It’s the final day of May and we’re celebrating with a massive 13-game featured MLB slate on DraftKings. Well, you’ll have to keep an eye on the rain in Kansas City. I guess I should say we’re hoping to celebrate with a 13-game slate.
Let’s dive in and break it all down.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
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PITCHER
Stud
Reynaldo Lopez, Atlanta Braves vs. Oakland Athletics, $8,600 – Lopez is due for some regression. We all know this. Still, the RHP comes into Friday’s slate in possession of a 1.75 ERA, a 2.85 FIP and an 11.7% swinging strike rate. Even when his surface stats normalize, he’s going to remain quite good. There’s also no guarantees that the backslide starts this evening. The A’s bats have been decent in May, yet the team does own the league’s second-highest strikeout rate across the last two weeks (27.7%). Add in Lopez’s massive win expectancy and you’ve got yourself a very viable pitching option.
Value
Jose Soriano, Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners, $7,300 – When in doubt, use a pitcher going up against the Mariners. Seattle has been leading MLB in strikeout rate all season long and nothing about that has changed in the last 14 days. In fact, along with a 28.1% strikeout rate, the Mariners are sporting a .201 average and a 78 wRC+ within that span. As for Soriano, he might just be the Angels’ ace. It’s assuredly a low bar, but the 25-year-old has managed a 2.98 ERA and 3.38 FIP over his past eight outings. He also touts 97th percentile fastball velocity (98.3). That’s nice to have in your back pocket.
INFIELD
Stud
Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians vs. Washington Nationals, $6,500 – Let’s talk splits. Ramirez has been red-hot in May, slashing .294/.371/.696 with a 198 wRC+. It’s a span where he’s almost hit more home runs (11) than he’s had strikeouts (12), which is an insane sentence. Ramirez has also been great against LHPs in 2024, hitting .323 with a 1.014 OPS. Needless to say, a matchup with Patrick Corbin ($5,400) to end the month seems almost too perfect.
Stud
Corey Seager, Texas Rangers at Miami Marlins, $5,500 – Is this the most obvious play of all-time? Yes. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad one. Seager is currently in the midst of an eight-game stretch where he’s hit eight total home runs. That’s one per contest for those who struggle with math. Seager missed most of Spring Training and that seemed to effect his April, yet he appears to once again be in the form that saw him post a 169 wRC+ in 2023. Meanwhile, Sixto Sanchez ($5,700) owns a 6.29 ERA as a starter. It’s been underwhelming.
Value
Travis d’Arnaud, Atlanta Braves vs. Oakland Athletics, $4,000 – I’d expect d’Arnaud to get the start on Friday, as Sean Murphy ($3,700) has caught the Braves’ last two games. Heck, I’d start d’Arnaud even if that wasn’t the case. The veteran backstop has been destroying LHPs in 2024, posting a 201 wRC+ within the split. Tonight’s lefty? JP Sears ($5,900), who has surrendered 42 opponent home runs since the beginning of last season. Woof.
Value
Justin Turner, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, $3,800 – Turner has been in a tremendous slump, yet his numbers against southpaws remain pristine. In 40 plate appearances within the split, the 39-year-old owns a .351 average and a 172 wRC+. He also remains locked into a top-five spot in the Blue Jays’ lineup. I envision Turner and his teammates doing some damage in a matchup with Bailey Falter ($6,700) and his 5.06 xERA.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves vs. Oakland Athletics, $5,700 – Ozuna leading the National League in home runs wasn’t on my 2024 Bingo card, yet here we are. The veteran has been phenomenal for the Braves, hitting .312 with a .445 expected wOBA that trails only the likes of Aaron Judge ($6,400), Juan Soto ($6,200) and Shohei Ohtani ($6,600). That’s some pretty good company. However, Ozuna has been at his absolute best when facing LHPs, slashing .353/.468/.588 with a 201 wRC+. Sears would be wise to tread carefully in this matchup.
Stud
David Fry, Cleveland Guardians vs. Washington Nationals, $4,800 – Where did this come from? Fry was a no one. A former seventh-round pick that inked just a $10,000 signing bonus out of Northwestern State. Now? Well, the 28-year-old is hitting .353 with a 209 wRC+ for the division-leading Guardians. While it’s unclear how long this will last, it’s worth noting Fry’s numbers against left-handers. In 64 plate appearances within the split, he’s slashing .419/.594/.791 with a 275 wRC+. It’s a small sample, but we’re also talking about a matchup with Corbin — possibly the worst LHP in baseball.
Value
Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers at Miami Marlins, $3,500 – Langford returned from a lengthy stay on the IL this week and while his overall numbers remain poor, I’ll take the bait on his depressed salary. Langford remains a top prospect with generational skills, including his 70-grade power. The results will come — probably tonight against the aforementioned Sanchez. Certainly helps that RHBs are hitting .333 with a .367 wOBA off the RHP this season.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
