Major League Baseball has a massive 12-game slate on Tuesday night with plenty of strong fantasy options on the board from all different parts of the salary spectrum at each position. While there are some awesome superstar options to consider paying up for, there are also some great bargain plays to consider who can save you salary while still bringing a high ceiling. In this post, I’ll highlight my top three bargain plays for Tuesday night. Each player has a favorable matchup and strong recent form that indicates a good chance of delivering elite value.
On this Tuesday, the heat on the East Coast continues, but the Midwest could have some pop-up showers in play. Cincinnati, Minnesota, St. Louis, Kansas City and Colorado are each candidates for a delay, although nothing looks bad enough to postpone a game at this point. Just double-check the latest updates before contests lock at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Check out the full range of MLB coverage from the team at DKNetwork, since these bargains are just one piece of the MLB DFS picture to consider.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
SP Ryne Nelson, Arizona Diamondbacks at Chicago White Sox, $6,500
Nelson is in a great matchup against the light-hitting White Sox and has shown a high ceiling over his last few games with over 17 fantasy points in each of his last two starts and three of his last five. On the season, he is 4-2 in 16 games with a 3.88 ERA and 3.76 FIP while striking out 45 batters in 55 2/3 innings.
He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 10 of his last 11 appearances, which includes six starts. Over that span, he has a 2.80 ERA and 4.03 FIP. He picked up wins over the Padres and Blue Jays in his last two outings, allowing just one earned run on seven hits across 10 2/3 innings.
With all the injuries in the D-backs’ rotation, Nelson has been a key contributor to step up and will likely remain in the rotation for the weeks ahead. The White Sox are a favorable matchup for him after they were shut out in the series opener on Monday. Chicago has hit only .220 as a team this season with a .283 team wOBA. Both of those marks are the lowest in the majors, and the White Sox also have the third-highest K% behind just the Rockies and Angels.
While he isn’t a strikeout master in most situations, Nelson should be in position to return excellent value in this matchup from his salary under $7,000 as he continues to try and build on his strong recent form.
1B Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds vs. New York Yankees, $3,000
Steer had a pair of hits on Monday against the Yankees and has four multi-hit performances in his last six contests. He has gone 9-for-23 (.391) over that stretch with two doubles, a triple, a home run and a pair of stolen bases to average 11.5 fantasy points per game over that short stretch.
This season, Steer has hit much better at home than on the road, especially against lefties. He hasn’t smashed southpaws either of the last two years, but he did put up impressive numbers in the split early in his career. He’ll be going up against lefty Carlos Rodon ($10,700) on Tuesday night, who has been very good for the Yankees overall this season but has given up 11 runs over his last three starts.
Steer has moved up in the order for the last few games and is hitting just behind Elly De La Cruz ($5,900). While a full Reds stack against Rodon is high-risk, a mini stack that includes Steer is a solid option to consider, especially since hitting conditions at Great American Ball Park look to be favorable.
OF Dominic Canzone, Seattle Mariners at Minnesota Twins, $2,700
I almost went back to the well for Isaac Collins ($3,000) for a second straight day, and I also like Jac Caglianone ($2,800) at his salary as a bargain outfielder. Ultimately, though, Canzone has a great matchup and good form while coming in even cheaper than those two options, so he’s ultimately my third bargain play of the day. Canzone joined the Mariners in a Trade Deadline deal in 2023 and has flashed potential in a few stints in the majors, although he hasn’t been able to stick long-term. Last season, he played 67 games but hit only .196 with eight homers and a .280 wOBA.
Canzone started this year in Triple-A, where he hit .296 with 13 homers in 45 games for the Tacoma Rainiers. He filled in well enough while Luke Raley ($3,500) was out that he stayed on the roster even when Raley returned to action last week. Since his promotion earlier this month, Canzone is 12-for-36 (.333) in his 11 games with two doubles, four home runs and a stolen base. His .466 wOBA is backed up by a 50% hard-hit rate and average exit velocity of 92.8 miles per hour. He and the Mariners will face righty Chris Paddack ($6,600) in Minnesota on Tuesday. He’s got great form coming into the matchup for such a cheap outfield play, so it makes sense to enter the Can-Zone if you need a cheap play in the outfield to stretch your salary cap.
