We have another busy Monday with eight games on the MLB DFS main slate of both FanDuel and DraftKings. Veteran daily fantasy baseball owners know that sleepers and values can change once lineups come out, so keep track of all MLB starting lineups and Hitter Matchups (BvP) on RotoBaller to add to the research below.
Value picks are always relative, but for this piece, we'll target hitters under $4,000/$3,000 on DraftKings/FanDuel and pitchers under $6,000/$7,000 DK/FD. We'll also point out any player we feel is sorely underpriced for his expected production.
The main slate locks at 7:05 p.m. ET. There may be some weather around Minneapolis tonight, so keep an eye on the Mariners-Twins game as the day goes on.
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Best SP values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
By Mike Marteny
Graham Ashcraft, Reds @ Brewers ($6,800 DK, $7,000 FD)
Ashcraft has allowed just five runs in his past four starts (24.2 innings), so maybe he is finally figuring this pitching thing out. What impresses me is that three of those four starts were at home, a place where he has a 6.71 ERA on the season. Perhaps most importantly for tonight, one of those games was against this same Milwaukee team. Ashcraft doesn’t rack up strikeouts, but he has done a great job of limiting the damage of late.
Ryan Yarbrough, Royals @ Guardians ($5,800 DK, $6,200 FD)
Yarbrough has allowed four runs in 11.2 innings since his return from the IL just before the break. The 12 hits are a bit disappointing, especially on DraftKings, but Yarbrough has allowed just two walks while striking out nine. One of those starts was against Cleveland when he allowed only one run over six innings in Cleveland. Expect another solid, yet unspectacular, start from Yarbrough, which is fine for this price.
Best infield values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
CJ Abrams, Nationals vs. Rockies ($3,600 DK, $3,000 FD)
Abrams already has 10 multi-hit games in July. He is hitting .353 this month with three homers, seven RBIs, 17 runs scored, and 10 steals (out of 19 on the season) in 17 games. He feels criminally underpriced on both sites.
Edouard Julien, Twins vs. Mariners ($3,300 DK, $3,200 FD)
Julien is hitting .467 since the break and .426 in July. Five of his nine homers on the season have come this month along with seven of his 15 RBIs. You may be afraid of his matchup with Luis Castillo, but Julien homered and singled off him in Seattle last week. He’s worth a shot at this price.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Reds @ Brewers ($3,200 DK, $2,800 FD)
The rookie has been as-advertised so far in his seven-game major league career. Encarnacion-Strand is hitting .304 with a homer, six RBIs, and five runs scored so far. Not bad for his first seven games! He is still performing above what we would expect from this price point.
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Best OF values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
Randal Grichuk, Rockies @ Nationals ($3,600 DK, $2,800 FD)
Grichuk is riding a seven-game hitting streak, which is easy to forget since he missed time with a groin issue just after the break. He returned for the series in Miami over the weekend and posted four hits in 12 tries with a homer and two RBIs. Any righty with a pulse is a solid play against Patrick Corbin, so it’s just a bonus that Grichuk is also on a hot streak.
Will Benson, Reds @ Brewers ($3,000 DK, $2,900 FD)
Benson has 179 wRC+ since the beginning of June -- good for sixth in the majors during that span among all players with at least 100 at-bats. Sixteen of his 35 hits have gone for extra bases in that span. Benson is 3-for-4 in his career against Colin Rea with a triple and a homer, so expect the hot streak to continue tonight.
Alek Thomas, Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals ($2,800 DK, $2,400 FD)
Adam Wainwright has a dreadful 7.67 ERA in 51.2 innings so far this season, so we have no reason to expect anything better in his return from the IL. Thomas is the cheapest way to get exposure to Arizona’s offense, and he has three homers in the past 10 games.
