J.D. Martinez is far too good to be priced as low as he is
Welcome to the final edition of FanDuel MLB Value Plays. It has been a great year of MLB DFS that already has me looking forward to 2017! Baseball will never be the same for many of us without Jose Fernandez, as he was one of the most exciting players in all of baseball and will join the list of positive contributors to humanity who is gone way too soon. Let’s take a look at our final value plays column for the year!
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PITCHERS
Ricky Nolasco (LAA): $7,000 vs. OAK
I don’t love to target the Athletics, but when you are talking about looking at guys specifically under $7k, there isn’t much to be desired. Nolasco has been pretty darn good since moving on from the Twins, and at this price, a 40 point outing would be a very good result. I think he is capable of it, and while I don’t think there is any way you can consider him in your cash games, I do think he makes for a very nice tournament play.
Other Options
Jimmy Nelson (MIL) – $6,200 @ TEX
CATCHER
Martin Maldanado (MIL): $2,500 @ TEX
Maldanado is one of those guys I’ve like to run out in tournaments for a few years now because he has some really god power upside and is always pretty low owned. A.J. Griffin has been exposed as the year has gone on after a reasonably good start to the year. I think this is an excellent tournament play for all the reasons I have given above and it wouldn’t surprise me if he has a really nice outing and helps someone win some decent money.
Other Options
Russell Martin (TOR) – $2,900 vs. BAL
Mike Zunino (SEA) – $2,600 @ HOU
FIRST BASE
Lucas Duda (NYM): $2,400 @ MIA
I’m sure that Duda is not someone at this point that really inspires confidence, but daily fantasy baseball is all about one night and the right matchup. Tom Koehler hasn’t been awful this year, but we are not going to mistake him for a good pitcher either. The price and the upside for Duda is just way too good to pass on, and Duda has always been a very good hitter against right-handed pitching. Again, he isn’t a guy you want anywhere near your cash game lineups but there is a ton of potential there for tournaments.
Other Options
Ryan Howard (PHI) – $2,500 @ ATL
Matt Adams (STL) – $2,800 vs. CIN
SECOND BASE
Adam Rosales (SDP): $2,800 vs. LOS
Rosales is usually a situational player for me – someone I really only want to target against lefties. However, he hasn’t gotten the chance to face many lately, but is still producing. He is the ultimate tournament play, as he is likely to give you a really nice game or a goose egg. Jose De Leon has struggled this year, and while Rosales isn’t the type of hitter who strikes fear in a pitcher’s heart, if De Leon makes one wrong pitch, it is almost certain that Rosales will make him pay for it.
Other Options
Chase Utley (LOS) – $2,900 @ SDP
Whit Merrifield (KAN) – $2,900 vs. MIN
THIRD BASE
Yunel Escobar (LAA): $2,900 vs. OAK
Escobar is unquestionably one of the least exciting players in all of daily fantasy, despite being a very, very talented hitter. He doesn’t hit for power, and he doesn’t steal bases, so that immediately takes away the two biggest things we look for in a hitter. However, he does hit well for average, and he could be in position to drive some runs in. This is a very good price and while I like him better in cash games, I think there is some upside for tournaments.
Other Options
Jedd Gyorko (STL) – $2,800 vs. CIN
Yangervis Solarte (SDP) – $2,600 vs. LOS
SHORTSTOP
Jhonny Peralta (STL):$3,000 vs. CIN
Peralta should almost certainly be in the lineup tonight with Matt Carpenter ailing and Aledmys Diaz tending to his family, as they were close with Jose Fernandez and his family. Peralta has actually been hitting really well this year, and Robert Stephenson could very well be eaten alive in this one. I love this price and I think you can play him in any format.
Other Options
Elvis Andrus (TEX) – $2,900 vs. MIL
Danny Espinosa (ARI) – $2,700 vs. WAS
OUTFIELDERS
J.D. Martinez (DET): $3,200 vs. CLE
I try to keep within the under $3k range, but when something like this happens, I have to point it out. This is just a joke for a guy with one of the highest upsides in all of baseball. I mean, I cannot guarantee that he will have a big game, but I think he stands a pretty good chance against Steve Clevinger. He’ll be in a ton of my lineups.
Michael Conforto (NYM): $2,700 @ MIA
Conforto started the year off very strong before falling off completely and getting sent back down. He has been pretty good since getting called back up months back, and I really like the matchup against Tom Koehler tonight. Again, we are rostering Conforto just for the home run upside exists, so keep him out of your cash games.
Yasiel Puig (LOS): $2,700 @ SDP
Puig is another guy we want to keep far, far away from our cash games, but I really like the upside for him against Paul Clemens tonight. Puig does have a ton of upside, despite having a very, very bad year. I think this is a good spot for Puig, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him knock one out of the park tonight.
Other Options
Steve Selsky (CIN) – $2,500 @ STL
Max Kepler (MIN) – $2,600 vs. KAN
Melky Cabrera (CWS) – $2,900 vs. TAM
Hunter Renfroe (SDP) – $2,200 vs. LOS
Roman Quinn (PHI) – $2,700 @ ATL
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Nicholas Volinchak is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Nicholas, follow him @researchandwin. You can find more of Nicholas’ baseball work at Research Fantasy.
