Welcome to the first of my many articles on Sunday DraftKings MLB DFS prices. I’ll break down some of the prime values on the board, including studs and value plays, and why these players can lead your lineup to victory.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $300K Bat Flip [$100K to 1st]
SP Jackson Jobe, $8,800: Yes, Jobe struggled in his first start of the year against the Mariners, who aren’t hitting well. But this is a White Sox team that might as well be a Triple-A squad. Jobe may seem like a big swing as the pitching anchor, but practically everyone looks like a Cy Young winner in this tilt.
SP Sandy Alcantara, $8,300: The former Cy Young winner has looked strong in his return from a lost 2024 campaign. He didn’t give up a run across 12 innings in spring training and has held strong across two starts to begin the year. And make no mistake, this Braves lineup is down tremendously. Miami’s NL East rivals have barely generated any offense this year. Unless Atlanta’s bats can dig deep, Alcantara will go through them like a hot knife through butter.
SP Kris Bubic, $7,500: Bubic looks like a pitcher reborn. In his first season as a starter since 2021, Bubic spun a gem in his first turn on the mound. His fastball, in particular, was lethal. The increased spin and break rates on that pitch led to a 46% swinging strike rate on the heater, and it left a good Brewers lineup stumped. The Orioles are off to a strong start at the plate this year, but I’m betting on Bubic to keep the good times rolling. At least until these teams figure out how to hit the new-look starter.
SP Will Warren, $6,000: The young Yankees righty may not be established quite yet and comes in as the lowest-priced pitcher on the board. But there are reasons to think he can deliver as a bargain-bin option. First, the Pirates aren’t tearing the cover off the ball. Second, PNC Park isn’t very friendly to hitters. Third, only two Pirates have even faced Warren in their careers. And fourth, Warren’s velocity and spin/break figures remain up compared to last year. Yankees’ pitching coach Matt Blake has worked some magic, and it’s a matter of time before his improvement shows.
OF/SS Mookie Betts, $5,900: To the surprise of nobody, Mookie Betts is off to a hot start. He’s already ripped three homers in only 26 plate appearances. Even with talented lefty Cristopher Sanchez on the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies, I think the former MVP will get his own and produce enough to anchor an infield.
1B Pete Alonso, $5,500: Speaking of hot batters, Alonso is a man to be feared. He’s started the year with five extra-base hits and six walks. He’s limited in experience against Toronto right-hander Bowden Francis, and this works against him, but all it takes is one swing for Alonso to capitalize on his price.
C Carson Kelly, $2,700: Kelly hitting for the cycle last week may end up as one of the stranger performances of the season. Most of his body of work has come from that game. That 4-for-4 game overshadows his 1-for-8 mark in three other starts. But I like Kelly to produce at bottom-of-the-barrel value here. He should have the left-right matchup against Padres lefty Kyle Hart and only needs a little bit of action to make the value worth it.
1B Spencer Torkelson, $3,400: Maybe, just maybe, it’s the year of Tork. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick has been somewhat of a disappointment but has carried a loud spring training into early season success. After slugging another homer Friday, Torkelson is up to a .344 average with an OPS over 1.000 due to his newfound patience at the plate. The contact has been loud, and Torkelson may be rising on the price sheets soon if this hot start continues.
OF Aaron Judge, $6,400: What can you even say at this point? Judge leads the league in home runs, RBIs, runs, slugging percentage and total bases. That’s not just the American League; that’s all of Major League Baseball. No price is too high for Judge to anchor your lineup while he’s this hot.
OF Oneil Cruz, $5,300: Few players in the big leagues possess the tools Cruz has. He can swipe you a bag and hit a 115 MPH rocket in the same night without batting an eye. The results at the plate haven’t been up to his full potential yet with a .241 average. However, it’s worth noting he’s worked eight walks in nine contests. The major league leader in stolen bags is getting on base at a .400 clip. That’s dangerous even before you account for his game-changing bat speed and power.
OF Cedric Mullins, $4,200: As mentioned before, Bubic looks brand new on the bump for the Royals and presents a difficult matchup for these Orioles. One man may not care: Cedric Mullins. The 30-year-old is contributing across the board with seven runs scored, three homers, two doubles, two steals, and five walks. His OPS is well over 1.000, and even a resurgent Bubic may be unable to throw cold water on his hot start.
OF Jake Mangum, $3,600: Leave it to the Tampa Bay Rays to find a 29-year-old rookie who becomes an everyday lineup value. Mangum, unrelated to the Neutral Milk Hotel frontman, is hitting .474 in the young season with three runs scored, a pair of doubles, and three stolen bags. His bat-to-ball skills and speed should play well in Texas against young righty Kumar Rocker, who got rocked (ba-dum-tssss) in his first start of the year.
