The MLB has 16 games on the scoreboard this Saturday, with eight games on the main DFS fantasy baseball slate for Saturday night. The slate starts at 7:05 p.m. ET and includes a game at Coors Field and a couple late games from the West Coast. If you’re searching for some MLB DFS value picks to round out your roster on this Saturday night slate, check out these three affordable options that still bring upside.
There are a few potential weather issues to keep an eye on in Minnesota and Cleveland, but some batter-friendly environments are on the board as well, including Coors Field and the wind blowing out in San Francisco and Anaheim. There are a few strong arms, but most teams are towards the back of their second trip through the rotation, giving hitters some good matchups to attack.
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Best MLB DFS value plays
SP Emerson Hancock, Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels, $6,600
Of the probable pitchers on Saturday night, Hancock has some of the most obvious value at just $6,600 after his strong start last week. Hancock threw six shutout innings against the Guardians on Sunday Night Baseball last week, striking out nine and walking one in six no-hit innings. He earned the win with 34.3 FPTS in a dominant performance. The 26-year-old has a lot of long-term potential and is seen as a key part of the team’s rotation in the future. He was knocked around a little in spring training, but he did rack up 21 strikeouts in 15 innings.
Hancock has great strikeout upside in this matchup against the Angels, who led the majors in K% last year and rank third so far this season. They have averaged 11.5 strikeouts per game and have scored two runs or fewer in four straight games coming into this matchup with Hancock. With so much strikeout potential, Hancock has a very high ceiling if he can build on his momentum from his start against Cleveland.
1B/OF Luke Raley, Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels ($3,300)
Raley got off to a slow start last year and was limited to 73 games by injuries, but the big lefty still brings plenty of power upside. In a healthy spring training this year, he hit .283 with a .411 wOBA with three homers in 19 games in the Cactus League. He continued hitting well in the early part of the season, going 5-for-19 (.263) with three homers and five barrels. I included Raley in my home run props for the day.
Raley will be in a good matchup against Jack Kochanowicz, who has struggled to get lefties out throughout his time in the majors. He didn’t start against lefty Reid Detmers on Friday but entered the game in the ninth as a pinch hitter and scored a run in extra innings of the Mariners’ 3-1 win. Raley is averaging 9.7 FPTS per game, and he should be back in the lineup for this matchup with Kochanowicz, who has allowed lefties to hit .304 with a .374 wOBA and 19 of the 28 homers he has allowed in the majors.
OF Heriberto Hernandez, Miami Marlins at New York Yankees, $2,400
Another cheap outfield option with sneaky upside to consider is Marlins outfielder Heriberto Hernandez, who looks to be in the platoon and getting time against lefties. He will likely get the start on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium against former Marlin Ryan Weathers. Hernandez had a strong spring, going 9-for-33 (.273) with a double and three homers.
He’s only 2-for-15 (.133) in six games this season but has a 54.5% hard-hit rate. He had 10 homers last year, including four against southpaws with a .341 wOBA, and seven of those homers came on the road, where he hit .290 with a .360 wOBA.
