The first thing you need to do before this slate is to check in with the weatherman, Mark Paquette. We have a few games with questionable forecasts and he’ll give you all the updates you need. What makes this slate especially fun is the fact that we have a ton of crappy pitchers taking the mound. That’s why I’m mainly going to focus on value plays and let you fill in the studs around them.
Catcher
Wilson Ramos, NYM vs. SF
DK ($4,500) FD ($2,600)
Ramos is probably one of the five best hitting catchers in the Majors and these DFS sites continue to undervalue him. The $2,600 price tag on FanDuel is simply laughable but they know that many owners don’t want to play a catcher at the C/1B slot. We’re willing to slide him in there at this price though, especially in a matchup like this. Ramos gets to square off against Tyler Beede, whose .415 wOBA and 2.37 WHIP are some of the worst numbers around. Ramos is rolling right now too, hitting .419 over his last 13 games while providing five homers, six walks, 11 runs scored and 11 RBI in that span.
Also Consider: Depending on who starts, Kurt Suzuki and Yan Gomes are fantastic values against Dylan Covey.
First Base
Matt Adams, WSH vs. CWS
DK ($4,400) FD ($3,100)
Adams has found himself as the regular first baseman for the Nationals and it’s a wonder why his price isn’t higher. We’re talking about a slugging first baseman who has a career OPS approaching .800 and a SLG just shy of .500. That makes this price hard to understand, especially when you consider the fact that he gets the platoon advantage in his favor. Since 2017, Adams is posting an .842 OPS and .519 SLG against right-handed pitching. That’s fantastic considering he gets to face Dylan Covey and we’ll go over his ugly numbers later in the article.
Also Consider: Eric Thames is only $3,000 on FanDuel and is a fantastic bargain with his dominance against right-handed pitching.
Second Base
Jeff McNeil, NYM vs. SF
DK ($4,300) FD ($2,700)
McNeil’s price is low because he just came off the IL but he has quietly been one of the best hitters for the Mets this season. In fact, the lefty batter has a .333 average and .879 OPS so far this season. That’s why he typically bats leadoff and he is very enticing against a guy like Beede. The San Francisco pitcher is working to a 7.82 ERA and 2.37 WHIP this season, which are simply some of the worst numbers in the Majors. McNeil is traditionally better against righties too, posting a .341 average and .878 OPS against them in his career.
Also Consider: Mike Moustakas is very expensive but he’s probably the highest projected second baseman on the schedule.
Third Base
Travis Shaw, MIL vs. MIA
DK ($2,800) FD ($2,200)
There’s no doubt that Shaw has been downright terrible this season but this price is hard to overlook. We’re talking about a guy who has at least 30 homers in back-to-back seasons while posting an ISO well above .200 in that span. Coming off the IL after missing a few weeks could be just what the doctor ordered and it’s crazy to see a $4,000-player priced this cheaply. The fact that he gets to face a righty only adds to his intrigue, with Shaw posting an .864 OPS against righties since the beginning of 2017.
Also Consider: Todd Frazier has been turning things around recently and could have success against a gas can like Beede.
Shortstop
Trea Turner, WSH vs. CWS
DK ($5,000) FD ($4,000)
Turner is undoubtedly my favorite shortstop play on the board and I’m definitely willing to pay up to get him. It’s not like we even have to pay much to get him either, as he’s not even in the Top 5 at shortstop on both sites. That’s criminal for a guy who’s a Top 5 overall pick in season-long fantasy and he’s simply one of the most dynamic players in the league. The reason we like him here is because he faces Dylan Covey, who’s posting a 4.73 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, which is actually due for some negative regression when looking at his nightmarish .412 xwOBA.
Also Consider: If you’re looking for someone cheaper, Jean Segura is below $4,000 on both sites.
Outfield
Juan Soto, WSH vs. CWS
DK ($5,800) FD ($4,800)
Alright, we’ve been providing a ton of value so far, so let’s get into a couple of stud outfielders. Soto may be my favorite play on the board, as he should abuse Covey in this matchup. The aforementioned numbers from Covey are a major reason why, with the Nationals entering this matchup with one of the highest projected team totals on the slate. Soto comes into this matchup scorching too, hitting .413 over his last 17 games while collecting seven doubles, four homers, 11 walks, 17 runs scored and 14 RBI in that span. Getting the platoon advantage is the icing on the cake, with Soto posting a .936 OPS and .522 SLG against righties in his career.
J.D. Martinez, BOS at KC
DK ($4,800) FD ($4,200)
Quite simply, this guy needs to be more expensive. It’s really bizarre to have to scroll down to find him and it really doesn’t make any sense why these sites continue to undervalue him. What I really like about Martinez is the hitting profile, as his .428 xwOBA and .626 xSLG indicates that his good numbers should be even better. His recent form indicates that he’s starting to hit some of that positive regression, with J.D. hitting five homers and three doubles over his last 14 games. Facing Jakob Junis is encouraging too, with the K.C. righty posting a 5.35 ERA and 1.44 WHIP this season while providing one of the worst HR rates since the beginning of last year.
Eloy Jimenez, CWS at WSH
DK ($3,400) FD ($2,700)
Jimenez is probably my favorite value at outfield on this slate, as he’s simply been a better player away from home. The top prospect actually said that he’s pressing at home and swinging more freely on the road and that’s crystal clear in his splits. In fact, Jimenez has all six of his homers away from home while providing 10 of his 13 RBI on the road as well. That’s simply bizarre and it’s just a matter of time before he lives up to his sky-high potential. We’re talking about a guy who posted .980 OPS at the Triple-A level and an absurd .588 SLG. That will eventually carry over to this level and we’ll bet on it starting here against Anibal Sanchez, who hast a 4.47 ERA and 1.51 WHIP so far this season. The Washington righty has actually allowed 106 homers since the beginning of 2017 and that’s one of the three highest totals In the Majors. If you’re in season-long formats, buy low on Jimenez!
Also Consider: Yasiel Puig remains too cheap on both sites and gets a quality matchup against Dakota Hudson. If Delino DeShields bats second again, he’s definitely in play against a lefty in a hitter’s haven like Globe Life Park.
