MLB DFS Value Vault September 7: Tommy Henry is Too Cheap
Welcome to the midpoint of the week. Today’s MLB action is split across the board, but for the purposes of the coverage here the MLB DFS main slate consists of the six games beginning at 7 PM on the east coast. That still leaves us with plenty of options under consideration, and as always, it is important to stay up to date on the latest MLB news, MLB weather, and MLB lineups. I do want to note though that the pitching options that allow for any type of cost savings are a little rough on the eyes and most are pretty close to unusable. Let us take a look at some MLB DFS value options for tonight.
MLB DFS Value Pitchers
Tommy Henry (ARI); DraftKings - $7,900; FanDuel - $7,600; Yahoo - $30
Things had gone pretty well for Henry but that all changed when he allowed seven runs over four innings in his last start against the Phillies. Prior to that point, Henry had six runs in total in his four previous starts while putting up double-digit DK points in each one. Of course, there is the risk of another blowup tonight against the Padres, but the body of work has been more good than bad for Henry to this point. This is about playing the odds more than anything else.
Jordan Montgomery (STL); DraftKings - $9,200; FanDuel - $9,500; Yahoo - $46
Montgomery is certainly more expensive than pitchers we are accustomed to seeing in this space, but you have to roll with the punches in any given slate. In four of Montgomery’s last five starts he broke the 20 DK point mark which also included a complete game shutout in which the left-hander allowed just one hit while striking out seven. His ERA is now down to 3.15 on the season while generating a career high groundball rate of 49.1%. Also of note, is Montgomery’s improved strikeout rate with 49 over 49 innings in the second half of the season.
MLB DFS Value Hitters
Corey Dickerson, OF (STL); DraftKings - $2,500; FanDuel - $2,200; Yahoo - $15
Dickerson figures to start in the middle of the order tonight for the Cardinals with the platoon advantage against Cory Abbott who is a pitcher ripe to be targeted. In 64 games (190 plate appearances), Dickerson is hitting .300 with five home runs and 25 RBI and in 18 games in August he was even more scalding; .411 in 56 at bats. Tonight should be a strong offensive night for St. Louis and Dickerson figures to be a part of it and he gives us a cheap piece to a Cardinals stack.
Oscar Gonzalez, OF (CLE); DraftKings - $3,600; FanDuel - $2,300; Yahoo - $11
We do not know what we are going to get from Zach Greinke on a normal day, and with him coming back from injury, that doubt is amplified. Gonzalez had a strong August for Cleveland hitting .286 with three home runs and nine RBI and he continues to bat in the middle of the order for the Guardians. Tonight’s slate is going to force us to pay up for pitching, and Gonzalez is a cost-effective option in a prime lineup position.
Spencer Steer, 3B (CIN); DraftKings - $2,400; FanDuel - $2,300; Yahoo - $15
With 23 home runs over 106 games in the minor leagues this season, Steer brings some power potential to the table and he already has his first career major league home run out of the way. Cincinnati appears committed, also out of necessity, to seeing what Steer can do over the last month of the season and that creates (at least for now) a value priced DFS option. While Javier Assad has had success this season, the track record is lacking and Steer very easily could go deep or at least make an impact from the middle of the order.
Nico Hoerner, SS (CHC); DraftKings - $3,500; FanDuel - $2,700; Yahoo - $14
Targeting Mike Minor and his 5.98 ERA is never going to be a bad idea and when you consider the fact that right-handed hitters are batting .303 against him, things become even more attractive. In 120 plate appearances, Hoerner is hitting .307 against southpaws with two home runs and 16 RBI and is coming off a game on Tuesday that saw him score three runs and pick up two hits and a stolen base. The shortstop is hitting .283 with 47 runs scored, 47 RBI, and 17 stolen bases on the season and he figures to be busy once again tonight against Minor.
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Player News
Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) will make another minor league rehab start on Wednesday for High-A Wisconsin.
Woodruff is getting close to making his season debut as he’ll make his fourth rehab start on Wednesday in the lower minors. The 32-year-old former fantasy ace dealt with some general fatigue following his last rehab outing with Triple-A Nashville, so it’ll be interesting to see how his stuff bounces back.
George Kirby (shoulder) faced hitters on Monday in a live batting practice session.
Kirby told reporters Tuesday that he “felt great” afterwards and could potentially progress to a minor league rehab start this weekend. He’s going to require several rehab outings to build up his stamina and pitch count prior to his season debut. The 27-year-old righty is making his way back towards rejoining Seattle’s rotation mix by late May or early June.
Tyler Fitzgerald (chest) is back in the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Padres.
Fitzgerald is back at the keystone and batting ninth following a two-game absence due to a chest contusion. The versatile 27-year-old is hitting .289 with two homers and five steals through 23 games this season.
Nolan Schanuel (knee) is back in the lineup for Tuesday’s series opener against the Mariners.
Schanuel is back at first base and batting second on Tuesday night after missing just one game recovering from a right knee contusion. The 23-year-old first baseman underwent additional testing over the weekend that didn’t reveal any fractures or structural damage, so he shouldn’t miss any time moving forward.
Dylan Moore (shoulder) has been diagnosed with a mild right shoulder strain.
Moore told reporters on Tuesday that he expects to return from the injured list next week when first eligible. He underwent an MRI over the weekend that reveled a mild strain after tweaking his adductor last week. It doesn’t sound like a serious concern moving forward, but the Mariners are giving him some extra time off to put the issue to bed.
Jake Dreyer will start on Tuesday against the Marlins.
It’ll be a bullpen game for the Dodgers on Tuesday evening in Los Angeles. We’re anticipating Dreyer and Matt Sauer will gobble up the bulk of the frames. It’s not an appealing situation for fantasy managers.