3 MLB FanDuel Value Plays for Friday 6/30/23

Value is king for DFS, and finding a diamond in the rough can be the ultimate difference-maker.

For hitters, we want players with the capacity to put up big numbers, those with favorable matchups, and with a supporting cast that can increase their chances for runs and RBI. Looking at pitchers, strikeouts are king -- although, inning-eaters and win potential can't be ignored.

Let's look at some of the top value plays for Friday's main slate on FanDuel, which begins at 7:05 p.m. EST.

Dean Kremer, SP, Baltimore Orioles ($8,700)

Kicking things off on the bump, Baltimore Orioles righty Dean Kremer has a nice matchup tonight against the Minnesota Twins.

After a shaky opening month, Kremer has settled down nicely and is tied for the most wins on the team with the third-most wins in baseball.

Kremer's numbers won't blow you away, but he's the definition of an innings-eater. After a shaky opening month, Kremer's lasted at least five innings in all 10 of his starts. While he can fall victim to the long ball, Kremer features elite control thanks to his 85th percentile walk rate (5.9%).

This Twins lineup is solid against righties -- ranking 16th in weighted on-base percentage (.321 wOBA) and 9th in isolated power (1.75 ISO). However, they lead the league with a 28.2% strikeout rate and have averaged the second-fewest runs per game in the league this month (3.35). Over their last six games, opposing starters have averaged 6.5 strikeouts per game against the Twins.

Those strikeouts are what we're chasing with Kremer tonight. While his 20.6% strikeout rate is only in the 33rd percentile league-wide, he struck out at least five in each of his last seven outings.

numberFire's projections have Kremer at 26.7 FanDuel points -- the 11th-best mark among pitchers. However, he has the second-highest projection among pitchers under $9,000. That makes Kremer one of the best values on the board and a strong target for low-salaried pitchers.

Salvador Perez, C, Kansas City Royals ($2,800)

Despite going hitless in his last 15 plate appearances, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez could be in play for a major turnaround tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers. For as bad as Perez has looked lately, tonight he gets a date with the similarly struggling Bobby Miller.

After allowing just two runs over his first four starts, Miller was pegged for 13 runs on 17 hits in his last two outings. His skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) now sits at 4.33 -- largely thanks to giving up a 34% hard-hit rate over his last two starts.

Perez has thrived against righties this season -- against whom he ranks 21st in ISO (.260) while sporting a .352 wOBA. Additionally, 14 of his 15 home runs have come against right-handed pitchers.

The biggest thing that gets me excited about Salvy tonight is Bobby Miller's pitch mix. Miller's thrown his sinker 45.8% of the time since being called up, per FanGraphs. That bodes well for Perez who has a .505 wOBA against sinkers this season-- his highest wOBA against any pitch type. In fact, Perez has produced a positive run value against sinkers in each of the last five seasons, according to Statcast.

numberFire's projections have Perez at 12.6 FanDuel points tonight. That is tied for sixth among all C/1B and the most among C/1B under $3,000. The 33-year-old has a strong track record, and his solid matchup makes him one of the best value plays of the slate.

Jake Burger, 3B, Chicago White Sox ($2,800)

Closing the DFS bargain bin tonight is Chicago White Sox third baseman Jake Burger.

Burger has become a fan-favorite in Chicago thanks to his holy trinity of a cool name, a thick mustache, and some incredible power.

Burger doesn't carry a high on-base percentage, and he collects more than his fair share of strikeouts. However, when he does connect he certainly makes the most of it.

Burger sits in the 90th percentile league-wide with a 50.7% hard-hit rate, culminating in 17 home runs. Among hitters with at least 200 plate appearances, Burger ranks sixth with a .299 ISO.

Tonight, Burger gets a matchup with Oakland Athletics righty Luis Medina. Medina has a below-average 4.90 SIERA and sits in the bottom seven percent of the league with a .384 wOBA allowed, putting the Sox and Burger in a nice spot to rack up counting stats.

numberFire projects Burger to rack up 12.7 FanDuel points tonight -- their third-highest projection among all players under $3,000 and fourth-highest 3B projection. Consequently, he's a top value play with one of the highest ceilings of the slate.

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.