After a few early games, Major League Baseball has a stacked schedule on Monday night, including a huge, 12-game slate for DFS fantasy baseball. With so many options in play, you’ll need to spend every dollar of your salary cap space carefully. If you decide to play big-name expensive stars, you’ll also have to balance out your spending with some lower-cost bargain values. If you’re shopping some cheaper plays, check out these top three MLB DFS value picks, who each bring good potential as bargains.
Always be sure to double-check the weather and starting lineups before first pitch to confirm your MLB DFS value picks are in the environment, matchup, and the slot in that batting order that you expected when you drafted them. Minnesota and Cincinnati have some rain in the area, but for the most part, the weather looks cooperative.
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.
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SP Chase Burns, Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, $7,500
Burns is one of the most exciting young pitchers in the game, and he has an extremely high ceiling at this salary. While he’s clearly high-risk in a tough matchup against the Dodgers, he has the strikeout potential to overcome that obstacle and still be worth a look as one of the top MLB DFS value picks of the night.
Burns has at least 17 fantasy points in four of his five starts, with the only exception being a disastrous outing in Boston. He bounced back, though, with strong showings against the Phillies and Rockies in his next two outings. He had a rougher time against the Nationals in his most recent start, but he still earned 17.35 fantasy points despite giving up five runs in 5 2/3 innings. Burns was able to still be productive for fantasy, though, because he had so many strikeouts. He had 10 strikeouts in that start against the Nats after also posted 10 strikeouts against the Rockies.
The 22-year-old righty has racked up 35 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings, and his 2.89 xFIP stands in stark contrast to his 6.65 ERA. Some positive regression should be coming for the potential future ace, and his strikeouts are enough to make him a strong option even in this matchup against the Dodgers. As he showed in his last start, even when he gives up runs, his punchout production can compensate enough to still make him a good value.
The Dodgers are also not exactly smashing everything right now. In fact, they’ve lost six of their last nine games and are hitting just .223 over the last 30 days, which is the second-lowest mark in the majors over that span.
1B Andrew Vaughn, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs, $2,900
Vaughn’s numbers for the season are still fairly uninspiring, but he has been a huge boost to the Brew Crew since joining them in a trade for Aaron Civale earlier this season. Vaughn has hit a sparkling .341 (14-for-41) in his 13 games with Milwaukee. He has four doubles, three homers, and an average of 9.5 fantasy points per game.
He had 21 and 10 fantasy points in the Brewers’ last two games against the Marlins over the weekend in back-to-back games with multiple hits. On Sunday, all three of his batted ball events were hard-hit, and he has a 50% hard-hit rate since joining Milwaukee in early July.
On Monday, he’ll face lefty Matthew Boyd ($8,700) and the Cubs. Vaughn has historically hit lefties better than righties, and he has helped the Brewers balance their lefty-heavy lineup since arriving. Vaughn is a good bargain play under $3,000 if you opt to go cheap at your 1B spot on Monday.
OF Taylor Trammell, Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals, $2,200
Trammell has had quite the journey over the last few years. He didn’t make the Mariners’ Opening Day roster in 2024 and spent time with both the Dodgers and Yankees. In the offseason, the Yankees traded him to the Astros, and the lefty has been solid over the last few weeks while stepping into a larger role. He hit leadoff against righty pitchers in each of his last three starts, and he’ll likely be back in that spot on Monday when the Astros take on righty Brad Lord ($5,500) and the Nats.
In his last five starts, Trammell has gone an impressive 9-for-19 (.474) with two doubles, two stolen bases, a home run, and an average of 13.2 fantasy points. On the season, he’s hitting .271 against righties with a .366 wOBA. He offers a little pop and a little speed, and if he’s in that leadoff spot for Houston in such a favorable home matchup, Trammell brings a very high ceiling for a player whose salary is barely over the minimum.
