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We have a solid Monday evening/night MLB slate on tap, one that includes some vulnerable pitchers and an always-appealing Coors Field game. I've been able to hone in on some value-salaried options across multiple positions that could help you build an efficient lineup that gives you the opportunity to generate solid fantasy-point-per-dollar value from each selection.
While hitting on some big-name players can often be the key to a prolific night of DFS play, you can't get to the top of the leaderboard without also correctly identifying some productive cost-effective options. We will be hunting for bargains daily because nailing some value picks that produce is one of the best ways to build a winning DFS lineup.
This article will provide my top DFS value picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 6/3/2024. We aim for hitters who cost less than 4k on DraftKings and less than 3k on FanDuel. For pitchers, the general guideline is under 7k on DraftKings and under 8k on FanDuel. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for baseball and other sports here. Don't forget to monitor MLB injury news and today's MLB starting lineups!
MLB DFS Value Picks - Pitcher(s)
Matt Waldron at LAA ($7.4K DraftKings; $7.9K FanDuel)
Waldron is just a tad over our preferred DK threshold of $7K, but in my mind, he's the best option out of the discounted pitchers on Monday evening. The Padres right-hander has shown excellent upside for his salary of late, eclipsing 30 DK points and 50 FD points in two of his last three starts.
Matt Waldron's Knuckleball is Dancin' 🦋 pic.twitter.com/Kdamhs05eN
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 29, 2024
The 27-year-old knuckleballer has been in especially impressive form over his last four starts, posting a 1.96 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 12.1 K/9, and 0.4 HR/9 over 23 innings. Waldron now takes on an opponent unfamiliar with him in the Angels, which have posted a 26.6 percent strikeout rate, -2.1 wRAA, and 91 wRC+ against righties at home since May 1. As it happens, Waldron has also been at his best on the road, where he sports a 2-1 record, 3.60 ERA, 9.9 K/9, and 0.6 HR/9 across 30 innings.
MLB DFS Value Picks - Infielders
Brendan Rodgers, 2B - COL vs. Andrew Abbott ($3.4K DK; $2.9K FD)
Rodgers has once again been one of the Rockies' most consistent hitters thus far this season, and he boasts a .301 average and .337 wOBA at his hitter-friendly home park of Coors Field. Rodgers has been especially effective against southpaws there, posting a .333 average, .833 OPS, .362 wOBA, and 121 wRC+ in that split.
Brendan Rodgers - Colorado Rockies (2)
pic.twitter.com/qSBRskOVTg— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) May 30, 2024
Abbott is certainly a quality pitcher, but Coors naturally has a way of knocking even the best arms down a couple of pegs, and the young southpaw is also coming off his roughest start of the season. The Cardinals tagged Abbott for six earned runs over six innings at Great American Ball Park, and he's also allowed a 1.9 HR/9, .326 wOBA, and 5.51 FIP to right-handed hitters overall.
Edmundo Sosa, 2B/SS/3B - PHI vs. Bryse Wilson ($3.8K DK; $2.9K FD)
Sosa carries some appealing salaries for a player who's putting together career-best numbers in multiple categories, producing a .304 average and .949 OPS across 102 plate appearances. The veteran has laced 13 of his 28 hits for extra bases as well, and he's produced a .290 average, .817 OPS, .358 wOBA, and 133 wRC+ against righties at home.
Wilson has put together a solid season and has primarily had trouble with left-handed hitters, but Sosa's 25.8 percent line-drive rate has done wonders when he puts the ball in play, and he's also extremely well protected within Philadelphia's fearsome lineup.
Nolan Arenado, 3B - STL at Justin Verlander ($3.9K DK; $2.8K FD)
Arenado certainly doesn't have an appealing matchup on paper, but the combination of his upside and salaries makes him worthy of consideration. The veteran slugger, like many of his teammates, is underperforming relative to his career norms. However, Arenado has slugged a pair of homers in his last four games, and he also posted a pair of hits in Sunday's extra-innings win over Philadelphia.
Arenado has actually had some decent success against Verlander in the past as well, posting a .300 average with a double and a homer over 10 career encounters. Arenado has had his best success this season against righties, posting a .275 average and .729 OPS in that split. Meanwhile, in an admittedly very small sample, Verlander has pitched to a .357 BAA and .423 wOBA against righty bats at home.
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Come join the fire with the @RotoBallerMLB community, you would have seen us on ARZ and Yarbrough. Come find your edge! @RotoBaller pic.twitter.com/cLCQU3mhbk
— Jon Irvin (@jonjirvin) April 17, 2024
MLB DFS Value Outfielders
J.D. Martinez, OF - NYM at MacKenzie Gore ($4K DK; $3K FD)
Much like Arenado, Martinez is another one of our value options facing a daunting challenge in the opposing starting pitcher, as Gore has been impressive this season while forging a 2.91 ERA, 11.0 K/9, and 0.8 HR/9 across 58.2 innings. However, the left-hander had trouble in opposite-handed matchups at home, surrendering a .276 average, .762 OPS, and .335 wOBA in that split.
J.D. Martinez makes it back-to-back triples and the Mets take the lead! pic.twitter.com/Vdfkdu3vt4
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 2, 2024
Martinez is once again proving he has plenty left in the tank after a delayed start to the season, posting a .279 average and .812 OPS through Sunday's action while lacing 14 extra-base hits over 131 plate appearances. As has been the case most of his career, Martinez is also doing a number on left-handed pitching, generating a .355 average, 1.041 OPS, .449 wOBA, and 200 wRC+ in that split. For what it's worth, Martinez already owns a homer off Gore in their first two career encounters, furthering his case.
Will Benson, OF - CIN at Ryan Feltner ($4.4K DK; $3.4K FD)
Benson is $400 over our threshold on DK, but I wanted to get in at least one Reds lefty bat into this article against Feltner, who's allowed a .312 average, .370 wOBA, 1.5 HR/9 and .857 OPS to that handedness of hitter. Feltner has also given up a .309 average overall at Coors Field, along with a 1.7 HR/9 and 5.77 FIP to lefty hitters there.
Benson has just a .197 average but has offset that with a decent .715 OPS, the byproduct of lacing 20 of his 34 hits for extra bases. The slugger also brings some impressive speed (eight stolen bases), and he could certainly take very well to the hitter-friendly conditions of Monday's contest. Benson also happens to have enjoyed his most consistent success in opposite-handed matchups on the road, a split in which he boasts a .265 average, .836 OPS, and .365 wOBA.
Finally, consider Rockies relievers have pitched to a 7.62 ERA, .340 BAA, and .402 wOBA against the 59 lefty hitters they've faced over the last two weeks at Coors, yet another factor in Benson's favor.
Jake McCarthy, OF - ARI vs. Spencer Howard ($3.5K DK; $2.6K FD)
McCarthy is enjoying a solid season that includes a .276 average, .730 OPS, and seven stolen bases. Monday, he faces a potentially vulnerable starter in Howard, who came into the season with a career 3-11 record, 7.20 ERA, and 1.67 WHIP across 115 big-league innings. Howard did blank his original team, the Phillies, over four innings in his 2024 debut last Tuesday, but his previous body of work suggests that may be an outlier.
McCarthy could be well-positioned to capitalize on Howard's typical struggles against left-handed hitters, which have tagged him for a .351 wOBA, 1.5 HR/9, and 5.35 xFIP in his career. McCarthy also owns .310 and .273 averages against the four-seamer and the slider, the two pitches that Howard has thrown most often to left-handed hitters over his career. Additionally, Giants relievers have pitched to a .292 BAA, .924 OPS, and .390 wOBA against lefty bats on the road the last two weeks, furthering McCarthy's case.
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