It’s week two of the NFL season and you’re probably planning on plopping down on the couch for that magical seven-hour block of NFL RedZone that only happens 17 times every year. Honestly, I can’t blame you.
But baseball season is winding down and there are precious few weeks left with all 30 teams on the schedule. We know by now that when there are more teams playing, there’s more value to be found.
So, before settling in to that you-sized indent on the futon, grab some peanuts, maybe a foam finger and set a tasty little MLB lineup on DraftKings. If you select some of these bargain buys, you probably won’t regret it.
Tim Hudson ($5,000) vs. Diamondbacks
Tim Hudson is extremely cheap for a guy who just pitched a gem against the boys from the desert. On September 8, Huddy threw six innings of one-run ball against the snakes. Oh yeah, he also tagged a ball—the eighth of nine homers by San Francisco Giant pitchers so far this season.
Today numberFire ranks Hudson as the most valuable pitcher on DraftKings. He’ll benefit from throwing at home in the second best pitcher’s park in the league, according to ESPN’s park factor statistic. Also, his sinker-ball and consequent high ground-ball-rate (about 56 percent this season and throughout his career, according to Fangraphs) help him to avoid allowing home runs and sustain success through the heat of the summer.
Jake Odorizzi ($8,900) vs. Orioles
According to Fangraphs, the Orioles have been the worst offensive team in the American League. They rank last in wRC+ and wOBA and lead the AL in strikeout rate.
I expect that offensive trend to continue in Tampa today with Odorizzi on the bump. The righty enters today’s bout having posted three straight strong starts. Per DraftKings, Odorizzi has not dipped below 17.9 fantasy points this month and has averaged over 20 per outing. He should easily top six innings against the slumping O’s.
Other pitchers to target:
Aaron Nola ($8,200) @ Braves
Julio Teheran ($7,700) vs. Phillies
Aaron Brooks ($4,300) @ Astros
Stephen Strasburg ($10,400) vs. Marlins
(OF) Bryce Harper ($6,000) vs. Marlins
At this point, how can you build a lineup without the kid in it? Bryce Harper is on a tear! According to DraftKings, over the past six games, his worst outing yielded eight fantasy points. He hit five home runs and scored 114 fantasy points in that streak.
The trouble with the next NL MVP? He’s pricey. It’s tough to allocate one outfield spot 12 percent of your daily roster. One way to help fit him in? A cheap two-man Phillies stack…
(SS/3B) Andres Blanco ($2,100) @ Braves and (OF/1B) Darin Ruf ($2,000) @ Braves
NumberFire ranks Blanco and Ruf as the top two values amongst position players today. They’re both dirt cheap, but provide unique skills at minimal up front costs. Ruf’s bat has pop. Though he rarely gets on base, eight of Ruf’s 51 hits this season have left the yard.
Blanco, at 31, is a better overall player. He has five homers, but also reaches base over 36 percent of the time. Though Braves starter Julio Teheran should still have a nice outing, don’t be surprised if one of these two eventually knocks him out of the game.
Other position players to target:
(OF) Edwin Encarnacion ($5,000) vs. Red Sox
(SS) Corey Seager ($3,300) vs. Pirates
(SS) Francisco Lindor ($4,600) vs. White Sox
(OF) Matt Kemp ($5,100) @ Rockies
(OF) Justin Upton ($5,300) @ Rockies
(OF) Tommy Pham ($3,100) @ Cubs
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com