3 FanDuel MLB DFS Value Plays for Thursday 5/30/24

1mo

Finding low-salary production is one way to get a leg up on the competition in MLB DFS.

Here are some value plays to target on FanDuel for today's main slate.

Advanced statistics courtesy of FanGraphs. Betting lines via the MLB odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Betting odds as well as our projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- may change after this article is published.

MLB DFS Value Plays

Ray Kerr, P, Braves ($5,500)

Atlanta Braves left-handed pitcher Ray Kerr will be making his second career start on Thursday against the Washington Nationals. He's logged 45.1 innings pitched in MLB, and most of those have come in relief. However, with injuries to Atlanta's rotation, Kerr will see an increased role.

Kerr gets the ball today after Reynaldo Lopez was scratched from the start. That could play out well for the Braves; Washington has struggled mightily versus lefty pitching in 2024, owning a .630 OPS, .231 average and 22.1 strikeout rate in the split. Considering Kerr's frugal salary of $5,500 -- the minimum for a pitcher -- he's worth a second look in this matchup.

A journeyman minor-leaguer, Kerr is currently enjoying his greatest MLB success. This season (13.1 IP), he's posted strong figures behind a 2.53 skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) and 10.8 K/9 rate.

Our projections have Kerr as the most valuable option -- in terms of points per dollar -- at any position on Thursday. The 29-year-old southpaw is yielding a 5.58 DFS value score.

On this shorter slate, I'm willing to give Kerr the nod at his low salary if I'm targeting a value arm.

Joc Pederson, OF, Diamondbacks ($2,900)

In Flushing, Joc Pederson and the Arizona Diamondbacks could be in line for a favorable matchup. They'll be at Citi Field to take on the struggling New York Mets and rookie right-hander Christian Scott.

A slugging lefty in the batter's box, Peterson has mashed right-handers in 2024 for a .901 OPS and .303 average. Transparently, a matchup with Joc may not fare well for the rookie Scott, who has surrendered a .314 batting average in a small sample of 36 plate appearances against left-handed hitters.

Pederson's DFS projection shows a lofty 12.6 FanDuel points, according to our numbers. Given Joc's modest salary, the two-time World Series champion warrants consideration this evening in Queens.

To this point, Scott carries a 46.2% fly-ball rate throughout his brief MLB tenure. That could lead to trouble against the upper-cutting Pederson, a player tagged with a 52.7% Statcast hard-contact rate.

Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Yankees ($2,900)

To keep the left-handed theme churning strongly, I also have my eye on Anthony Rizzo of the New York Yankees tonight. He and the Bronx Bombers are in Southern California to wrap up a series with the Los Angeles Angels. To dial up the intensity, Thursday will be a rubber match between these American League ball clubs.

Admittedly, Rizzo is not enjoying his most successful hitting campaign by any stretch. Still, he is listed with a low salary of $2,900 on Thursday, and for a player with his pop, that could be worth exploring.

Our projections are expecting 11.5 FanDuel points from Rizzo in Anaheim. He and the Yanks are scheduled to take on southpaw pitcher Patrick Sandoval. The New York first baseman is not his best against lefties, but Sandoval has been soft in same-handed matchups, allowing a .757 OPS to lefty bats.

Overall, Sandoval has labored arduously for the Halos in 2024. Entering Thursday, he is tagged with a 1.55 WHIP, which is the worst mark of his six-year MLB tenure.

Rizzo could receive a huge boost from a DFS perspective by playing alongside such exorbitant collective talent. The Yankees lead MLB with a .339 team wOBA and .770 OPS. That could translate to many favorable scoring and RBI opportunities for Rizzo.

On top of that, Angel Stadium is a known hitter's park, carrying the seventh-highest Park Factor score (101, per Baseball Savant) in baseball.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.