As Major League Baseball turns the calendar to July, 10 games are lined up on Tuesday night’s slate. With 20 teams in the player pool, Tuesday night should be a fun one with lots of different ways to consider putting together your roster. Some of the biggest names on the slate are in smash spots but come with big-ticket salaries. If you need to go with a bargain value in a roster spot or two, check out these three MLB DFS value picks who stand out this Tuesday. Each brings big-time value potential based on matchup and recent form.
Be sure to check back for weather and lineup updates before the games begin. The weather could be especially dicey for a few of the early games in the East. Rain is forecast for Tampa, Boston, New York and Atlanta, but thankfully the later games are clear or being played indoors.
Check out the full range of MLB coverage from the team at DraftKings Network, 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 Colton Gordon, Houston Astros at Colorado Rockies, $7,000
Gordon would be a slam-dunk value play at this salary in any other situation, but he’s pitching at Coors Field, where the rarified air always raises the risk factor since it boosts offense so much. However, even with the added risk, I think the rookie is the best value pitcher on the board and still has the potential to put up a good fantasy performance in Denver.
In three of his last four starts, Gordon has earned at least 19 fantasy points. He spun five shutout innings at home against the Phillies in his last outing to earn the win and improve to 3-1 in eight starts with a 3.98 ERA, 4.22 FIP, and 1.30 WHIP. He had four strikeouts in that outing and has at least four strikeouts in each of his last seven starts.
Part of why I’m willing to take a shot on Gordon in my MLB DFS Value Picks on Tuesday is that he is going up against the Rockies, who continue to struggle at the plate. They have the fourth-lowest batting average and fifth-lowest wOBA in the majors over the last month and the highest K%. The Coors Field element makes facing them risky, but the strikeout upside is enough to overcome the risk and give me enough hope to back Gordon to beat Chase Dollander ($5,000) and the Rockies this Tuesday night.
1B/3B Abraham Toro, Boston Red Sox vs. Cincinnati Reds, $2,900
Toro had 13 fantasy points on Monday to start the series against the Reds and has hit safely in four of his last five starts. His salary has slid to under $3,000, but he continues to hit near the middle of the Red Sox batting order, and he has done a good job lately delivering value.
Toro has been in and out of the lineup but has still delivered 21 hits in 22 games with a .280 batting average, two homers, and a .344 wOBA. The switch-hitting Toro is hitting .283 against righties with a .357 wOBA on that side of the split. He’s also been slightly better at home than on the road, so he’s on the strong side of both of those splits on Tuesday night against Brady Singer ($8,000) and the Reds.
His versatility and consistent production help him fit into lots of different roster constructions for Tuesday, and especially if he hits third in the batting order, he brings lots of potential run production for the Red Sox.
OF Jake McCarthy, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Francisco Giants, $2,800
I highlighted McCarthy as a value play in my top MLB DFS targets for Monday, and even though he didn’t come through with a monster game, he did have a single to extend his hitting streak to four straight. The lefty has a much more favorable matchup on Tuesday against Hayden Birdsong ($7,500), who has let lefties hit .286 against him this year with five homers and a .388 wOBA.
I typically like bargain options that bring multiple paths to success with a blend of power and speed, and McCarthy brings upside in both elements when he’s at his best. He showed off that upside while in Triple-A with the Reno Aces, where he had 12 stolen bases, one home run and a .314/.401/.440 triple-slash in his 49 games at that level with a solid .385 wOBA.
McCarthy re-joined the Dbacks a week ago when Corbin Carroll (wrist) landed on IL. He has two games with double-digit fantasy points in his six games since returning, going 5-for-21 (.238) with a home run, a triple and a stolen base to average 7.3 fantasy points per game. With both power and speed potential, I like the 27-year-old lefty as one of my MLB DFS Value Picks and my top outfield play under $3,000 for this Tuesday night.
