MLB DFS Value Plays July 7: Top DraftKings and FanDuel Picks
We have a 12-game MLB DFS main slate on Friday, July 7th, on DraftKings and FanDuel. With 24 teams in action, spending up on the likes of Corey Seager, Rafael Devers, Jose Ramirez, and Christian Walker is a good approach so we’re going to have to find some value to pair with them. That’s where the MLB DFS value plays article comes into play. 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 the rest of our tools HERE! Let’s dive into our favorite daily fantasy baseball value plays of the day.
MLB DFS Value Pitchers
Aaron Civale, Cleveland Guardians (DraftKings - $7,700, FanDuel - $8,800)
The Guardians pitching staff has been depleted this season but Civale has kept things afloat when he’s been healthy. He has a 2.96 ERA through eight starts this season and has been pretty solid from a fantasy perspective. He now draws an elite match-up against a Royals offense ranking 29th in OPS and wOBA, 25th in ISO, and a 24.7% K-rate against right-handed pitching. If you look at the Oakland start for what Civale’s upside could be, that’s what I could see playing out along with a win to go with it. 20+ DKP is in the cards at a very cheap price point on a slate with limited legitimate value options.
Austin Gomber, Colorado Rockies (DraftKings - $5,400, FanDuel - $6,600)
Look, on the surface you may be thinking..why? But then you look at what he’s done lately and you get a little more optimistic. He’s won two straight starts, has 13+ DKP in four straight, and is coming off a season-best in innings (7), strikeouts (7) and DKP (25.6). He faces a banged up Giants offense that has really struggled against southpaws of late. Over the last two weeks against left-handed pitching, their team OPS sits at .552, which ranks 29th. Overall San Francisco sits 24th in OPS against southpaws and they have a 26.2% K-rate, which is the fourth-highest in the league. Gomber has a good park behind him, too, so this could be quite the fruitful outing.
MLB DFS Value Hitters
Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets (DraftKings - $3,600, FanDuel - $2,800)
This kid has been special lately homering in three straight games and four in his last five overall. He’s been especially good against right-handed pitching this season as he’s notched a .328 ISO and a .378 wOBA. He faces off against Yu Darvish here and Darvish has had a TOUGH time this season. He’s been particularly bad against right-handed power, which is where Alvarez comes in. He’s allowed 1.87 HR/9, 40% FB, and a .214 ISO to righty swingers. Perfect spot for Alvarez.
Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox (DraftKings - $3,500, FanDuel - $2,900)
This has been a fantastic stretch for Duran of late as he’s been white hot for some time. Since June 1st, Duran has hit .337 and since June 11th, he’s hitting .404. It’s been an amazing stretch of hitting for him and now he has a fantastic match-up against Luis Medina in the game with the highest implied total on the board. He’s been stealing more bases, too, as he’s up to 16 on the year thus far. Medina has allowed a .175 ISO and a .343 wOBA to left-handed bats and has to navigate the hot weather in Fenway Park. He’s in big trouble and Duran is at the forefront of that.
Evan Longoria, Arizona Diamondbacks (DraftKings - $3,400, FanDuel - $2,800)
Anytime there is a left-handed pitcher on the mound, Evan Longoria is at the forefront of the value options on a given slate. It’s Rich Hill opposing him and Hill has struggled mightily against right-handed hitters this season. He’s allowed a .211 ISO and a .345 wOBA to righties and that’s where Longoria comes into play. He has a .312 ISO and a .404 wOBA this season against southpaws and he has five home runs in 64 at-bats. Longoria is a viable option in all formats today.
Leody Taveras, Texas Rangers (DraftKings - $3,300, FanDuel - $3,100)
Texas is going to be a very popular stack on Friday and I can’t blame anyone for going that direction considering Trevor Williams is on the hill for Washington. Texas has a 5.7 implied run total today and Taveras is underpriced every single slate. He’s hitting .300 out of the nine-hole this year and has a .201 ISO and .369 wOBA against right-handed pitching on the year. Williams has allowed a .180 ISO and .364 wOBA to left-handed bats. As long as he continues to be priced the way he is, just simply play him.
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Player News
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that Zach Eflin (lat) is likely to return and start Sunday against the Angels
It was assumed that Eflin would be back this weekend, but now we have a concrete date. The 31-year-old may not be at full strength after throwing fewer than 60 pitches in his rehab start, but the Orioles feel confident enough to have the right-hander back on the bump for the series finale against the Angels.
Riley Greene is not in the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against the Rockies on Thursday.
Greene will get a break and likely return to the lineup for the second game of the twin-billing. Zach McKinstry will get the start in left field while Greene rests.
Yu Darvish (elbow) is facing live hitters on Thursday.
Darvish has been throwing bullpen sessions and traveled to the team’s complex in Arizona to face live hitters on Thursday. It will be his first time facing live batters since a spring training appearance on March 13th. He will likely need a few sessions like this before the Padres can map out a rehab appearance timeline for him.
Adael Amador is starting at second base and batting ninth for the Rockies on Thursday.
Amador has now started three of the last four games at second base for the Rockies. He’s gone just 7-for-43 this season with 15 strikeouts in 16 games. He’s just 22 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to adjust to the MLB level, but he doesn’t need to be on redraft radars right now.
Jackson Holliday is playing second base and batting second for the Orioles on Thursday against the Twins.
With Cedric Mullins sitting out on Thursday, Gunnar Henderson will bat lead off, and Holliday will jump up from sixth in the order to second. Holliday is riding a hot streak right now, and the Orioles are taking advantage. This is likely just a one-game sample with no Mullins or Adley Rutschman in the lineup, but Rutschman has been struggling, so perhaps it could become a more permanent spot in the lineup for Holliday moving forward.
Endy Rodriguez (finger) had his splint removed this week.
Rodriguez suffered a lacerated right index finger on April 14th. Now that he is out of his splint, he “is playing catch and doing a slightly modified swing.” Once he can progress to taking full swings, we’ll have a better sense of the timeline for his return.