MLB DFS Value Plays August 27: Top DraftKings and FanDuel Picks
We have a big Sunday MLB DFS main slate jam-packed with games on DraftKings and FanDuel and there are a LOT of elite spend up’s to pay up for. That means we’re going to look to the bottom of the barrel to find some value options to sprinkle in and help us get to the expensive guys. Be sure to check out all of our tools including the MLB Lineups page, MLB DFS Projections – powered by FanJections – MLB DFS Ownership, and all of our tools HERE! Let’s dive into our favorite daily fantasy baseball value plays of the day.
MLB DFS Value Pitchers
Zack Littell, Tampa Bay Rays (DraftKings - $6,000, FanDuel - $7,000)
Let’s face it. The Yankees are in a tailspin. Their numbers tell the whole story, too, as they’re 29th in OPS and 28th in wOBA against right-handed pitching since the All-Star break. They also play host to a 26.6% K-rate, and they simply can be exploited. Zack Littell starts for Tampa today and he’s been very solid as a starter for them. He’s very efficient and throws A LOT of strikes. He has only walked TWO batters across his last five starts and the strikeouts have been trending upwards as well punching out five or more batters in three straight games He’s exceeded double-figure DKP in five straight starts and has 20 DKP upside if he picks up a win here.
MLB DFS Value Hitters
Daulton Varsho, Toronto Blue Jays (DraftKings - $3,300, FanDuel - $2,600)
Anyone with a pulse can steal a base on Noah Syndergaard so why not gravitate to Varsho for the ability to steal a bag and also put one into the seats. After not homering in July, Varsho belted four homers in August and is hitting .281 over his last 10 games with an OPS of nearly .900. He has 15 stolen bases on the year and Syndergaard has already allowed 14 SB’s since joining the Guardians and he’s only made FOUR starts with them. Think about that for a second. Sprinkle in that left-handed hitters have a .221 ISO and .350 wOBA against Syndergaard, Thor’s hammer may be dropped by the Blue Jays today.
Josh Bell, Miami Marlins (DraftKings - $3,600, FanDuel - $2,900)
In 22 games with the Marlins, Josh Bell has hit eight home runs. In 97 games with Cleveland, he hit 11. He has a .980 OPS since joining the Marlins and has really just been a fantastic piece of the puzzle for them since the acquisition. Bell has a fantastic match-up against Trevor Williams today and Williams has been awful against both splits this year, but especially bad lately. Over the last 30 days, left-handed hitters have a .356 ISO and .395 wOBA against him. Over that same span, Bell’s been on a power surge posting a .239 ISO.
Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs (DraftKings - $3,500, FanDuel - $2,900)
This dude is on fiyahhhhh right about now. He slashed .378/.400/.676 over his last ten games with two home runs, three doubles, one triple, nine runs scored, six more driven in, and a stolen base. He’s riding a nine-game hitting streak and has at least one hit in 14 of 15 games. I understand Bailey Falter has pitched well very recently. That is a fact, but he hasn’t pitched well over the course of the year. He’s allowed a .165 ISO and .325 wOBA to righties and with how well Suzuki is swinging the bat, I have a lot of interest here.
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Player News
Francisco Alvarez went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.
The 23-year-old has eight home runs and 18 RBI in just 18 games at Triple-A Syracuse since his demotion. That comes with a .250/.333/.672 slash line. Perhaps more importantly, Alvarez’s pull rate is up 13 percent since being sent down, and he’s elevating the ball 20 percent more often. If he can get to his pullside power more often, Alvarez could be a real asset for the Mets down the stretch.
Orioles OF prospect Dylan Beavers went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run for Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday.
The former first-round pick is hitting .311/.405/.482 in 71 games at Triple-A this season with 10 home runs, 34 RBI, 52 runs, and 20 steals. Beavers has taken a more selective approach this season, chasing less outside of the zone but being far more aggressive inside of the zone. That has led to a huge jump in contact rate and a breakout for the 23-year-old. With trade rumors swirling around Ramon Laureano, Beavers may get a shot at MLB at-bats after the trade deadline. However, with the Orioles, you never really know how many at-bats that will be.
Astros general manager Dana Brown said that Cristian Javier (elbow) is ahead of teammate Luis Garcia (elbow) in their rehab.
Both pitchers are coming off Tommy John surgery, but Brown seems more optimistic about Javier’s return in 2025. “He’s going to help us this year,” Brown said of Javier, who was up to 95 mph in his first rehab appearance over the weekend. Garcia was up to 94 mph on his fastball, but Brown said, “It’s probably going to take him a little bit longer.”
Roansy Contreras allowed two runs on six hits in five innings for Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday.
Contreras struck out three and walked two while throwing 51 of his 77 pitches for strikes. In 10 starts for Triple-A Norfolk, Contreras has a 2.59 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 31/11 K/BB ratio in 41 2/3 innings. The strikeout upside is not immense, but Contreras has pitched well enough as a starter that he’s probably worthy of an opportunity over guys like Brandon Young. Contreras is still just 25 years old, so it might be a good idea for Baltimore to see if he could push for a spot in the starting rotation next season.
Shane McClanahan (triceps) allowed one run on four hits in 1 2/3 innings for Triple-A Durham on Sunday.
The left-hander also struck out three and didn’t walk anybody while throwing 23 of his 36 pitches for strikes. The command is the biggest thing here, and McClanahan seemed to be more than able to fill up the zone. His breaking pitches had plenty of movement and generated a handful of swings and misses, which is also nice to see. His fastball sat just 94 mph, but this was his first rehab appearance, so we assume that number will tick up as he continues to ramp up. We’d expect a few more starts for McClanahan at Triple-A, with an early August return looking likely. It’s probably time ot stash him in leagues where he was dropped.
Kyle Harrison threw 3 2/3 shutout innings for Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, walking three and striking out five.
Harrison needed 92 pitches to get 11 outs, throwing 54 of those pitches for strikes while allowing four hits. Harrison threw primarily fastballs and got eight of his nine whiffs on his four-seam. He also threw 22 curves and mixed in 15 of his new cutters. Patience is required when making changes to an approach and pitch mix. Given the Red Sox’s success with their pitchers at the minor league level, it’s reasonable to assume Harrison will work out the kinks. But with Tanner Houck also nearing a return from the IL, they may not need to rush Harrison up to the big leagues.