After a few early games, the Saturday evening MLB DFS slate highlights 11 games under the lights. Eight of those games start shortly after 7:00 p.m. ET, so the action will be simultaneous for most of the slate, with just a few trailers starting after 8:00 p.m. ET. As you look through the matchups and the many options to build around, you may need to balance out your spending with an option or two from the bargain bin. Finding the right MLB DFS value picks is key to maximizing your production across the board, since some affordable players can go off with big nights of their own.
To help you as you search through the cheap options, check out my three MLB DFS value picks in this post, who bring big upside at a small salary:
- SP Jacob Lopez, Athletics at Houston Astros, $6,400: After a rough start, Lopez has been strong in his last seven outings with a 2.36 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings. He has 17+ FPTS in five straight starts and is in a favorable matchup against the lefty-heavy Astros lineup.
- 1B Jared Young, New York Mets at Chicago White Sox, $3,200: Young is 18-for-50 (.360) with three doubles, two triples, a home run and a .398 wOBA in his last 14 games, averaging 9.2 FPTS per contest and posting double-digit FPTS in 7 of those 14.
- OF Lars Nootbaar, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cincinnati Reds, $3,000: Nootbaar is in a favorable matchup for lefties against Rhett Lowder in Arizona. The dual-threat bargain lefty has a stolen base and a home run while going 3-for-12 and averaging 7.25 FPTS in his last four games.
Let’s dive in and take a closer look at these options that come with low salary, but high ceilings on Friday.
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Top MLB DFS Value Plays
SP Jacob Lopez, Athletics at Houston Astros, $6,400
Lopez’s numbers for the season are still not that impressive, but the lefty has been much better since the All-Star break and brings some good momentum into Saturday night’s start in Houston. After working out of the bullpen and then spending June in Triple-A, Lopez returned to the majors on July 7 and to the starting rotation on July 10. In his seven starts since moving back into a starting role, he has a 2.36 ERA and 3.64 FIP. He has allowed a total of nine earned runs in those seven outings with 39 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings.
Lopez is only 1-1 in those seven games but has not allowed more than two runs in any start. He has averaged over 16 FPTS per start in those outings, with 17+ FPTS in each of his last five starts. He hasn’t faced the Astros since returning to the majors, and his 5.22 ERA and 5.13 FIP for the season definitely indicate he’s still a high-risk option. However, his recent form is strong enough to make him a potentially great option in today’s value picks since he comes with a salary under $6,500. The Astros’ offense has been streaky this season, and they have struggled against lefties since they feature so many important left-handed bats. On the year, they are hitting .235 against southpaws like Lopez.
1B Jared Young, New York Mets at Chicago White Sox, $3,200
Lefty Jared Young has been regularly starting against righties like Luis Castillo ($7,700), who the Mets will take on in Saturday’s second game of a stop in the Windy City. The 31-year-old has hit eight homers in his 80 games to go with a .270 batting average and .341 wOBA.
Over his last 14 games, Young is 18-for-50 (.360) with three doubles, two triples, a home run and a .398 wOBA. He averaged 9.2 FPTS per contest over that stretch and produced double-digit FPTS in half of those 14 games.
As I highlighted in my Saturday home run props, where I highlighted another Mets lefty, Castillo has been a great matchup for left-handed hitters this season, giving up plenty of hard contact and big games to hitters like Young. He’s a great value option at 1B this Saturday night as the Mets look to even their series with the Sox.
OF Lars Nootbaar, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cincinnati Reds, $3,000
Nootbaar joined the D-Backs at the trade deadline, and he got his first home run since coming to the team on Wednesday as a pinch-hitter against the Red Sox. In his last four games, he is 3-for-12 with a stolen base and that home run and is averaging 7.25 FPTS per game. He has both power and speed potential and should be back in the middle of the order in Saturday’s matchup against righty Rhett Lowder ($5,900).
Lowder is 2-7 with a 7.23 ERA in his 11 starts away from Great American Ball Park. Lefties like Nootbaar have hit him well with 11 of the 13 homers he has allowed this year, a .359 wOBA and a 12.4% barrel rate. Nootbaar has the potential to deliver a big game in this matchup if he’s back in the heart of the order for the Diamondbacks, who won the first game of this series 9-0 on Friday.
