You don't need an expert to tell you to play Josh Donaldson tonight against Derek Holland. It is much more difficult, however, to sift through the cheap DFS options for the right value plays that can help you fit in the studs you want and put your lineup over the top.
That is the purpose of this article -- to provide you with the best value hitters available each day.
Today I'll be bringing you seven value hitters for MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball on FanDuel and DraftKings for May 5th, 2016. Let's get started!
DFS Hitters - Lineup Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings
1. Marcell Ozuna, OF, Miami Marlins
FanDuel Price: $3,400, DraftKings Price: $4,000
Ozuna has really been heating up at the plate recently, hitting safely in 8 of his past 10 and walking twice in each game he didn't get a hit. He also has three home runs in his past four games.
His opponent tonight, Robbie Ray, posted a 4.05 SIERA last season and struggled against righties. Specifically, he walked righties at a 10.2 percent clip and gave up a 36.2 percent fly-ball rate to them. What this means, is that there is a good chance there are base runners on when Ozuna comes to the plate as the five-hitter.
Considering Ozuna's power, especially against lefties, there's a good chance he could do significant damage in this matchup.
2. Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati Reds
FanDuel Price: $3,500, DraftKings Price: $4,000
Bruce hasn't been hitting for much of an average recently, but he has at least been hitting the ball hard, with an extra base hit in three of his past four games.
Today, the Reds will face righty Chase Anderson, who posted a 4.26 SIERA last season. Anderson hasn't fared much better in 2016, with a 5.55 ERA through five starts.
The Reds are projected for 4.6 runs tonight, which is the third-most on the slate. Bruce, who has crushed righties throughout his career, should be a big contributor to reaching that total.
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
FanDuel Price: $3,300; DraftKings Price: $3,800
Tulowitzki has been a mess at the plate, but he has shown occasional power upside in the past couple weeks. His price is severely depressed, and he finds himself in a great position tonight. I'd still reserve this pick for tournament lineups only, though.
Tulo and the Blue Jays will face lefty Derek Holland, who had a 4.91 SIERA last season and is unable to retire right-handed batters. That's not a good trait to have against Toronto. Tulo, among almost every other Toronto player, hits lefties much better historically.
The Jays are projected for a slate-leading 4.63 runs against Holland, and Tulo has a chance to be a big part of that while hitting fifth.
4. Kyle Seager, 3B, Seattle Mariners
FanDuel Price: $3,600, DraftKings Price: $4,500
Seager is warming up after a slow start that was almost entirely the result of bad luck. Over his past ten games, Seager has hit .306 with four home runs and 12 RBI. His advanced stats are even more enticing, as he has a .750 slugging percentage, .469 wOBA, .444 ISO, and 53.3 percent hard-hit rate during that time.
He should continue to rake tonight against right-hander Chris Devenski. Seager has hit righties much better throughout his career.
The Mariners 4.41 implied run total doesn't stand out, but it is the seventh-highest on the slate. It will be hard to fade Josh Donaldson, but Seager has similar upside at a much cheaper price tag.
5. J.T. Realmuto, C, Miami Marlins
FanDuel Price: $3,000, DraftKings Price: $3,500
Realmuto has also been hot lately, boasting an absurd .514 batting average with a .811 slugging percentage and .558 wOBA. He has doubled in four straight games and has hit safely in nine straight. To make him even more appealing, Realmuto has hit leadoff in back to back games.
Similar to Ozuna, Realmuto will benefit from facing Robbie Ray. It's not often you can target a player this hot, in a good matchup, at a cheap price tag, and hitting leadoff. Oh yeah, and he's a catcher. Get him in those lineups!
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