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 MLB DFS lineups here: MLB 320K Mega 8s (100K to 1st Place)
Top MLB DFS Targets
Pitcher Studs
SP Frankie Montas (NYM), $8,400: Frankie Montas’ return could not have come at a better time for the New York Mets. With Griffin Canning set to miss the entire season, he can fill a hole in the rotation. But it’s always difficult to re-enter after a prolonged absence. Luckily for Montas, his second start of the year comes against the Pittsburgh Pirates. After throwing five scoreless innings against the Braves in his first turn, he has a great chance to build on his momentum against one of the worst offenses in baseball.
SP Eric Lauer (TOR), $7,600: Speaking of terrible offenses, the Boston Red Sox have been unable to hit since trading away Rafael Devers. Surprising outcome after trading your best hitter. Their team OPS has been under .600 since the slugger went to San Francisco, Scott McKenzie style. Eric Lauer’s 2.21 ERA on the season feels like fool’s good based on his expected numbers and pitch mix. But right now, everyone eats against these Red Sox.
Pitcher Value Plays
SP Jonathan Cannon (CWS), $7,400: Here’s a pitcher with more struggles, against an offense struggling to put things together. The San Francisco Giants, who now have Rafael Devers, have not taken a leap offensively. They’ve scored only three runs in the first two games against the lowly Chicago White Sox. The few baserunners they do get have been making blunders on the basepaths all June. Cannon is no special pitcher, but I think he’d return great SP2 value for DFS lineups if you’re willing to go above the bottom-barrel.
SP Justin Wrobleski (LAD), $6,300: Surprise, surprise: the Los Angeles Dodgers are running out of pitchers. Now Justin Wrobleski arrives to hold down a rotation spot. The owner of a 5.37 ERA in 16 Triple-A games, he’s thrust into the major-league rotation as Dave Roberts runs out of options. The good news: he’s facing the Kansas City Royals, who cannot score runs this year. Saturday’s nine-run outburst by Kansas City is an exception, not the rule. He can eat enough innings against a feeble lineup to return decent value on a bottom-barrel DFS price.
Infield Studs
1B Jonathan Aranda (TB), $4,300: You’d be hard-pressed to find a hotter hitter in baseball than Jonathan Aranda. The All-Star snub is crushing the ball, punctuated by a 467-foot home run in Camden Yards on Saturday. He’s batting .329 on the season and riding a 13-game hitting streak. I’m trying to stack as many players in this Rays-Orioles game as I can, banking on more high scoring contests. Aranda is my prime target for those purposes, having homered in both games of the series so far.
2B Nico Hoerner (CHC), $4,300: Normally a glove-first player, Nico Hoerner is putting together his best season at the plate. He’s batting .293, stealing plenty of bags, and is amid a big power surge. All three of his home runs this season have come in the last five games, two of which went into the Crawford Boxes in Houston. If he can provide some extra power in this one, on top of the run-scoring and base-stealing potential, he could anchor your lineup.
Infield Value Plays
1B Yandy Díaz (TB), $4,000: If Aranda is too rich for your DFS lineup, Yandy Díaz is the next best thing. The former batting champ is hitting over .400 in June, averaging over 10 fantasy points per game. Already one of the best contact hitters in the MLB, he’s extremely dangerous when the power comes to play. The Rays have put up 19 runs combined in the series’ first two games. More will come against Orioles starter Dean Kremer, who is struggling this season.
2B Jackson Holliday (BAL), $3,900: I warned you all I’d be hammering this Orioles-Rays game hard. Jackson Holliday has put a stranglehold on the leadoff position in Baltimore and hasn’t looked back. While not your traditional leadoff guy, he’s capable of big performances and may record a 20-20 season. Saturday’s three-hit performance, which did not lead to any runs scored, is frustrating for Holliday users. I expect him to produce again and be rewarded for his time on the basepaths.
Outfield Studs
OF Juan Soto (NYM), $5,700: So much for the Juan Soto slump concerns. June has shown why he’s the $765 million man; even as the Mets slump, Soto looks like the best hitter on the planet. He’s slugged 11 home runs, driven in 20, and is OPSing over 1.200. That’s good for an average of more than 12 DFS points per game. Even at serious stud pricing, Soto is an easy inclusion if you can trim value elsewhere.
OF Christian Yelich (MIL), $5,000: Another guy having a hot month. Yelich is batting over .340 in June to raise his season average to .262. He’s driving in runs and scoring them aplenty. Hitting in the middle of the order against the Colorado Rockies is a formula for success every time. Ride with the former MVP.
Outfield Value Plays
OF Colton Cowser (BAL), $4,100: Oh, another Oriole? What a shocker. Cowser has been batting over .300 with an OPS of over 1.000 in the past two weeks. Friday’s game was massive, doubling three times and scoring four runs with two walks and two RBI. Even half of that would deliver on his price in what could be a high-scoring game.
OF Cam Smith (HOU), $3,400: A lot of pressure has been on Cam Smith this season. The 22-year-old has responded to every challenge. He’s taking sweet revenge against the Cubs, who traded him to acquire Kyle Tucker from the Astros. Smith has gone deep in the series’ first two games and is riding a modest six-game hitting streak going into Sunday. Smith is my favorite value on the board for Sunday’s matinee slate.
Tune in next Saturday for more MLB DFS plays!
