Tampa Bay Rays vs. Detroit Tigers
July 7, 2025 6:40 pm EDT
Major League Baseball presents FanDuel baseball fans with an American League matchup featuring the Tampa Bay Rays and the Detroit Tigers. Let’s take a look at this MLB game from a DFS perspective.
Before we dive into the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Detroit Tigers game let’s review the rules for the FanDuel single game showdown contest.
FanDuel Single Game Contest Rules
Here are the FanDuel single game contest rules. You have $60,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team MVP. The MVP accumulates 1.5x times the standard FanDuel fantasy points value. Additionally, the MVP is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.
The remaining five players in your lineup will be flex plays. The five flex positions will receive the standard FanDuel points value. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your MVP position if you hope to win a large field GPP (guaranteed prize pool) FanDuel single game contest.
If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game contest, I highly recommend that you check out the FanDuel website for more details.
*It should be noted that FanDuel does not utilize the pitcher position in single game MLB contests. Having stated that, only batters are available for single game MLB lineups on the FanDuel platform.
Here are my FanDuel picks for this evening’s Rays vs. Tigers matchup.
FanDuel MLB DFS Picks
MVP-Jonathan Aranda, First Baseman, Tampa Bay Rays $8,800
On Monday night, Major League Baseball presents the opening game of a three-game American League series featuring the Tampa Bay Rays and the Detroit Tigers.
How are these two teams playing entering today’s MLB game? The Tampa Bay Rays arrive at the first game of this three-game series with the Detroit Tigers playing below average baseball. The Rays have lost five of the team’s last seven games played in the 2025 MLB regular season, including a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins three days ago.
In direct contrast to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Detroit Tigers are playing good baseball entering this evening’s MLB game. More specifically, the Tigers have won three of the team’s last four games played this season, including a 2-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians last week.
Now that we have determined how both of these teams are currently playing let’s turn our attention to today’s contest. Talented first baseman Jonathan Aranda has been a standout performer for the Tampa Bay Rays this season. With that said, how has the veteran first baseman performed from a statistical standpoint? Let’s review Aranda’s relevant game data from the 2025 MLB regular season to answer that question.
In the 76 games that Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda has played in the 2025 MLB regular season, Aranda has compiled a .316 batting average (fifth in MLB), ten home runs, 32 walks, 45 RBIs (runs batted in), 42 runs scored and a .875% OBP (On-Base Percentage) which ranks 18th in MLB.
Earlier this season, in the Tampa Bay Rays 13-3 win over the Houston Astros, Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda played exceptionally well. In the Rays victory over the Astros, Aranda amassed two hits (one double), one RBI and two walks. It should also be noted that in the Rays defeat of the Astros, Aranda compiled a massive 31.1 FanDuel points.
In my view, Jonathan Aranda’s reasonable FanDuel price of only $8,800 presents the best fantasy value on this slate. For that specific reason, I am backing Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda at the MVP position for this one game MLB FanDuel contest.
Flex plays I like in this game (FanDuel price noted): Riley Greene, Outfielder (Detroit Tigers) $13,800: Josh Lowe, Outfielder (Tampa Bay Rays) $10,600.
