Fantasy Baseball Picks Today: Top DraftKings MLB DFS Targets, Values for September 3

With Sunday afternoon’s schedule more spread out than usual, seven games make up the main featured Sunday afternoon slate on DraftKings. There are some great matchups including some potential playoff previews, three divisional matchups, and just one interleague matchup, which takes place in New York.

Whenever you’re playing DFS fantasy baseball, you need to keep up with the latest injury, weather, and lineup news. One way to do that is by installing the DK Live app and following DraftKings Network on X (@DKNetwork). I’m also on X (@ZT_Sports), where you can keep up with all my picks as the regular season races play out and we get geared up for what should be an outstanding postseason.

Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]

---

---

PITCHER

Stud

Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox ($8,400) – With plenty of big bats to consider and not a sure-fire, in-form ace among the 14 starting pitchers on this slate, I think it makes sense to save some salary and scope out Skubal at just over $8K. Where Skubal really shines is in strikeouts. In 10 starts, he has 59 strikeouts in 50 ¹⁄₃ innings to go with a 3.93 ERA, which has been a little unlucky as indicated by his 2.41 FIP. Skubal got a late start to the year after undergoing surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his left forearm last August. He has built up to nearly a full workload, though, and continues to have elite peripherals, including a 30.9 CSW%.

Skubal had at least seven strikeouts and lasted at least six innings in each of his last three outings. He had 27.1, 15.3 and 23.3 DKFP in those three starts, and his strongest of those three outings came on the road in Cleveland. He’ll look to add another road win against a divisional foe in Chicago this Sunday afternoon. Skubal’s strikeout potential makes him a strong play just over $8K.

Other Options – Sandy Alcantara ($9,600), George Kirby ($9,300)

Value

Jon Gray, Texas Rangers vs. Minnesota Twins ($8,100) – Gray has had an up-and-down season with the Rangers with some dominant starts and a few brutal outings. His inconsistency has resulted in an 8-7 record with a 3.79 ERA, 4.16 FIP and 1.21 WHIP. He had nine strikeouts in his most recent start, which was his second-most in any start this season. He ended up with a no-decision in that outing, posting 22.5 DKFP.

Gray has been trending up lately with over 16 DKFP in four of his past five games. He had 31 strikeouts in 29 ¹⁄₃ over that span with a 4.30 ERA and 3.40 FIP. Make sure you get the right J. Gray in your lineup since the Nationals’ Josiah Gray ($7,600) is also starting on Sunday afternoon, but he hasn’t reached 16 DKFP in any of his last five outings—averaging just 3.58 DKFP per start. Jon Gray has been the much better Gray lately and has a higher ceiling even though he’s facing the AL Central-leading Twins.

Other Options – Johan Oviedo ($7,900), Ranger Suarez ($7,400)

---

INFIELD

Stud

Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Brewers ($5,900) – Trea Turner has been absolutely on fire lately, and he is a great place to start building your Sunday afternoon lineup. Turner extended his hitting streak to 13 games by going 2-for-5 with a home run and two stolen bases on his way to an impressive 29 DKFP. On the streak so far, he posted a .357 (20-for-56) batting average, three doubles, a triple and an impressive nine home runs. He had both an ISO And wOBA well over .500 during that span and averaged 17.6 DKFP per game. He’s a .303 career hitter against lefties like Wade Miley ($7,200), who Turner has got 4-for-8 against in the past.

Stud

Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates at St. Louis Cardinals ($4,600) – Hayes is another hitter who gets a boost from facing a lefty since he’s hitting .303 against southpaws this season with a .360 wOBA and six of his 11 homers. Hayes also comes into this matchup with lefty Zack Thompson ($5,600) on a nice role. He went 22-for-65 (.338) with five doubles, three homers and a .409 wOBA in his 15 most recent games coming into Saturday night’s contest. Hayes typically hits near the top of the order in a prime spot for run production.

Other Options – Bryce Harper ($6,200), Marcus Semien ($6,100), Salvador Perez ($4,400)

Value

Carlos Santana, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies ($3,600) – Santana smashed his 19th homer of the season on Saturday while extending his hitting streak to 11 games. During that span, he went 15-for-41 (.366) with three doubles, three homers and an average of 12.0 DKFP per contest. The Brewers have gone an impressive 10-1 during that stretch and Santana and the team will look to keep rolling against lefty Ranger Suarez ($7,400), who will be making his first start since coming off IL.

Value

Ronny Mauricio, New York Mets vs. Seattle Mariners ($2,500) – Even though his salary isn’t at the minimum as it has been the past two days, Mauricio is still a great value to consider and now has eligibility at both 2B and SS. On Friday, the 22-year-old prospect went 2-for-3 with a double and 8.0 DKFP in his MLB debut, and he followed that up with two more hits Saturday, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base and 11 DKFP. He hit .295 with 23 homers, 24 stolen bases and a .368 wOBA for Triple-A Syracuse before being called up, and he brings a high ceiling with his combination of power and speed at a still very affordable salary.

Other Options – Josh Rojas ($3,700), Connor Joe ($3,400), Andre Lipcius ($2,000)

---

OUTFIELD

Stud

Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners at New York Mets ($6,400) – Only injury has been able to slow down Rodriguez over the past month, and he seems to be past the nerve issue that cost him a couple of games earlier this week. He had two hits in his return on Friday, and followed that with a stolen base and 17 DKFP on Saturday. Over his past 21 games coming into Saturday’s contest, Rodriguez went 45-for-95 (.474) with 11 doubles, seven homers and nine stolen bases. He averaged 17.3 DKFP per contest in those 21 games and is a great pay-up play on Sunday afternoon as he leads the Mariners against Tylor Megill ($6,300) and the Mets. Megill has been very inconsistent this season and has a 5.61 ERA and 4.86 FIP with five homers allowed in his five starts since returning from Triple-A after Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were traded away.

Stud

Alex Verdugo, Boston Red Sox at Kansas City Royals ($4,600) – Verdugo has run hot and cold throughout the season, but the lefty has been surging over the past few weeks—he moved back to the leadoff spot after the season-ending injury to Jarren Duran (toe). Verdugo has gone 27-for-86 (.314) over his past 20 games with five doubles, five home runs and an average of 9.25 DKFP per contest. He had three hits and 18 DKFP on Saturday night and has seven multi-hit performances in his past 15 games. He and the Red Sox lefties are good options against Zack Greinke ($6,000), who has given up a .394 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season, but just a .287 wOBA to righties.

Other Options – Lane Thomas ($5,000), Bryan Reynolds ($4,800), Kerry Carpenter ($4,600)

Value

Parker Meadows, Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox ($3,400) – Austin Meadows’ younger brother has made an excellent impact since being called up 12 games ago for the Tigers. The 23-year-old has gone 13-for-43 (.302) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, two stolen bases and a .364 wOBA. Before being called up, he had a .353 wOBA with 19 homers and 19 stolen bases in 113 games at Triple-A. He and the Tigers are in a good matchup against Michael Kopech ($6,800), who comes into this start 5-12 on the year with a 5.08 ERA and 6.42 FIP. Kopech has served up 28 homers in his 25 starts, including 11 in his 38 innings since the All-Star break.

Value

Johan Rojas, Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Brewers ($2,700) – Rojas stole his eighth base of the season in just 28 games in the majors after entering as a pinch-runner on Saturday. He has been getting fewer at-bats with Brandon Marsh ($3,300) back from the IL but has still been making the most of his chances. He hit .281 over his past 18 games with an at-bat including four multi-hit games, three doubles, a triple, a home run and four stolen bases. If he gets the start against the lefty Miley, he has the potential to be a great bargain play since his potential speed production gives him a high ceiling for a player under $3K.

Other Options – Akil Baddoo ($3,000), Ceddanne Rafaela ($2,900), Jacob Young ($2,300)

---

Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]

---

Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.

---

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.