We have another busy Monday with eight games on the main MLB DFS slate of both FanDuel and DraftKings. The earlier game is left off of both sites, but we still have plenty of options from which to choose. 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 tonight. We shouldn’t have any rain to worry about tonight, so that’s a nice change!
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Best SP values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
By Mike Marteny
Miles Mikolas, Cardinals vs. A's ($7,000 DK, $8,000 FD)
Mikolas has allowed just four runs in 14 innings over his past two starts since getting tossed after facing three batters in St. Louis against the Cubs back on July 27. He even has 12 strikeouts over that span, which is pretty unusual for Mikolas. The A’s have lost five games in the last week alone and only scored more than three runs once. Oakland is hitting just .218 against righthanded pitching this season. I’ll take my chances with Mikolas considering he is pitching well anyway.
Quinn Priester, Pirates @ Mets ($5,300 DK, $6,400 FD)
The Mutts just got outscored 41-9 in a four-game series against the Braves. You know, the team that Priester escaped without giving up a home run to in his last start. He still allowed four runs, but progress is progress when your ERA on the season is 8.75. Don’t expect a miracle from Priester, but he has shown enough strikeout upside and has won two of his five starts. That really helps mitigate the damage.
Best infield values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles @ Padres ($4,200 DK, $3,000 FD)
I know that Mountcastle is a little over the price threshold on DraftKings, but he’s still a value. The guy is hitting .447 with a pair of homers, eight RBIs, and 10 runs scored in 13 August games. He has even stolen a base for good measure.
Gleyber Torres, Yankees @ Braves ($4,400 DK, $3,000 FD)
Torres saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end yesterday, but he still managed to crush it in DFS with a walk, three steals, and a run. All told, Torres is hitting .391 in August with a pair of homers, five RBIs, eight runs scored, and four steals. He feels like a bargain at this price.
Tommy Edman, Cardinals vs. A's ($3,900 DK, $2,900 FD)
It’s unfortunate that Edman bats ninth, but he has seven hits in the past four games with two doubles, three homers (of his 10 on the season), four RBIs, and five runs scored. He’s running hot right now and facing a lefty in JP Sears that has had issues recording outs at times this season.
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Best OF values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
MJ Melendez, Royals vs. Mariners ($3,100 DK, $2,800 FD)
The season-long numbers on Melendez are nothing to write home about, but he is riding a modest seven-game hitting streak. In those seven games, Melendez has four homers, six RBIs, and five runs scored. I will definitely take that production at this price.
Henry Davis, Pirates @ Mets ($3,300 DK, $2,700 FD)
Davis has been hitting in the middle of the order lately, and it has paid off for the Pirates. He has eight hits in the past nine games with a pair of doubles, a homer, four RBIs, and seven runs scored. The Pirates are very affordable against a struggling Carlos Carrasco. Carrasco has allowed 23 runs in his past five starts. Load up on Pirates tonight!
Tyler O’Neill, Cardinals vs. A's ($3,700 DK, $2,500 FD)
O’Neill has four of his six home runs on the season in eight August games with five runs scored and five RBIs. He usually occupies a spot in the middle of the order against lefthanded pitching and is hitting 30 points higher against lefties on the season.
