5 MLB FanDuel Value Plays for 4/4/18

Eric Thames, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

Price: $3,000

Eric Thames struggled last night, but still has at least 18 FanDuel points in two of his last three games. He continues to offer high-end upside at a surprisingly low price-tag.

To start this season, he has picked up right where he left off last year, with 45.5% fly-ball, 18.2% soft-hit and 45.5% hard-hit rates, which are all in line with his marks from 2017 (41.3% fly-ball, 16.0% fly-ball and 41.5% hard-hit). The sample size is small, but he's also showing more discipline at the plate so far, with an 8.1% swinging strike rate that represents a huge improvement over his 12.6% clip from last year.

Thames' ceiling is especially high when he's up against a right-handed pitcher, having rocked righties for a .390 wOBA and .286 ISO on a 43.6% hard-hit rate in 2017. That goes a long way to alleviate the concerns that come from a tough matchup against a Carlos Martinez.

Martinez is coming off a great 2017 season that saw him improve his SIERA to 3.85 and his strikeout rate to a career-high 25.3%. He did allow a 35.3% hard-hit rate and mediocre 4.22 xFIP to left-handed bats, though, so Thames' low price-tag doesn't do his upside justice tonight.