The MLB has 11 games on the main DFS slate this Friday night, with the action starting at 7:07 p.m. ET when the Twins and Blue Jays get underway in Toronto. The slate includes seven games starting in the first hour, the Red Sox-Cardinals game in the middle, and three late games from the West Coast. If you’re searching for some MLB DFS value picks to round out your roster on this Friday night slate, check out these three affordable options that bring nice upside.
The weather is mostly clear for the evening games, with the wind blowing out in Los Angeles and Baltimore, and New York. While there are a few pay-up starting pitchers and big bats to consider, there are also a few great plays that cost much less but still have major upside.
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Best MLB DFS value plays
SP Davis Martin, Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals, $6,700
Of the probable pitchers on Friday night, Martin is the cheap option with the most upside from his affordable salary under $7,000. Martin has made a pair of strong starts to begin the year, averaging 21.2 FPTS in his two games. He went five innings on the road against the Marlins with six strikeouts and three runs allowed to earn 16.4 FPTS in his first win of the season. He was even better in his second turn in the rotation, allowing no runs on four hits in six innings with six strikeouts against Toronto. Martin earned an impressive 25.9 FPTS in that outing, and his salary has dropped $500 since then, making him an even better value on this slate.
Martin will face the Royals, who rank in the bottom 10 in the MLB in runs scored and also rank 11th in K%. Last year, Martin faced the Royals five times, posting a 2.67 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 27 innings. The 29-year-old righty isn’t the flashiest name on the board this Friday, but if you need solid numbers from a low salary, he makes a lot of sense with the wind blowing in against the Royals on Friday. Keep an eye on the rain potentially in the forecast for late in the game, but as long as it stays after the first couple of hours, he should be able to have an uninterrupted start.
OF Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox, $3,200
Walker has been in the middle of a power surge over the last week, and he has four homers in his last five games. The 23-year-old has flashed upside in the past but he could be finally having his “breakthrough” season after inconsistent stretches in the past.
In his 12 games, Walker is 13-for-44 (.295) with two doubles, five homers and an impressive 70.0% hard-hit rate, which includes a 26.7% barrel rate. Walker has tacked on a stolen base as well to average 11.4 FPTS per game on the year, and on Friday, he’ll face off with lefty Connelly Early ($7,700) of the Red Sox. It’ll be a fun matchup of young talent, and Walker has hit three of his five homers off lefties this season, and is 6-for-13 (.462) with a .765 wOBA and 392 wRC+ in the split. While those numbers aren’t sustainable, they do showcase just how locked in Walker is right now, especially against southpaws.
2B/SS Hyeseong Kim, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Texas Rangers, $2,300
Another bargain bat with plenty of upside to consider is Dodgers middle infielder Hyeseong Kim, who was called up this week when Mookie Betts (oblique) landed on the injured list. Kim didn’t start on Wednesday but went 3-for-7 with a double, two walks and three runs scored in his two starts since arriving in the majors. He had 10 and 11 FPTS in those two games, and his stolen base potential gives him an even higher ceiling if he’s in the batting order on Friday against Kumar Rocker ($7,200) and the Rangers.
In spring training, Kim hit .407 (11-for-27) with one homer and five stolen bases. In Triple-A, he hit .346 (9-for-26) and did not attempt a stolen base in just six games before his promotion. As a bargain play with a salary barely over the minimum, he brings lots of upside in a lineup that should score runs on Friday in their return to the City of Angels.
