MLB DFS Value Plays September 21: Top DraftKings and FanDuel Picks
Happy Thursday everyone! We have another 7-game main slate of baseball on both DraftKings and FanDuel kicking off at 7:05 PM EST. The countdown to the playoffs begins as we are rapidly approaching the final days of the regular season. The top arms on this slate include Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Tarik Skubal. Your highest priced hitters include Ronald Acuna Jr, Mookie Betts, and Matt Olson. James Grande makes his return and is on the playbook so be sure to give that a read and also 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
Ranger Suarez, Philadelphia Phillies (DraftKings - $7,900, FanDuel - $9,300)
Ranger Suarez looks good lately, striking out five or more in five straight games while posting 20+ DK points in three of them. The Mets are not a team that strikes out a ton against left-handed arms, holding a 21.5% k-rate, but they are a bottom 10 team in most offensive categories. The Phillies on the other hand are a top 10 team against lefties over the last 30 days, giving Ranger some win equity against fellow southpaw David Peterson. His biggest obstacle will be Pete Alonso, but over a 13 plate appearance sample, Alonso has failed to record a hit off Suarez.
MLB DFS Value Hitters
Andres Gimenez, 2B, Cleveland Guardians (DraftKings - $3,800, FanDuel - $3,100)
Gimenez continues to stay hot with three multi-hit games in his last four while stealing two bags. While I do appreciate what recent form Grayson Rodriguez has looked like, he still has issues with left-handed bats, allowing a .365 wOBA, .503 SLG, and 1.90 HR/9 on the year. He is coming off one of his best starts of the year, tallying seven strikeouts and zero runs across eight innings, but if the field is getting to him I like Gimenez even more as a contrarian value option.
Ryan O'Hearn, 1B, Baltimore Orioles (DraftKings - $3,800, FanDuel - $3,100)
O'Hearn keeps on cruising, riding a five game hit streak with two homers in his last 10 games. He's in a very favorable spot against Cleveland's Hunter Gaddis who has allowed five home runs across his last 13 innings. O'Hearn now has 14 home runs on the year while batting .307 and is one of the best options at first base if you aren't spending up.
LaMonte Wade Jr., 1B, San Francisco Giants (DraftKings - $3,400, FanDuel - $2,700)
Wade is currently riding a five-game hit streak including two home runs and five runs scored. His .356 wOBA and .168 ISO against right-handed arms put him in a really good spot here against Emmet Sheehan who has struggled against lefties. Sheehan is walking lefties at a 16% clip while allowing 2.28 HR/9. My only concern is Sheehan has not thrown more than four innings in four of his last five starts and the Giants are not shy about subbing players out should the Dodgers turn to a left-handed reliever.
Johan Rojas, OF, Philadelphia Phillies (DraftKings - $2,900, FanDuel - $2,600)
Johan Rojas has been awesome lately, hitting .391 over his last 10 games with a home run and four steals. He's hit in five of his last six games, including two multi-hit games, and should crack the lineup against southpaw David Peterson. He's as close to a free square as we are going to find and his ability to get it done with his legs makes him a very appealing play at such a low price tag.
Player News
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.
José Soriano allowed three runs over five innings while not factoring in the decision Thursday against the Blue Jays.
Soriano left with a 4-3 lead, but it was erased quickly after his departure. The 26-year-old was not exactly dominant in his outing with eight hits allowed and four free passes, but he did strike out six to help balance things out a smidgen. Soriano takes an even ERA of 4.00 into a scheduled start against the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. There should be better options for that one.