FanDuel MLB: Thursday Value Picks

FanDuel MLB: Thursday Value Picks

This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.

The Thursday DFS slate starts at 2:20 p.m. EDT featuring two games – the Diamondbacks at the Cubs and the White Sox at the Angels. That leaves nine games for the main slate starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT. There is no game at Coor's Field, though there is another game in Arlington as the As wrap up their series with the Rangers.

For those interested, we've started an MLB DFS Slack channel for paid RotoWire subscribers. (There is a season-long one as well.) To join those channels, e-mail support@rotowire.com. 

PITCHER

Nick Kingham, PIT vs NYM ($8,500): Kingham's 1.105 WHIP suggests his 4.11 ERA should be lower, especially considering he's struck out almost a batter per inning this season. His minor league numbers were excellent before his callup and the Mets are a good matchup. New York has a .304 wOBA against right-pitching, seventh lowest in baseball. Kingham has also been much better at home than on the road this season with a 2.90 ERA and .90 WHIP.

Cheap GPP Consideration: Tyler Mahle, CIN vs PHI ($6,700):
Mahle was in a good groove just before the All-Star break with seven consecutive starts allowing three runs or fewer. However, he's been more hittable in his last two starts (eight innings), giving up 11 earned runs. Working in Mahle's favor is that he hasn't faced the Phillies, who like to strike out against right-handed pitching. While their .314 wOBA against righties is league average, Philadelphia's 25.8 percent strikeout rate is the

The Thursday DFS slate starts at 2:20 p.m. EDT featuring two games – the Diamondbacks at the Cubs and the White Sox at the Angels. That leaves nine games for the main slate starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT. There is no game at Coor's Field, though there is another game in Arlington as the As wrap up their series with the Rangers.

For those interested, we've started an MLB DFS Slack channel for paid RotoWire subscribers. (There is a season-long one as well.) To join those channels, e-mail support@rotowire.com. 

PITCHER

Nick Kingham, PIT vs NYM ($8,500): Kingham's 1.105 WHIP suggests his 4.11 ERA should be lower, especially considering he's struck out almost a batter per inning this season. His minor league numbers were excellent before his callup and the Mets are a good matchup. New York has a .304 wOBA against right-pitching, seventh lowest in baseball. Kingham has also been much better at home than on the road this season with a 2.90 ERA and .90 WHIP.

Cheap GPP Consideration: Tyler Mahle, CIN vs PHI ($6,700):
Mahle was in a good groove just before the All-Star break with seven consecutive starts allowing three runs or fewer. However, he's been more hittable in his last two starts (eight innings), giving up 11 earned runs. Working in Mahle's favor is that he hasn't faced the Phillies, who like to strike out against right-handed pitching. While their .314 wOBA against righties is league average, Philadelphia's 25.8 percent strikeout rate is the highest in baseball. Dereck Rodriguez ($8,300) at home against the Brewers is another pitcher to consider.

FIRST BASE/CATCHER

Matt Olson, OAK at TEX ($3,500): Using Kingham opens an average of more than $3,300 for every hitter putting Olson firmly in play. He'll get a great matchup against Bartolo Colon in Texas, one of the best hitting environments in baseball. Olson has a .354 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season and his .439 mark from last season suggests he could actually improve the rest of the season.

SECOND BASE

Brian Dozier, MIN at BOS ($3,900): Brian Johnson will toe the rubber for the Red Sox, and any time the Twins face a lefty Dozier is worth considering. While his .320 wOBA against southpaws this season doesn't jump off the page, his .437 and .397 marks from the last two seasons do. In just over 66 innings with the Red Sox, Johnson has given up a .349 wOBA to right-handed hitters.

THIRD BASE

Eugenio Suarez, CIN vs PHI ($3,900): We should see some Suarez on Suarez crime in this game as Eugenio takes on Ranger in his big league debut. Eugenio has homered in three straight and has crushed left-handed pitching all season. He has a .381 wOBA against southpaws this season, and Ranger likely will struggle on the road.

SHORTSTOP

Didi Gregorius, NYY vs KC ($3,500): Shortstop is actually full of options with Marcus Semien ($3,900) and Elvis Andrus ($4,100) good choices as well. In fact, using a shortstop in the utility spot is worth considering, and that is seldom said. However, Didi is a great pivot off the Texas/Oakland game and saves a few bucks as well by using him. He has a .397 wOBA against right-handed pitching in Yankee Stadium and his counterpart, Jakob Junis, has allowed a .345 wOBA to left-handed hitters.

OUTFIELD

Gorkys Hernandez, SF vs MIL ($2,600): Milwaukee starter Wade Miley has an unsustainable 1.56 ERA. Hernandez has hit leadoff against lefties this season, and at home he has a .340 wOBA. He's capable of swiping a bag as well, and Miley's wOBA against right-handed hitters last season was .374.

Khris Davis, OAK at TEX ($4,500):
With the tear he's on it's pretty easy to make the argument that Davis is the top option in a game with an over/under of 11 and in Arlington. Davis, who has six home runs and 13 RBI in his last four games, has a great matchup against Bartolo Colon. Last season, Bartolo gave up a .391 wOBA to right-handed hitters at home leading to an overall 6.48 ERA. Pairing Davis with Nick Martini ($2,300, could be hitting leadoff) against Colon makes sense in cash games.

UTILITY

Johan Camargo, ATL vs LAD ($2,900): With all of the hype over the youngsters on the Braves as well as Freddie Freeman having another great season, Camargo seems to be flying under the radar. He's been fantastic against left-handed pitching since joining the Braves with a .418 wOBA (156 plate appearances) and gets Rich Hill. Hill's .357 to opposing right-handed hitters shows that he's had difficulty with that side of the plate this season.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin Payne
Kevin has worked for RotoWire over a decade and has covered basketball, baseball and football. A glutton for punishment, he roots for his hometown Bills, Sabres and the New York Yankees. You can follow him on Twitter @KCPayne26.
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