Welcome to my weekly Sunday DraftKings MLB DFS plays. I’ll break down some of the prime picks on the board, including studs and value plays, and break down why these players can lead your lineup to victory.
Set your DraftKings MLB DFS lineups here: MLB $150K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st].
Top MLB DFS Targets
Pitcher Studs
SP Sonny Gray (BOS), $8,800: The Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball, and Sonny Gray’s excellence is on full display. Boston’s ace is 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA on the season and has been remarkably consistent when he steps to the mound. He’s allowed one or fewer runs in six of his last eight starts — including four straight — while pitching at least six innings in each outing. Outside of Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay’s offense is struggling, ranking 20th in wRC+ since the beginning of July. All the better for Gray.
SP Nolan McLean (NYM), $8,700: If you need to shave a Benji off your budget, McLean is practically the same value as Gray. The young Mets ace has delivered at least six innings in five straight starts, three of them scoreless — and four of them with seven or more strikeouts. On Sunday, he gets a date with a Phillies lineup that is scuffling in a major way over the past couple of weeks, which suits McLean just fine. If there’s a day to play two aces, this is the one.
Pitcher Value Plays
SP Grant Holmes (ATL), $6,600: It’s a really rough field for value down the board on Sunday, but Holmes at least brings some value here. He doesn’t provide a ton of length, but he’s been giving a good 4-5 innings consistently over the last month. Texas’ offense has been solid recently, but Holmes has been avoiding the big innings well and will give you value if you want to save money instead of playing Gray or McLean.
Infield Studs
2B Xavier Edwards (MIA), $4,500: Miami is a powerhouse at the moment, and Edwards has been playing a starring role. The Marlins’ second baseman brought a nine-game hitting streak into Saturday’s game, and though the surge was snapped by Milwaukee’s staff, he has a great shot at starting a new one on Sunday against a struggling Robert Gasser. Batting right in the middle of this hot lineup, Edwards is well worth the price of admission.
SS Otto Lopez (MIA), $4,700: Why not roll with Edwards’ middle infield partner and stack the two? Lopez is the current leader for the NL batting title and provides all-around value with his RBI skills, huge run-scoring upside, and an ability to swipe bags. Miami’s lineup is clicking at the moment and should produce strong results against Gasser.
Infield Value Plays
C Francisco Alvarez (NYM), $3,700: The lights might be back on for Francisco Alvarez. He homered twice in his first game back from the All-Star break and is batting over .300 in the month of July. On top of that, he’s looking better with his plate discipline, drawing a walk in four of his last six games. He provides a solid floor, and the upside is certainly there with the Phillies rolling out a bullpen game.
1B Josh Bell (MIN), $3,300: Minnesota’s offense is heating up, and Josh Bell continues to put up big counting stats. He might end up with 100 RBIs on the year, an incredible feat for a guy playing on a one-year deal. This hot lineup gets a date with Shota Imanaga, who has been struggling for the Cubs — making this a smash spot for Bell.
2B/3B Nick Gonzales (PIT), $4,200: Pittsburgh’s offense has been one of the surprises of the season, and Nick Gonzales has been among their surprises. The utility infielder has become a regular in the lineup, batting over .300 with a dash of power and speed. His status at the top of Pittsburgh’s red-hot lineup gives him a ton of run-scoring potential.
Outfield Studs
OF Wilyer Abreu (BOS), $4,500: How about four home runs in two days for Wilyer Abreu? This guy came to swing down the stretch run. While the lefty faces a tough matchup on Sunday against Rays hurler Shane McClanahan, you have to ride the hot hand here and get Abreu in the lineup. Back-to-back games of 30-plus DFS points cannot be ignored.
Outfield Value Plays
OF Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT), $3,900: The price can’t climb fast enough to match Valdez’s production. Pittsburgh’s explosive rookie homered for the fifth time in as many games on Saturday as he continues his absurd hot stretch. Over those five games, Valdez has at least one run scored and one RBI, recording seven total runs and a whopping 12 RBIs. He’s bound to come down to earth eventually, but he’s still red-hot for the moment.
OF Griffin Conine (MIA), $3,200: Miami truly has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to hot batters, and Conine has indeed been hot. The Florida native homered for a third straight game on Saturday, raising his OPS to .947. Manager Clayton McCullough will have no choice but to ride the hot hand on Sunday, with Conine bringing tremendous upside to the table.
