3 MLB FanDuel Value Plays for Wednesday 8/23/23

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 Wednesday's main slate.

Advanced statistics courtesy of FanGraphs.

MacKenzie Gore, SP, Washington Nationals ($8,900)

In the Bronx, MacKenzie Gore of the the Washington Nationals is set for a road bid against the New York Yankees. Gore has been up and down in 2023, currently showcasing a 4.10 SIERA, but he faces a Yankee team that is laboring arduously at the plate right now -- New York has scored one or fewer runs in five of their past nine games.

Speaking of the Yankees' past nine games, they have notably lost every one of them, which is something the Bombers have not done since the year the first episode of Late Night with David Letterman aired on NBC (1982). Already, that should put Gore in quality positioning to pick up a win.

In 2023, Gore is striking out 27.0% of his total batters faced, which is a solid jump from only 23.3% in that department last year as a rookie. He has been more effective as of late, too, punching out at least five hitters in five of his last six outings.

According to numberFire, Gore is expected to produce 27.6 FanDuel points tonight, and he has the upside to well exceed that. Remembering New York's struggles on offense at the moment, I consider Gore a strong, economic selection.

Luke Raley, OF/1B, Tampa Bay Rays ($2,800)

Luke Raley has quietly put together a very respectable campaign for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, his third season at the Major League level. Despite playing in only 98 games, he is currently fourth on his ball club in home runs (17) and third in OPS (.839).

Raley seems to be in a favorable spot all-around on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies. At home, numberFire projects him to output 12.3 points on FanDuel, which translates to the second-best value score of any batter tonight. Additionally, numberFire's game projections show 5.35 runs for the Rays -- that is the second-highest figure of all 28 teams in action.

Versus the Rockies, Tampa will first see starting pitcher Austin Gomber tonight. Gomber has had a rough go of it this season, yielding a dismal SIERA of 5.18 while allowing 1.59 home runs per 9 innings. Of course, some of Gomber's numbers will be inflated due to playing half his games at Coors Field, but he simply has not been sharp in the current campaign.

Compared to 2022, Raley has done well to raise his wOBA by more than 50 points, as he sits at .359 in the category right now. With fellow sluggers Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes hitting around Raley, he will have many opportunities to thrive.

Brandon Belt, 1B, Toronto Blue Jays ($2,900)

The Toronto Blue Jays boast a mashing lineup again in 2023 (11th-best .745 team OPS right now), so Brandon Belt has naturally meshed in his first season with the club. Tonight, he and the Jays are scheduled for a divisional date at the Baltimore Orioles, featuring righty Dean Kremer on the bump.

For Wednesday, Belt carries a projection of 12.5 points on FanDuel, per numberFire. In unison with his reasonable salary of $2,900 tonight, Belt is left with the fourth-best value score of all eligible hitters.

When looking for high upside, Belt seems like an easy choice in this one. He has been smashing the baseball as of late, crushing three home runs and five total RBI over his past four games. Considering he will be taking his initial at-bats with a platoon advantage against Kremer, I trust in Belt -- and his .874 OPS this year versus right-handers -- to be involved in the scoring tonight.

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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.