After a slower Thursday schedule, Major League Baseball is back to work on Friday night to get rolling on a busy final weekend in July. All 30 teams are back in action, but the MLB DFS main slate highlights the 10 games that begin at 7:05 p.m. ET or later. With 20 teams of options on the board, plenty of strong pay-up players make sense to build around. However, you may also need to dive into the bargain bin for a value play or two to help balance out your spending. 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 cheap options and find the best options, check out my three MLB DFS Value Picks in this post, who bring big upside at a small salary:
- SP Trevor Rogers, Baltimore Orioles vs. Atlanta Braves, $7,600: In his last five starts, Rogers has only allowed three total runs, posting a 0.88 ERA and 2.62 FIP. He has averaged 23 FPTS per outing.
- OF Heriberto Hernandez, Miami Marlins vs. San Diego Padres, $3,400: Hernandez is 16-for-48 (.333) over his last 13 games with six doubles, four homers and a pair of stolen bases, for an average of 9.8 FPTS per game.
- C Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox, $2,900: After missing two months with injury, Kirk is finding his rhythm after posting 27 FPTS across three games against the Rays, including his third homer of the season.
Let’s dive in and take a closer look at these options that come with low salarie, but high ceilings on Friday night.
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Top MLB DFS Value Plays
SP Trevor Rogers, Baltimore Orioles vs. Atlanta Braves, $7,600
While Dustin May ($7,800) is a solid option to consider as a bargain arm this Friday, my colleague Stan Son highlighted him in today’s MLB Targets, so let’s look at a sneaky alternative play from the Orioles. While Rogers’ overall numbers for the season are still pretty uninspiring with his 6-7 record, 4.28 ERA and 3.88 FIP. However, he has been much better than that lately and has helped the Orioles gather momentum as they try to climb back into the Wild Card picture. Over his last five starts, Rogers has only allowed three total runs, posting a 0.88 ERA and 2.62 FIP.
In those five starts, Rogers has averaged 23.0 FPTS per game with 29 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. He has only earned three wins in those outings but hasn’t allowed more than one run in any of those outings. Rogers does have a tough matchup against the Braves on Friday, but they do struggle against lefties at times. Last year, Rogers worked 6 2/3 scoreless innings in Atlanta to get his first career win over the Braves. He’s familiar with the lineup and ballpark from his time in Miami and has the potential to return good value.
OF Heriberto Hernandez, Miami Marlins vs. San Diego Padres, $3,400
The Marlins had surged into the NL Wild Card race, but the fish have flopped in their last three series, being swept by the Astros, Brewers and Guardians. They’ll come home and look to get off the struggle bus as they take on German Marquez ($6,300) and the Padres. It should be a nice get-right spot since Marquez has a 5.24 ERA and 6.51 FIP this season and has allowed 11 homers in nine starts.
Hernandez has been one of the Marlins’ best hitters lately and still comes at an affordable salary under $3,500. He is 16-for-48 (.333) over his last 13 games with six doubles, four homers and a pair of stolen bases. In those 13 games, the 26-year-old righty has produced 9.8 FPTS per game. He brings nice upside against Marquez this Friday at an affordable rate at home.
C Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox, $2,900
Kirk is back after missing over two months with a fractured thumb. He is only hitting .219 with three homers in his 32 games this year, but he is showing some signs that he’s starting to get in rhythm. Kirk is 11-for-41 (.268) in his 14 games this month with two doubles and a home run. He’s averaged 5.6 FPTS per game over that stretch and is coming off a strong series against the Rays, when he picked up 27 FPTS across three games, including a home run off Cam Booser on Wednesday.
Kirk will likely be in the lineup against lefty Patrick Sandoval ($6,700) as the Jays look to cool off the Red Sox on Friday night. Sandoval gave up five runs on nine hits in five innings in his last start, and Kirk’s improving form makes him a high-ceiling play in Friday’s MLB DFS Value Picks at Fenway.
