MLB DFS Value Vault May 11: Rolling With Rookie MJ Melendez

Nothing breaks up the week quite like a seven game MLB DFS main slate that starts at 7:00 PM on the east coast and is uniform in structure across all three sites; DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo Fantasy. As we dig through tonight’s MLB lineups to find some value options that will allow us to build our teams around some high-priced studs, it is important to stay up to date on all the news which includes our MLB weather tool. Let’s take a look at some well-priced MLB fantasy picks for tonight.
DFS Value Pitchers
Joey Wentz (DET); DraftKings - $5,300; FanDuel - $5,800; Yahoo - $28
It’s a pretty good landing spot for Wentz tonight as he makes his major league debut against an Oakland team that leaves a lot to be desired offensively. The A’s are scuffling along with a wRC+ of just 77 while batting .200 as a team, there are few opponents better for Wentz tonight. That’s not to say Wentz will show up and be lights out as he has a 4.12 ERA through 19.2 innings at Triple-A so far this season while walking 4.58 batters per nine innings, but for the price we don’t need too much. The fact that Wentz is striking out close to 12 batters per nine innings after fanning 9.79 in 53.1 innings in Double-A last season (along with a 3.71 ERA), does help his value.
Zach Logue (OAK); DraftKings - $7,100; FanDuel - $7,000; Yahoo - $34
While it might be unorthodox to go after opposing pitchers, wins from starting pitchers quite simply are not what they used to be. Logue made his first start of the season last week and threw five innings of two run ball (both on solo homers) while striking out five and walking two. Ten of Logue’s 15 outs did come through the air, but considering Detroit only has 11 home runs as a team so far this year, my concern is minimal as the Tigers are one of the worst offenses in the league with a wRC+ of 78. Logue is the epitome of a streaming option and if there ever was a time to use him, this would be it.
José Urquidy (HOU); DraftKings - $8,100; FanDuel - $7,600; Yahoo - $32
Through five starts this season, it has been a mixed bag for Urquidy with three good ones (three earned runs in 16.2 innings) and two rough outings (10 earned runs in nine innings). Minnesota’s offensive is at far from full strength but the lack of strikeouts (5.61 per nine innings) does give me a little concern. I think the matchup tonight is good enough to get past that as Urquidy does have a decent chance at a win as well.
DFS Value Hitters
Dominic Smith, 1B/OF (NYM); DraftKings - $3,400; FanDuel - $2,100; Yahoo - $10
The thought process here is that Smith will get the start against Aaron Sanchez tonight, and there are few better pitchers to target. Historically, Smith has benefited from the platoon advantage against right-handers and that should continue tonight. Through 36 batted ball events, Smith has a career high 91.3 mile per hour exit velocity along with a 50% hard-hit rate, and the way the Mets are going as of late, I want as many pieces of their offense as I can get.
MJ Melendez, C (KC); DraftKings - $3,100; FanDuel - $2,200; Yahoo - $9
After hitting 41 home runs to go along with 103 RBI last year, to say that Melendez emerged on the scene would be an understatement. Despite hitting just .167 in 21 games at Triple-A this season, Melendez got the call up to Kansas City, and the Royals have been committed to giving him regular playing time. It’s hard to argue with Melendez’s matchup against AJ Alexy and his 5.04 ERA in Triple-A so far this season (4.70 ERA in 23 innings with Texas last year) as the prospect has a hit in four of his five major league games to this point while striking out three times in 18 plate appearances.
Dylan Carlson, OF (STL); DraftKings - $3,200; FanDuel - $2,400; Yahoo - $11
Targeting Spenser Watkins is high on my list tonight as he has the same strikeouts and walks (4.03) per nine innings so far this season. Despite a 3.22 ERA, Watkins has a 6.01 xERA and Carlson is in an ideal situation to capitalize tonight. After going 1 for 3 on Tuesday, Carlson has hits in five straight games which has brought his batting average up to .223 on the season. Strikeouts are down for Carlson this season (16.4%) and now he just needs to continue his recent success and get his groundball (50%) and line drive (17.9%) rates back to normal.
Ramón Laureano, OF (OAK); FanDuel - $2,600; Yahoo - $14
We get a nice discount here on the veteran who got off to a delayed start to the season thanks his suspension that carried over from last year. It’s not a secret what Laureano is capable of, and after going hitless in his first 11 at bats of the season, the outfielder picked up two games in the back end of Tuesday’s double-header and I would look for him to build on that.
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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.