs can be your man.
SP Colin Rea (CHC), $6,300: Another pitcher having a mediocre season facing a down-bad offense. Rea hasn’t been special for the Cubs, with low strikeout totals and modest depth of starts. But these Pittsburgh Pirates cannot score. They head into Sunday with the lowest team runs per game in Major League Baseball after scoring three runs in the first two games against Chicago. Rea is worth the gamble at the fourth-lowest price on Sunday’s board.
Infield Studs
1B Matt Olson (ATL), $5,300: Matt Olson is riding a nice six-game hitting streak going into Sunday’s game. He’s raised his batting average from .236 to .247 over this streak, going 8-for-22. The former All-Star has driven in nine runs, scored four, and walked four times to four strikeouts. Facing a Rockies team hemorrhaging runs and a starter coming off the IL, it’s a great chance for him to keep things rolling.
SS Zach Neto (LAA), $5,500: For an Angels team relegated to obscurity, Neto has been a star hiding in plain sight since last season. The 24-year-old is on pace for his second straight 20-20 season at the top of Los Angeles’ lineup. He doesn’t walk much but hits for power and runs well. That produces excellent results when you hit in front of Mike Trout. Neto is usually at the center of the Angels’ offensive success.
Infield Value Plays
2B Jose Altuve (HOU), $4,200: Altuve has been rolling. He took an 0-for-4 on Saturday that snapped a streak of four straight two-hit games. Over that streak, Altuve drove in six runs, scored four of his own, and recorded five extra-base hits. Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson is getting crushed recently, and it’s a prime opportunity for Altuve to produce in a major way.
3B Jordan Westburg (BAL), $3,900: It’s been a nice return to the lineup for Jordan Westburg. After missing over a month with a hamstring injury, he’s played in four games and is getting back into a rhythm. The 26-year-old infielder is 4-for-15 with two home runs, a double, and six RBIs. Yusei Kikuchi has a good ERA so far but the underlying numbers point towards regression. With the right-handed advantage in Westburg’s favor, he can deliver some serious oomph in this matchup.
Outfield Studs
OF Aaron Judge (NYY), $6,500: No price is too high for the presumed AL MVP. Judge is doing things nobody has ever done through their first 68 games, regarding batting average and home runs. The slugger has five home runs in his last six games. Get him in your lineup and find a way to make up the money elsewhere.
OF Juan Soto (NYM), $5,600: If you can’t reasonably afford Judge, his former teammate will do just fine. The wealthiest man in baseball is 12-for-30 over his last eight games with seven walks, 11 runs, and five RBIs. With a struggling Shane Baz on the mound for Tampa Bay, Soto should eat well on Sunday afternoon
Outfield Value Plays
OF Michael Harris II (ATL), $3,700: Playing the Colorado Rockies cures all. Michael Harris II has struggled this season but managed to blast a home run in the first game of the series, scoring two total runs. He isn’t hitting high up in the Atlanta lineup these days, but against a Rockies team struggling to keep anyone off the scoreboard, any Brave is worth playing in this one.
2B/OF Willi Castro (MIN), $3,500: Getting hot hitters in your lineup is never a bad idea. Over a seven-game hitting streak, Castro is 11-for-27 with three extra-base hits, four runs scored, and four RBIs. He’s worked his way into the heart of the Minnesota lineup and will be counted on more if Byron Buxton is forced to miss any time. He could deliver a lot of value if Minnesota can jump on Astros rookie Brandon Walter.
