After a busy Labor Day afternoon, Major League Baseball concludes the holiday action with a three-game night slate, which begins at 8:10 p.m. ET. The three games from the Golden State start in San Francisco, with matchups from Los Angeles and Sacramento closing out the day. Even with just six teams in the player pool, finding the top MLB DFS value picks is key to maximizing your fantasy lineup’s production across the board. The right bargain plays can help with big nights of their own while also saving significant salary cap space to use on starts in other spots.
To help you as you search through the bargain bin, check out my three MLB DFS value picks in this post, who bring big upside despite their small salaries:
- SP Jacob Lopez, Athletics vs. Toronto Blue Jays, $6,700: Lopez has allowed two runs or fewer in 10 straight starts with a 2.28 ERA. He has 17+ FPTS in eight straight starts, averaging 20.6 FPTS per outing.
- OF Hector Rodriguez, Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers, $3,100: In his last 13 games, Rodriguez has a .358 batting average, .465 wOBA, and an 11.1% barrel rate for an average of 11.4 FPTS per game. He has been litting leadoff against righties, puttin ghim in a premium lineup spot.
- 2B/SS Thomas Saggese, St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants, $2,500: Saggese has been red-hot over his last seven games, averaging 17.4 FPTS by going 13-for-23 (.565) with four walks, three doubles, three homers and two stolen bases.
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Top MLB DFS Value Plays
SP Jacob Lopez, Athletics vs. Toronto Blue Jays, $6,700
Even with only six starting pitchers available, there’s a strong option for today’s MLB DFS Value Picks in Jacob Lopez, who has been very strong since stepping back into the A’s rotation 10 starts ago. He is only 2-1 in those 10 outings but has a 2.28 ERA and 3.53 FIP. He has 61 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings during that stretch and he has pitched at least six innings in four of his last five outings.
He posted 22.7 FPTS in his last start against the Rangers and has at least 17 FPTS in eight straight games, averaging 20.6 FPTS in those eight starts. He has thrown 100 and 102 pitches in his last two starts, so he is fully stretched out after his early-season work in the bullpen and should be able to work deep into the game if he can keep the surging Blue Jays’ lineup in check.
Toronto has some serious momentum as it rolls into Sacramento after winning four of six games to start this road trip. However, they still have the third-lowest batting average and second-lowest wOBA in the MLB against lefties. Even though the matchup and environment at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park are not ideal, Lopez still has enough recent success and is on the strong side of those splits against the Jays this Monday.
OF Hector Rodriguez, Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers, $3,100
Rodriguez has been a solid contributor for the Reds since his call-up in early August. The 22-year-old lefty has hit leadoff against righties and ninth against lefties, but he has been a regular contributor in the lineup. He will likely be back in the leadoff spot against righty Emmett Sheehan ($7,000) in a favorable matchup on Monday, and he’ll look to continue to establish himself as a big part of the Reds’ lineup moving forward.
In his 25 games in the MLB, Rodriguez is hitting .264 with five homers and an average of 7.0 FPTS per game. He has 19 hits in his last 13 games, with a .358 batting average, .465 wOBA, and an 11.1% barrel rate. Rodriguez has averaged 11.4 FPTS per game over those 13 games and has 12+ FPTS in four of his last seven. Especially if he’s hitting leadoff, he’s a great option at just over $3,000 in Monday’s MLB DFS Value Picks.
2B/SS Thomas Saggese, St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants, $2,500
The Cardinals called up Saggese at the end of August to help solidify the middle infield with both JJ Wetherholt (wrist) and Masyn Winn (thumb) on the injured list. The 24-year-old utility player has seized his opportunity and played extremely well since rejoining the MLB team.
In his last seven games, Saggese has gone 13-for-23 (.565) with four walks, three doubles, three homers and two stolen bases. Since entering the lineup, Saggese has produced 12+ FPTS in six of those seven games, averaging an impressive 17.4 FPTS per game. He has both power and speed potential and comes in with plenty of momentum for Monday night’s matchup against Logan Webb ($7,700), who has struggled lately, allowing 16 runs in 10 2/3 innings over his last three outings.
Saggese doesn’t have to do a lot to be worth this very affordable salary, and he can slot in at either 2B or SS depending on how the rest of your roster build fits best.
