MLB DFS Value Vault June 5: Finding Power With Rougned Odor
Now it’s time to finish the week off strong. For those looking to win some cash via MLB DFS, things start at 1:35 on the east coast and the length of the slate varies across the three main sites. While setting your lineups keep track of the latest MLB news, MLB weather, and MLB lineups. Now it’s time to dig into some MLB DFS picks for today that can help save that ever precious salary cap space.
DFS Value Pitchers
Ryan Yarbrough (TB); DraftKings - $6,800; FanDuel - $7,000; Yahoo - $29
While Yarbrough might not jump off the page as a truly exciting option, there is nothing wrong with dependability and that he provides. After allowing five runs in his first start this season, Yarbrough hasn’t allowed more than three runs since, and his last start was his best in the fact that he last 6.2 innings while throwing a season high 87 pitches. The left-hander has a 4.00 ERA through 27 innings overall this year (3.67 xERA) but he does lack in upside when it comes to strikeouts (6.67 per nine innings). We are likely looking at about 15 DK points, and maybe a few more if he gets the victory, and Yarbrough likely won’t hurt you either.
Kyle Gibson (PHI); DraftKings - $7,000; FanDuel - $8,100; Yahoo - $32
Aside from one start in which Gibson labored to allow six runs, the sweet spot for him this year has been giving up two runs which is something he has done five times in 2022. While I’m not looking for tremendous upside here, the overall body of work for Gibson has been pretty solid this year with a 3.83 ERA (3.48 xERA) while striking out over a batter per nine innings while walking just 2.50 per nine. Gibson keeps the ball on the ground with a 49% rate and opposing hitters have had a hard time squaring him up this year with a 5.7% barrel-rate.
DFS Value Hitters
Rougned Odor, 2B (BAL); DraftKings - $2,900; FanDuel - $2,400; Yahoo - $12
Zach Plesac generally is good for allowing a home run per start and he fares worse against left-handed batters so that suits Odor today. Over his last 10 games, Odor has gone deep four times (six overall) and is hitting .235 in that stretch and .223 overall. With a 22.8-degree launch angle we know what Odor is after and his .187 ISO also comes into play here as we hunt a long ball. While Odor is hot, let’s look for home runs in back-to-back days.
Jesús Aguilar, 1B (MIA); DraftKings - $4,300; FanDuel - $2,500; Yahoo - $13
Aguilar is close to being priced out on DK, but it’s certainly hard to pass him up on the other two sites. With six home runs and 21 RBI on the season, while hitting .249, Aguilar hasn’t done much to stand out from the crowd overall, but the power and run production can strike at any time. While he’s only allowing one home run per nine innings so far this year, Jakob Junis has historically had issues with the longball so that helps here as well.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr, OF (TOR); DraftKings - $2,800; FanDuel - $2,600; Yahoo - $9
Toronto has struggled to a degree offensively so far this season, and Gurriel has been one of the culprits. As of late, the Blue Jays’ offense has looked better and that has, and should continue to, carry over to Gurriel. The outfielder picked up three hits on Saturday against Minnesota and he was hitting .323 in the 10 games prior as well. It’s a good matchup for him today against left-hander Devin Smeltzer for Gurriel to put his career high 91 miles per hour exit velocity to good use.
Evan Longoria, 3B (SF); DraftKings - $4,600; FanDuel - $2,800; Yahoo - $14
With Braxton Garrett taking the mound for Miami, stacking Giants is going to be a popular option today, and Longoria fits nicely within that. Historically, Longoria has feasted with the platoon advantage and I’m not going to read too much into his .238 batting average so far this season. With just 67 plate appearances, the sample size is small, and more importantly, Longoria does have five home runs along with 11 RBI. Half of Longoria’s batted balls this season have qualified as hard-hit to this point, and he is also posting a career high 23.5 degree launch angle.
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Player News
Pablo López made an early exit from Tuesday’s start against the Athletics with a trainer.
Not good. López threw exactly one warmup pitch at the outset of the sixth inning before departing the contest with a trainer. He finished with four strikeouts, issued three walks and was charged with two runs over five innings of work. He was at only 72 pitches (43 strikes) at the time of his departure. There should be an update on his status shortly.
Michael A. Taylor filled up the box score in Tuesday night’s 8-1 victory over the visiting Tigers, going 1-for-2 with a homer, four RBI, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base.
Taylor snapped a scoreless tie as he worked Brennan Hanifee for a two-out bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning. He then broke the game wide open with a 396-foot (102.8 mph EV) three-run blast off of Tyler Holton with two outs in the sixth inning. Taylor also walked in the eighth inning, swiped second base and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Mike Tauchman. He has been pretty underwhelming overall on the season, slashing .206/.277/.374 with three homers, 14 RBI and seven stolen bases in 120 plate appearances.
Austin Slater went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI on Tuesday evening, helping to lead the White Sox to a rare victory over the Tigers.
Slater did his damage off of rookie right-hander Dylan Smith in the seventh inning, smacking a two-out, two-run double into left field that increased the White Sox’ lead to 6-1. The 32-year-old outfielder has done a nice job when he has actually been in the lineup this season, hitting .286/.342/.571 with two homers and four RBI in his first 38 plate appearances.
Miguel Vargas went 2-for-4 with a walk and a pair of runs scored on Tuesday as the White Sox dispatched of the Tigers in Chicago.
Vargas led off the fourth inning with a single off of Brant Hurter and raced around to score the game’s first run as Michael Taylor worked a walk with two outs and the bases loaded. The 25-year-old infielder also singled in the seventh inning and scored on Austin Slater’s two-run double. With his two-hit effort, he’s now slashing an increasingly respectable .243/.321/.425 with eight homers, 26 RBI and one stolen base on the season.
Shane Smith was terrific in Tuesday night’s victory over the Tigers, piling up six strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings of shutout baseball.
The rookie right-hander surrendered just three hits and a pair of walks on the evening. He was lifted at just 85 pitches in the sixth inning as manager Will Venable wanted the left-hander Cam Booser to face Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene, and the move paid off as Booser escaped the inning. Smith got 13 whiffs on 85 pitches on the night, registering a CSW of 27 percent. He has been outstanding through his first 12 starts on the season, going 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 60/25 K/BB ratio over 62 1/3 innings. Just think where he would be with a capable offense supporting him. He’ll do battle against the Royals his next time out at home on Sunday.
Dillon Dingler went 1-for-4 with an RBI double on Tuesday night, plating the Tigers’ lone run in a losing effort against the White Sox.
The 26-year-old backstop smacked a run-scoring double into the left field corner off of Jordan Leasure to get the Tigers on the board in the seventh inning, but their rally fizzled out and they were unable to push any additional runs across the rest of the evening. He continues to swing a very hot bat, slashing .295/.324/.470 with six homers and 25 RBI on the season.