This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Tuesday's 15-game MLB slate will give many teams their first look at new toys acquired before Monday's trade deadline. Fantasy owners are better off sticking to reliable options in established roles, and using the value plays below allows you to do just that while getting excellent bang for the buck.
PITCHER
Aaron Nola, PHI at LAA ($48): Nola's recent results make him as strong an option as any pitcher in action here, even though alternatives range as high as $25 more in price. His six shutout innings last time out against Houston's top-ranked offense lowered Nola's ERA to 1.49 over the past seven starts to go with a 60:14 K:BB in 48.1 innings. Maintaining that success shouldn't be difficult against an Angels lineup that ranks 27th in runs per game at 4.17.
Mike Fiers, HOU vs. TB ($44): Fiers has posted a 9.19 K/9 and 24.0 percent strikeout rate this season, giving him tremendous potential in that category against a Rays team that whiffs more than anyone except the Brewers at 9.71 times per game. He's also a solid bet to win every time he steps on the mound backed by the top-ranked Astros offense, but especially so given Tampa Bay's 3-9 record in the past 12 games and inability to score more than five runs in all but two of the past 22. Throw in Minute Maid Park's 30th-ranked .77 park factor, and it's easy to see why Fiers is underpriced as the 13th-most expensive pitcher in this slate.
CATCHER
Willson Contreras, CHC vs. ARI ($21): Contreras has displayed terrific power against lefties, mashing six homers and four doubles in 91 at-bats to fuel his .386 wOBA. Those numbers could be in line for a further boost against Patrick Corbin, who has a wobbly 6.19 ERA on the road. Corbin's .367 wOBA allowed to righties and 1.35 HR/9 also work in Contreras' favor.
FIRST BASE
Miguel Cabrera, DET at NYY ($12): Cabrera's proficiency against southpaws makes him a strong option at just $12 with CC Sabathia on the mound at the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium (1.13 park factor). The veteran clean-up hitter has produced a .365 wOBA in that split even in what has been a down season by his lofty standards, while Sabathia has allowed a .343 mark to 115 right-handed hitters faced at home.
SECOND BASE
DJ LeMahieu, COL vs. NYM ($19): LeMahieu should be the top second baseman on the board any time he gets a home matchup with a lefty. He has ridden Coors Field's top-ranked 1.32 park factor to a .467 home wOBA against left-handers and has a .434 mark against them overall. Considering Mets starter Steven Matz has surrendered a .373 wOBA to batters from the right side, LeMahieu is a steal as the sixth-priciest option at his position.
THIRD BASE
Mike Moustakas, KC at BAL ($19): It's rare to find a player with 30 homers at this point of the season sitting below $20, especially in such an appetizing matchup. Moustakas has launched 22 of his dingers against right-handed pitching while posting a .372 wOBA in that split, and has a golden opportunity to add another against the struggling Dylan Bundy. Along with a .360 wOBA allowed to batters from the left side and inflated 1.58 HR/9 overall, Bundy has a 7.85 ERA over his past seven starts.
SHORTSTOP
Didi Gregorius, NYY vs. DET ($18): Gregorius should be ready for a productive night at the plate against scuffling righty Anibal Sanchez following Monday's day off. The left-handed hitting shortstop has a .370 wOBA against right-handers while Sanchez's ERA has ballooned to 6.18 thanks to 12 earned runs allowed over 15.1 innings in his past three starts. Yankee Stadium's hitter-friendly conditions should also help Gregorius just like they'll favor the visiting Cabrera.
OUTFIELD
Nick Williams, PHI at LAA ($15): Williams has earned his spot in the heart of the batting order with a .277/.320/.511 line in his first 25 games. The left-handed hitting rookie's price is likely to keep climbing if he maintains that level, and there's little reason to expect a decline against subpar righty Ricky Nolasco. Nolasco has allowed a career-worst 2.04 HR/9 en route to an ugly 5.07 ERA.
Scott Schebler, CIN at PIT ($8): Schebler's another player whose power defies his affordability. A recent slump has the outfielder's price down to just $1 above the minimum even though Schebler has already launched 23 homers this season. He's a low-risk, high-reward play against righty Jameson Taillon, who's allowing a wOBA over .330 to hitters from both sides after getting roughed up for nine earned runs over three innings in his last start.
Ben Gamel, SEA at TEX ($12): Gamel is remarkably affordable for a player on a 16-game hitting streak, especially considering he has notched seven extra-base hits in that span to earn a spot near the top of the order. The left-handed batting Gamel owns a wOBA over .350 against pitchers from both sides, so expect the streak to be extended against righty Nick Martinez, who will be making his first major league start since June 25 after being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock in the wake of the Yu Darvish trade.
