MLB DFS Value Vault August 14: Lance Lynn To Tame The Tigers
Good morning, FAmily! Happy Sunday and no better way to end your weekend than with some major league baseball! Sunday baseball has a reputation for being out of the ordinary, so fantasy baseball managers must be on their toes as they build their MLB DFS lineups. Today’s DFS slate starts at 1:35p ET on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo Fantasy. DraftKings will cover 10 games; FanDuel will have 11 games (including Coors) while Yahoo brings us 14 games throughout the afternoon. The weather forecast looks pretty good but make sure to check our MLB Weather Center before lock. We also have MLB Lineups, MLB Vegas Odds plus MLB DFS Projections and MLB DFS Lineup Generator in our Fantasy Alarm MLB Tools page. To get the big arms and bats in your lineups you will need to find some value plays and that’s where we come in. I have spent the morning researching and coming up with the best point per dollar plays on the slate. So, let’s get right into it and open Sunday’s MLB DFS Value Vault...
VALUE PITCHERS
Lance Lynn (CWS) $6.8K DK/$9.0K FD/$42 Yahoo
Lance Lynn is going to be a very popular arm as the cash SP2 on DraftKings today. The problem is that his numbers on the season are horrific for a player of his status. He is 2-5 on the year with a 5.88 ERA/1.27 WHIP but there is some light at the end of the tunnel as he has a 2.55 ERA with a 11.21 K/9 over his last three starts at home. Plus, today he gets to face the Tigers, the 29th ranked offense in the game and bats that we have been picking on all season. Over the last 15 days they have the slates highest strikeout rate against right-handers at 29.6% with a low team .102 ISO/.260wOBA. I hater seeing Lynn as a chalk play, but you cannot ignore the DK price of only $6.8K
Tyler Anderson (LAD) $7.8K DK/$45 Yahoo
Tyler Anderson will never win you a GPP, but he is a solid pitcher on one of the best teams in the game. Much of Anderson's success has come from his ability to limit baserunners with a 0.99 WHIP plus he is not walking anyone (24 on season) and is allowing just a .261 BABIP. He has a solid 1.45 ERA/0.90 WHIP over his last five starts and has won four of those games. The Dodgers have won 12 straight games (one short of tying the franchise record) and are looking to sweep the Royals today making Anderson of the safest players in his price range. With a 19.67 DKFP average over his last five starts and facing a team with the second highest strikeout rate on the slate against southpaws over the last 15 days (26.6%), Anderson is firmly in play as a safe value.
VALUE HITTERS
Vaughn Grissom (ATL) $2.0K DK/$2.3K/ FD/$15 Yahoo
The hype machine for Vaughn Grissom is in full effect in Atlanta. The kid started the year in High-A ball and crushed his way to Double-A where he was hitting .363 with three homers and seven steals in 22 games before the call up to The Show. Grissom made his presence known in a big way during his MLB debut, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, a homer, and a steal and has three more hits including a home run over the next three games. He can steal bases and does not strike out making this minimum price a “no brainer” as Justin Vreeland stated in today’s Fantasy Alarm PlayBook.
Jake Fraley (CIN) $2K DK/$2.4K FD/$14 Yahoo
Jake Fraley is in the leadoff spot today at bare minimum price. Even better is he gets the platoon advantage over right-handed Keegan Thompson today at Great America “Small Park”, the most hitter friendly stadium this side of Coors. Fraley has a .203 ISO/.348wOBA with a 42% flyball rate on the split. He is also swinging a hot bat with a .410 average over the last month with 2 HR/6 RBI and an excellent .241 ISO/.481wOBA. Fraley is another cheap avenue as a one off to get those expensive Dodger and Astro stacks into your lineups.
Chas McCormick (HOU) $2.6K DK/$2.4K FD/$11 Yahoo
I am a huge Chas McCormick fan and like I said in last Tuesday’s Value Vault – Dusty Baker needs to wake up and get Chas McCormick in that Astro lineup on a regular basis. He is coming off his best month ever in the major leagues when he slashed .269/.388/.478 with four home runs and an excellent walk rate of 16.3 percent. Chas comes into today’s game with elite advanced metrics against left-handed pitching- .276 ISO/.418 wOBA and 54.2% hard contact. He is coming off a big game last night (14 DKFP) with a triple and a couple of RBIs and will be facing southpaw Cole Irvin, a solid pitcher but one that McCormick can handle.
Other Top Value Plays:
Mitch Haniger (SEA) $3.8K DK/$3.4K FD Red hot and 8-for-24 BVP off Perez
Oscar Gonzalez (CLE) $3.6K DK/$2.6K FD/$11 Yahoo Hitting .371 in August
Bryson Stott (PHI) $3,2K DK/$2.8K FD/$14 Yahoo .357 over last 11 games
Paul DeJong (STL) $3.9K DK/$2.9K FD
Josh Harrison (CWS) $3.3K DK/$2.1K FD/$13 Yahoo .324/.375/.405 last 10 games
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Player News
Diamondbacks SS prospect Jordan Lawlar went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two RBI on Tuesday for Triple-A Reno.
Lawlar continues adding extra defensive versatility to his profile, spending time at both second and third base in recent weeks, and appears to be on the precipice of making it back to the big leagues. The 22-year-old projects as a potential five-category impact fantasy contributor thanks to his power/speed combination. He’s hitting .364 (39-for-107) with 20 extra-base hits — six home runs — and 12 stolen bases through 27 games this season for Triple-A Reno. It’s time.
Twins OF prospect Walker Jenkins (ankle) received a cortisone injection and isn’t expected to return to minor league game action until June.
Jenkins has dealt with an array of physical issues since being selected fifth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. The immense talent and upside is undeniable, but he’s struggled to stay on the field at times. The 20-year-old top prospect isn’t expected to return to game action at Double-A Wichita until early June after receiving an injection to address lingering ankle soreness. He’s a top-10 prospect for dynasty purposes, but the lost development time is starting to become a minor concern.
Josh Lowe (oblique) took batting practice on Tuesday.
Lowe took on-field batting practice off a pitching machine for the first time since suffering a Grade 2 right oblique strain back on Opening Day. He’s expected to progress to facing live pitching on Friday and could potentially kick of a minor league rehab assignment this weekend in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League. The 27-year-old fantasy standout is likely to require a couple weeks of game action to get back up to speed, but it sounds like he could potentially return by mid-May, barring any setbacks.
Giants signed OF Cal Mitchell to a minor league contract.
It didn’t take Mitchell long to find a new home. The 26-year-old outfielder latches on with the Giants just a couple days after being cut loose by the White Sox. He was hitting .111 (3-for-27) in 10 games at the Triple-A level this season.
Mariners signed RHP Bryan Shaw to a minor league contract.
Shaw fortifies Seattle’s relief depth at Triple-A Tacoma after failing to make the Reds’ season-opening roster in spring training. The 37-year-old journeyman righty has made a whopping 796 appearances in the big leagues dating back to 2011.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was removed from Tuesday’s game against the Orioles with right flank discomfort.
We’re not licensed medical professionals, but the flank is defined as the area just below the rib cage and below the wait. The greater concern here is that it could be either an oblique or back issue, so fantasy managers should monitor his status closely in the coming days. Chisholm exhibited some discomfort during a first-inning plate appearance and was immediately lifted from the contest after a double to right field. He’s presumably day-to-day for now.