MLB DFS Value Vault July 6: Brayan Bello Making MLB Debut
Tonight, we break up the week with a day and evening packed with baseball action. Wednesday offers up a solid eight game MLB DFS main slate so let’s go to work on those lineup builds for DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo. Throughout the day, it is important to stay up to date with the latest MLB weather, MLB lineups, and MLB news. Now it is time to dig into some MLB DFS value options to get your lineup started with some cost relief.
DFS Value Pitchers
Brayan Bello (BOS); DraftKings - $5,000; FanDuel - $6,000; Yahoo - $32
Cheaper than a fair number of elite hitters on some sites, Bello makes his major league debut tonight at home against Tampa Bay. While they are a pesky team to face, the Rays are not a particularly imposing opponent with a wRC+ of 99 so it is a good landing spot for Bello. The prospect has had a tremendous minor league season to this point with a 2.33 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 85 innings between Double-A and Triple-A while striking out 114 batters. The upside from that alone with the price makes Bello quite an intriguing option tonight even the ownership will likely be on the higher side.
Alex Cobb (SF); DraftKings - $7,600; FanDuel - $8,100; Yahoo - $32
Arizona is hitting just .218 on the season with a wRC+ of 88 and that represents a favorable matchup for Cobb. The right-hander should be a dependable option tonight with a reasonable expectation of about 15 DK points after throwing 9.1 shutout innings over his last two starts. Through 51 innings this season, Cobb has a serviceable 4.59 ERA but it is the 2.51 xERA that will grab your attention as he strikes out 9.88 batters per nine innings. Cobb has been able to limit damage so far this season thanks to a career high ground ball rate of 61.8% while allowing just four barrels against him out of 147 batted balls.
DFS Value Hitters
Gavin Lux, 2B/OF (LAD); DraftKings - $3,900; FanDuel - $2,200; Yahoo - $16
I know the salaries work differently across various sites, Lux isn’t a terrible price on DK, but it is pretty crazy to see how cheap he is on FD. There are few lineups better than the Dodgers so anytime we can get a piece of, it becomes a worthwhile endeavor. Entering action on Tuesday, Lux is hitting a solid .288 with 40 runs scored and five stolen bases. Lux might not be a truly impact player, but he is a solid contributor and piece of any Los Angeles stack.
Josh Smith, 3B/SS (TEX); DraftKings - $3,600; FanDuel - $2,300; Yahoo - $9
Once again, DK is coming in on the high side with the price on Texas’ new leadoff hitter. It’s a favorable matchup for Smith with the platoon advantage against Spencer Watkins tonight and there should be a ton of offense in play for the Rangers tonight. Smith did go hitless in five at bats on Tuesday which brought his batting average down to .240 but thanks to a 15.6% walk rate, he has a .391 OBP in 64 plate appearances with seven runs scored.
Josh Donaldson, 3B (NYY); DraftKings - $3,800; FanDuel - $2,500; Yahoo - $11
Mitch Keller as his 5.14 ERA shouldn’t be too much of a match for the Yankees’ offense tonight as they look to bounce back from a lackluster effort on Tuesday. By going hitless last night, Donaldson was complicit in that as he dropped his batting average down to .222 on the season. With that being said, there is a track record here and Donaldson has a career high 15.4-degree launch angle. Donaldson has a solid 10.1% barrel-rate and 44.9% hard-hit rate.
Yuli Gurriel, 1B (HOU); DraftKings - $3,500; FanDuel - $2,600; Yahoo - $15
Entering Tuesday’s game, Gurriel was hitting .294 in his last 10 games with two home runs and five RBI as he works to find his groove this season after a rough start. Gurriel picked up another hit tonight while driving in his 24th run of the season and scoring twice. With a .240 BABIP on the season, there is only one place for Gurriel’s batting average to go and it doesn’t hurt that he historically has been a solid contributor here. Houston is rolling offensively, and their first baseman should be a large part of that once again as the Astros have another strong offensive night.
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Carlos Narváez went 2-for-4 and clubbed a three-run homer on Sunday night, propelling the Red Sox to an 11-7 victory over the Yankees.
The 26-year-old backstop crushed a 372-foot (101.0 mph EV) three-run shot off of Carlos Rodón in the sixth inning that turned a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 advantage for the Red Sox. Narváez also drew a walk and singled in the ballgame. On the season, he has slashed a respectable .282/.361/.459 with six homers and 22 RBI in his first 191 plate appearances.
Kristian Campbell launched a two-run homer on Sunday night, helping to lead the Red Sox past the Yankees in New York.
The 22-year-old rookie infielder tagged Yankees’ starter Carlos Rodón for a 349-foot (99.0 mph EV) two-run shot in the fifth inning that tied the game at two runs apiece. It was just his second home run since April 29 and first since May 13. Campbell also drew a walk and singled in the ballgame, finishing the night 2-for-3. On the season, he’s now slashing .233/.323/.364 with five long balls, 20 RBI and two stolen bases in 234 plate appearances.
Rafael Devers went 1-for-4 with a solo homer and a pair of runs scored on Sunday night as the Red Sox bested the Yankees in New York.
Devers did his damage in the ninth inning, crushing a leadoff 393-foot (111.2 mph EV) solo shot off of Brent Headrick that extended the Red Sox’ advantage to 10-5. He was also hit by a pitch in the sixth inning and rode home on a three-run shot by Carlos Narvaez. The 28-year-old slugger is now slashing a healthy .283/.407/.522 with 14 homers and 57 RBI on the season.
Aroldis Chapman picked up his easiest save of the season on Sunday, recording the final out against the Yankees to protect a four-run advantage.
That out came after Robert Stock had given up a couple of runs at put another couple of runners on with two outs, putting the tying run in the on-deck circle. That’s when Red Sox’ skipper Alex Cora turned to Chapman to end the threat. The 37-year-old southpaw needed just three pitches to strike out Anthony Volpe to end it. On the season, he sports a brilliant 1.71 ERA to go with a 35/9 K/BB ratio over 26 1/3 innings and 11 saves in his first 12 chances.
Hunter Dobbins picked up his third victory of the season on Sunday evening, limiting the Yankees to three runs on four hits over his five innings of work.
The 25-year-old right-hander surprisingly did not walk or strike out a batter in the ballgame. He served up a mammoth two-run homer to Aaron Judge before he had even recorded an out in the contest, but settled in nicely afterwards and allowed just a solo shot to DJ LeMahieu in the fifth the rest of the way. Dobbins got four whiffs on 64 pitches on the night, posting a CSW of 28 percent. Now 3-1 on the season, he’ll tote a 4.20 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and a 37/10 K/BB ratio (49 1/3 innings) into a rematch against the Yankees on Saturday evening at Fenway Park.
Aaron Judge went 3-for-4 and clobbered his 22nd and 23rd home runs of the season on Sunday night, but it wasn’t enough to power the Yankees past the Red Sox.
Judge absolutely demolished a first-pitch fastball from Hunter Dobbins for a 436-foot (108.6 mph EV) opposite-field two-run shot that gave the Yankees an early 2-0 advantage. He also drew a one-out walk in the sixth inning and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jazz Chisholm Jr. Jude also pulverized a 1-2 fastball from Robert Stock for a 398-foot (108.9 mph EV) two-run shot in the ninth inning. The 33-year-old outfielder is having a season for the ages, slashing an utterly ridiculous .396/.493/.771 with 23 homers, 55 RBI and five stolen bases through his first 64 games.