MLB DFS: Model Picks and Value Plays on DraftKings for June 17

Sign up with the ESPN BET promo code LABSNEWS to bet on Max Fried and the Atlanta Braves.

The FantasyLabs MLB Player Models house numerous data points to help you construct your MLB DFS rosters.

They house our floor, median, and ceiling projections for each player, but that’s just the beginning of what you’ll find inside. You’ll also find our Trends tool, stacking tool, and more.

Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your teams for cash games or small-field tournaments.

Let’s dive into some MLB plays that stand out in our Player Models for today’s slate.

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Real-time DFS models & projections

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Bargain Rating Picks

You might be asking: what is Bargain Rating, and why should I care?

Bargain Rating shows how much of a bargain a player is on one DFS site versus others. If a player is significantly cheaper on one site than the other, they will have a favorable Bargain Rating on the site where they’re more affordable and a poor Bargain Rating on the site where they’re more expensive. It’s a straightforward metric, but targeting players at reduced price tags is almost always a strong strategy in DFS.

Bargain Rating strongly correlates with player value, which you can quickly see with our predictive projected Plus/Minus metric.

Seeing how Plus/Minus helps you project how many points a player is expected to score compared to what their salary implies them to score, this is a good company for Bargain Rating.

MLB DFS DraftKings Bargain Value

Adael Amador ($2,600): Second Baseman, Colorado Rockies

At 21 years old, rookie Adael Amador has struggled in the first week of his major league career, but projected at bats inside Coors Field will lift any hitter’s potential fantasy value.

Amador has three hits in 26 at-bats since joining the Rockies on June 9. Over four minor league seasons, Amador amassed a .276/.390/.440 batting line with 38 home runs and 151 RBI.

At the $2,600 price tag, the model likes Amador as a stack option with a high park rating in Colorado. The Rockies will face veteran lefty James Paxton for the Dodgers with a 6-1 record and 3.92 ERA.

Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper Fantasy promo code LABS1 for a $100 deposit match.

 

MLB DFS Ceiling Projection Picks

Pitcher

Max Fried ($9,800) vs. Detroit Tigers

Max Fried continues to be a valuable asset on the mound for the Braves in his eighth season with the club. He sits at 6-3 with a 3.20 ERA and 1.06 WHIP this season through 13 starts.

Without a superior strikeout rate, Fried relies on location to get hitters off balance. He allows a low 30.7 hard hit % and 84.4 mph average exit velocity. He allowed four earned runs in his last start, only the third time he’s allowed over three scores this season.

Using PlateIQ, the projected Tigers lineup has a .123 ISO and .325 wOBA against left-handed pitching this season. They have a low run projection as the model expects Fried to be productive for fantasy owners tonight.

Hitter

Shohei Ohtani ($7,000) at Colorado Rockies

It’s not often that a hitter reaches the $7,000 threshold, but Shohei Ohtani has earned his highest DraftKings salary of the season with a prime matchup in the Colorado air. Ohtani blasted two home runs yesterday and has four in his last six games.

Ohtani’s numbers continue to be eye-popping with a .309/.382/.594 batting line, 19 home runs, and 46 RBI. He has the highest average exit velocity of his career and an insane 60.6 hard hit %. Even with the highest price tag on the slate each night, Ohtani has lived up to the billing with a +1.77 average Plus/Minus over his last 10 games.

The Dodgers draw right-hander Cal Quantrill tonight with a 6-4 record and a 3.30 ERA. He has allowed five of his eight home runs at home on the season.

More DraftKings MLB DFS Hitters and Pitchers

One of the great features of being a FantasyLabs Pro member is the option to purchase additional items in the FantasyLabs Marketplace.

A new addition to our MLB projections is THE BAT X from Derek Carty of RotoGrinders. With this purchase, you can use his projections alone or create aggregate projections within our Player Models.

For this example, we created a 50/50 blend with THE BAT X and the FantasyLabs projections to pinpoint some hitters standing out with this blend.

MLB DFS Pitcher

Paul Skenes ($9,500) vs. Cincinnati Reds

What a start to a career for heralded rookie Paul Skenes. The LSU product has excelled on the mound with a 3-0 record and 2.43 ERA through his first six starts.

The velocity is off the charts for the Pirates right-hander. He has a sky-high 35.4 K% with 46 strikeouts in 33.1 innings. He has at least eight punchouts in each of his last three starts and packs double-digit potential every time he takes the mound.

The Reds’ projected lineup has an elevated 25.6 K% on the season and a strikingly low home run expectation. Skenes is a great upside option for lineups on the main slate.


Now available: our MLB DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.


MLB DFS Hitters

Teoscar Hernandez ($6,000) at Colorado Rockies

All eyes will be on the Rockies/Dodgers matchup in Denver today with the highest implied run totals on the slate. Teoscar Hernandez is another solid stack option with recent high upside results.

In the five-game stretch from June 6-11, Hernandez posted five home runs and 12 RBI, including a massive 43-point DraftKings performance against the Yankees on June 8. Overall in June, Hernandez is batting .264/.350/.604.

Hernandez has performed better on the road this season with a .281/.333/.525 hitting line. He has plenty of help around him in the Dodgers lineup even with the Mookie Betts injury. Expect Hernandez to have opportunities for fantasy success tonight.


Brett Wisely ($3,000) at Chicago Cubs

Outside of the matchup in Colorado, Brett Wisely stands out as a value option today for the Giants. Wisely has a +1.69 average Plus/Minus over his last 10 games and knocked in three RBI on a pair of doubles yesterday.

Wisely has impressed at the plate this season with a .313/.329/.478 batting line. His ceiling is capped with just two home runs on the season, but he still provides fantasy value with four double-digit DraftKings point games over his last five starts.

The Giants take on right-hander Javier Assad today for the Cubs. The righty is 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 1.24 WHIP through 14 starts this season.

The FantasyLabs MLB Player Models house numerous data points to help you construct your MLB DFS rosters.

They house our floor, median, and ceiling projections for each player, but that’s just the beginning of what you’ll find inside. You’ll also find our Trends tool, stacking tool, and more.

Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your teams for cash games or small-field tournaments.

Let’s dive into some MLB plays that stand out in our Player Models for today’s slate.

Become an All-Access Member Today

Lineup builder and optimizer

Real-time DFS models & projections

Data-driven analysis & tutorials
 

Bargain Rating Picks

You might be asking: what is Bargain Rating, and why should I care?

Bargain Rating shows how much of a bargain a player is on one DFS site versus others. If a player is significantly cheaper on one site than the other, they will have a favorable Bargain Rating on the site where they’re more affordable and a poor Bargain Rating on the site where they’re more expensive. It’s a straightforward metric, but targeting players at reduced price tags is almost always a strong strategy in DFS.

Bargain Rating strongly correlates with player value, which you can quickly see with our predictive projected Plus/Minus metric.

Seeing how Plus/Minus helps you project how many points a player is expected to score compared to what their salary implies them to score, this is a good company for Bargain Rating.

MLB DFS DraftKings Bargain Value

Adael Amador ($2,600): Second Baseman, Colorado Rockies

At 21 years old, rookie Adael Amador has struggled in the first week of his major league career, but projected at bats inside Coors Field will lift any hitter’s potential fantasy value.

Amador has three hits in 26 at-bats since joining the Rockies on June 9. Over four minor league seasons, Amador amassed a .276/.390/.440 batting line with 38 home runs and 151 RBI.

At the $2,600 price tag, the model likes Amador as a stack option with a high park rating in Colorado. The Rockies will face veteran lefty James Paxton for the Dodgers with a 6-1 record and 3.92 ERA.

Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper Fantasy promo code LABS1 for a $100 deposit match.

 

MLB DFS Ceiling Projection Picks

Pitcher

Max Fried ($9,800) vs. Detroit Tigers

Max Fried continues to be a valuable asset on the mound for the Braves in his eighth season with the club. He sits at 6-3 with a 3.20 ERA and 1.06 WHIP this season through 13 starts.

Without a superior strikeout rate, Fried relies on location to get hitters off balance. He allows a low 30.7 hard hit % and 84.4 mph average exit velocity. He allowed four earned runs in his last start, only the third time he’s allowed over three scores this season.

Using PlateIQ, the projected Tigers lineup has a .123 ISO and .325 wOBA against left-handed pitching this season. They have a low run projection as the model expects Fried to be productive for fantasy owners tonight.

Hitter

Shohei Ohtani ($7,000) at Colorado Rockies

It’s not often that a hitter reaches the $7,000 threshold, but Shohei Ohtani has earned his highest DraftKings salary of the season with a prime matchup in the Colorado air. Ohtani blasted two home runs yesterday and has four in his last six games.

Ohtani’s numbers continue to be eye-popping with a .309/.382/.594 batting line, 19 home runs, and 46 RBI. He has the highest average exit velocity of his career and an insane 60.6 hard hit %. Even with the highest price tag on the slate each night, Ohtani has lived up to the billing with a +1.77 average Plus/Minus over his last 10 games.

The Dodgers draw right-hander Cal Quantrill tonight with a 6-4 record and a 3.30 ERA. He has allowed five of his eight home runs at home on the season.

More DraftKings MLB DFS Hitters and Pitchers

One of the great features of being a FantasyLabs Pro member is the option to purchase additional items in the FantasyLabs Marketplace.

A new addition to our MLB projections is THE BAT X from Derek Carty of RotoGrinders. With this purchase, you can use his projections alone or create aggregate projections within our Player Models.

For this example, we created a 50/50 blend with THE BAT X and the FantasyLabs projections to pinpoint some hitters standing out with this blend.

MLB DFS Pitcher

Paul Skenes ($9,500) vs. Cincinnati Reds

What a start to a career for heralded rookie Paul Skenes. The LSU product has excelled on the mound with a 3-0 record and 2.43 ERA through his first six starts.

The velocity is off the charts for the Pirates right-hander. He has a sky-high 35.4 K% with 46 strikeouts in 33.1 innings. He has at least eight punchouts in each of his last three starts and packs double-digit potential every time he takes the mound.

The Reds’ projected lineup has an elevated 25.6 K% on the season and a strikingly low home run expectation. Skenes is a great upside option for lineups on the main slate.


Now available: our MLB DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.


MLB DFS Hitters

Teoscar Hernandez ($6,000) at Colorado Rockies

All eyes will be on the Rockies/Dodgers matchup in Denver today with the highest implied run totals on the slate. Teoscar Hernandez is another solid stack option with recent high upside results.

In the five-game stretch from June 6-11, Hernandez posted five home runs and 12 RBI, including a massive 43-point DraftKings performance against the Yankees on June 8. Overall in June, Hernandez is batting .264/.350/.604.

Hernandez has performed better on the road this season with a .281/.333/.525 hitting line. He has plenty of help around him in the Dodgers lineup even with the Mookie Betts injury. Expect Hernandez to have opportunities for fantasy success tonight.


Brett Wisely ($3,000) at Chicago Cubs

Outside of the matchup in Colorado, Brett Wisely stands out as a value option today for the Giants. Wisely has a +1.69 average Plus/Minus over his last 10 games and knocked in three RBI on a pair of doubles yesterday.

Wisely has impressed at the plate this season with a .313/.329/.478 batting line. His ceiling is capped with just two home runs on the season, but he still provides fantasy value with four double-digit DraftKings point games over his last five starts.

The Giants take on right-hander Javier Assad today for the Cubs. The righty is 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 1.24 WHIP through 14 starts this season.

About the Author

Ben Strunk writes MLB and NFL DFS content for FantasyLabs. He earned bachelor's degrees in journalism and sports management at Ohio University and a masters in sport management from the University of Florida. Strunk has written for a variety of media outlets, including The Gainesville Sun over his career. He has more than a decade of fantasy sports experience and aims to provide data-driven analysis in a clear, efficient voice. Outside of fantasy sports, Strunk is a long time sports card collector, high school sports official, and ultrarunner.