Ladies and Gentlemen, the weekend! Major League Baseball is ready to start the festivities in style this Friday night with a monster-sized, 13-game main slate for DFS fantasy baseball on DraftKings. Only four teams are not in the player pool, leaving 26 teams of options to choose from before contests lock at 7:05 p.m. ET. Only three matchups on the slate are divisional contests while six interleague games feature less typical matchups. The Rockies are on the road, so there is no Coors Field effect to figure into your considerations, but there are plenty of other angles to take into account.
If you need low-cost value options to help offset some big spending in other roster spots, start your trip to the bargain basement with these three inexpensive plays. Each one comes with some extra risk but also brings a high ceiling, especially compared to the players with similar salaries. They can help stretch your salary cap space on this giant 24-team slate where every bit of salary will be so critical.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DraftKings Network on Twitter @dknetwork.
SP JP Sears, Oakland Athletics at Atlanta Braves, $5,900
Sears is extremely affordable at under $6,000 and brings a very high ceiling despite a tough matchup with the Braves. Sears has allowed zero or one earned run in six of his last nine starts, earning over 25 DKFP in three of those outings. On the season, the 28-year-old lefty has a 3.88 ERA and 4.51 FIP along with a 5.97 K/9. His strikeout numbers have been low much of the year, but he did have four starts this season with at least five strikeouts, including back-to-back road outings against the Orioles and Yankees. In his last start, he held the Astros to just two hits and one unearned run in six innings to earn his fourth win of the season and 17.1 DKFP. Facing the Braves does make him risky, but Atlanta’s offense hasn’t been its usual productive self lately. The Braves are coming off a four-game home series against the Nationals in which they lost three of four while only totaling nine runs in the whole series. They have been held under five runs in eight of their last 11. While they are still a dangerous matchup for a pitcher who pitches to contact as much as Sears does, he has a ton of upside under $6,000. If the matchup is too much for you to stomach, the Rangers’ Jose Urena and the Royals’ Michael Wacha are both alternatives to consider in road matchups against their former teams.
OF Miguel Andujar, Oakland Athletics at Atlanta Braves, $3,000
Andujar made a splash for the Yankees back in 2018 at just 23 when he smashed 27 homers and hit .297 in 149 games. Injury and ineffectiveness have held him back since then, but he’s still just 29 years old as he looks to make the most of his most recent opportunity with the A’s. Back in Spring Training, Andujar looked exceptional hitting .357 with five homers and a .467 wOBA in 14 games. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury and needed surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee shortly before Opening Day. After a five-game rehab, Andujar was activated and made his season debut last Friday. He went 3-for-4 in his return and has gone 7-for-20 (.350) with a double, a home run and a .372 wOBA while hitting third of fourth in the Oakland batting order. On Friday, he’s a great value at just $3,000 as he goes up against Reynaldo Lopez ($8,600) and the Braves. Andujar can be a difference-maker when healthy and getting a middle-of-the-order bat at this salary is a good strategy.
SS Brett Wisely, San Francisco Giants vs. New York Yankees, $2,200
The Giants have been platooning Wisely with Marco Luciano ($2,700) while Nick Ahmed (wrist) is on IL. With Luciano now dealing with a hamstring issue and since they’ll be facing righty Marcus Stroman ($8,400), Wisely will likely get the nod on Friday night. Stroman has struggled against lefties this year, surrendering six of his eight home runs allowed to lefties and giving up a .371 wOBA in the split, as opposed to just a .261 wOBA vs. right-handed hitters. The left-handed hitting Wisely has been very productive when given opportunities this season, going 10-for-25 (.400) with a double, a home run and a .403 wOBA in his 11 games in the majors. In Triple-A, he hit .311 with four homers and a .397 wOBA along with three stolen bases. In his 11 MLB games, Wisely is averaging just 5.6 DKFP, but that includes several pinch-hit or defense-only appearances. In his last six games, he is averaging 10.0 DKFP per game. He’s a great way to go extremely cheap at an infield spot to maximize your salary cap space for other lineup slots.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
For sports betting, head over to DraftKings Sportsbook or download the DK Sportsbook app.
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 skill 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.
