On Friday night, Major League Baseball has a beautiful slate lined up as teams head into their final weekend series before the All-Star break. All 30 teams are in action, and 24 of them are in the player pool for the main MLB DFS contests on DraftKings, which lock at 7:05 p.m. ET. With lots of options to consider and some big stars at different positions, you may need a value play or two to help balance out your salary cap space. Finding the right MLB DFS value picks is key to maximizing the production of your roster across the board, since some affordable players can go off with big nights of their own.
To help you as you search through the bargain bin for just the right plays, check out my three MLB DFS Value Picks in this post, who bring big upside at a small salary:
- SP Sean Burke, Chicago White Sox vs. Athletics, $7,400: Burke has produced 19+ FPTS in four straight games and is averaging 20.2 FPTS over his last nine appearances. He’s coming off an impressive 29.3 FPTS against the Guardians.
- 1B Josh Bell, Minnesota Twins vs. Los Angeles Angels, $3,000: Bell is hitting .305 with five doubles, a triple and six homers for a .418 wOBA over his last 22 games, and he’s in a great matchup with strong splits against Grayson Rodriguez.
- OF Josh Lowe, Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins, $2,200: Lowe has both power and speed potential, and he has gone 12-for-41 (.293) in his 13 games since returning from Triple-A with two doubles, two homers, two stolen bases and 7.4 FPTS per game.
Let’s dive in and take a closer look at these options that come with low salaries, but high ceilings on Friday night.
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Top MLB DFS Value Plays
SP Sean Burke, Chicago White Sox vs. Athletics, $7,400
Burke has been very solid for the White Sox this season, going 5-4 with a 3.56 ERA and 3.73 FIP. He has 106 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings, and he has allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of his last nine games with a 3.04 ERA and a 31.1% strikeout rate. With his strikeout production on the rise and him turning in so many quality innings, Burke has posted 19+ FPTS in four straight games and is averaging 20.2 FPTS over his last nine contests.
In his last game, he worked six innings against the Guardians, allowing just one run with 11 strikeouts. He finished with a no-decision, but still posted 29.3 FPTS. He has actually been better on the road than at home, but he’s in a good enough spot to still be a value at Rate Field against the Athletics, who have been scuffling lately with a top 10 strikeout rate and a bottom 10 wRC+ over the last 30 days. They have scored the third-fewest runs in the MLB over the last 14 days and have the lowest team ISO and third-lowest wOBA over that span.
1B Josh Bell, Minnesota Twins vs. Los Angeles Angels, $3,000
The switch-hitting Josh Bell has anchored the middle of the Twins lineup for most of the season, and he’s been thriving over the last month. In his last 22 games, Bell is hitting .305 with five doubles, a triple and six homers for a .418 wOBA. He has a 47.8% hard hit rate and 13.4% barrel rate over that span.
He will face Grayson Rodriguez ($6,900) on Friday night in a smash spot, since 10 of his 13 homers have come against righties this season, and he has a .201 ISO and .323 wOBA from that side. Rodriguez has been beaten up this year in limited action, posting an 8.06 ERA and 5.14 FIP. Lefties are crushing him with a .357 average, .462 wOBA and .268 ISO this season, posting a 60.9% hard hit rate and 13.0% barrel rate. At just $3,000, Bell brings a lot of upside at 1B from the middle of Minnesota’s order.
OF Josh Lowe, Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins, $2,200
On the other side of that matchup in Minneapolis, Josh Lowe will look to continue his strong recent results, and since he comes at just over the minimum salary, he’s a great value option to consider in the outfield. Lowe spent 26 games in Triple-A and slashed .299/.397/.617 with nine home runs and six steals. He was recalled on June 24 and has gone 12-for-41 (.293) in his last 13 games. He has two doubles, two homers, two stolen bases and 7.4 FPTS per game since returning.
The 28-year-old lefty has been solid against right-handed pitching all season, and he gets a favorable matchup against Zebby Matthews ($7,800), who has a 4.43 ERA and 1.16 WHIP this season. Lefties have hit seven homers against Matthews this season with a .213 ISO, .342 wOBA and a 15.6% barrel rate. Lowe has good power upside and a solid floor, as well, making him a great option in today’s MLB DFS value picks.
