DraftKings’ “King of the Diamond” promotion continues tonight, Friday, May 23, 2025. The buzz around King of the Diamond has never been higher, as Monday’s promotion awarded 12 users $83,334 in bonus bets. You might wonder how that happened. The Cardinals were the featured team in the promotion, but only one player hit a home run: Pedro Pagés.
You may be asking, what is the “King of the Diamond”? For an in-depth breakdown of this promotion, you can read our How to Play King of the Diamond article on DraftKings Network. Below is a quick summary:
- Opt into the promotion on DraftKings Sportsbook
- Choose between 2-5 players to place in any type of parlay (Same Game Parlay, SGPx) with a “To Hit a Home Run” bet. (Examples: Aaron Judge 1+ Home Run, Shohei Ohtani 2+ home runs, etc.)
- King of the Diamond is awarded to all MLB players who hit 1 or more home runs as part of the highest-scoring MLB team (from eligible games) of the day.
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DraftKings King of the Diamond Strategy
Essentially, two conditions must be met to be eligible to win part of the King of the Diamond jackpot: one or more players must hit a home run and play for the team with the highest score that night. One way to determine which players to pick is to identify the teams with the highest projected totals for that night. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, these are currently the highest projected team totals as of 10 a.m. Friday morning.
**The Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox are playing a doubleheader today. Only Game 2 (7:10 p.m. ET start) is eligible for King of the Diamond tonight**
Highest MLB team totals for Friday, May 23rd
- New York Yankees 7.5 runs at Colorado Rockies (over -105, under -125)
- Philadelphia Phillies 5.5 runs at Athletics (over -105, under -125)
- Boston Red Sox 4.5 runs vs. Baltimore Orioles (over -135, under +105)
- Texas Rangers 4.5 runs at Chicago White Sox (over -120, under -110)
- Baltimore Orioles 4.5 runs at Boston Red Sox (over -115, under -115)
MLB Starting Pitchers: Most home runs allowed
Of tonight’s starting pitchers, here is a list of those who have allowed the most home runs this season. In parentheses, the breakdown shows home runs allowed to right-handed and left-handed batters.
- Zac Gallen (ARI) at St. Louis Cardinals: 10 home runs allowed; 1.6 HR/9 (6 vs. RHB, 4 vs. LHB)
- Sean Burke (CWS) vs. Texas Rangers: 8 home runs allowed; 1.6 HR/9 (5 vs. RHB, 4 vs. LHB)
- MacKenzie Gore (WAS) vs. San Francisco Giants: 8 home runs allowed; 1.2 HR/9 (4 vs. RHB, 4 vs. LHB)
- Zack Wheeler (PHI) at Athletics: 8 home runs allowed; 1.1 HR/9 (5 vs. RHB, 3 vs. LHB)
MLB Weather Notes for tonight:
-Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox (light rain)
-Cleveland Guardians at Detroit Tigers (wind out to left 10-12mph)
DraftKings King of the Diamond Home Run Picks for Friday, May 23
Cody Bellinger to hit a home run +280 vs. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are expected to be the most popular betting pick tonight, with a game total of 7.5 runs. Playing at Coors Field against the struggling Colorado Rockies will draw significant attention. Aaron Judge is +150 to hit a home run, which is just absurd. However, other players are worth considering, such as Bellinger. The Rockies haven’t officially announced tonight’s starter, but reports suggest Tanner Gordon. He hasn’t allowed a home run in 6.1 innings this season, but last year, through 34.1 innings, he gave up 10. Gordon throws three pitches: a four-seam fastball, a changeup, and a slider. The four-seam, used 42% of the time, makes Bellinger a strong pick, as five of his eight home runs this season came off four-seam fastballs from right-handed pitchers. At Coors Field’s high altitude, the ball is expected to fly.
Wyatt Langford to hit a home run +425 vs. Chicago White Sox
The Rangers are another team I would focus on when building your KOTD entries. They’ll face White Sox starter Sean Burke, who has allowed nine home runs this season with a 1.6 home runs per nine innings rate. After struggling earlier in May, Wyatt Langford is showing improvement. Before last night, he recorded a hit in four straight games, including a home run. His hard hit rate over the past two weeks (May 9-22) is 60%, with a 45% fly ball rate. Burke frequently struggles with command, leading to walks and forcing him to face hitters like Langford he’d prefer to avoid, making Langford a prime KOTD pick.
Francisco Lindor to hit a home run +310 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are typically a top target for the KOTD promotion, but the Mets could be an underrated pick tonight. Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw struggled in his recent debut against the Angels, allowing five runs on five hits, including a home run, in four innings. The Mets perform well against left-handed pitchers, strike out infrequently, and show strong plate discipline. The Dodgers’ bullpen has also been among the league’s worst recently, allowing eight home runs over 27 innings in the past seven days, for a 2.6 HR/9. Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is a strong KOTD pick tonight.
Nolan Schanuel to hit a home run +900 vs. Marlins
I picked the Angels as my dark horse for DraftKings’ King of the Diamond promotion on Monday, which didn’t work out, but I’m backing them again tonight, May 23, 2025. Their offense has been hot, averaging 7.4 runs over their last five games, including 10 runs in back-to-back games during a four-game sweep of the Athletics. They face Sandy Alcantara, who has struggled, allowing at least four runs and four home runs in four straight starts. Left-handed hitters have hit five of the seven home runs he’s allowed, making Nolan Schanuel a strong pick. Though not a prolific home run hitter, Schanuel matches up well against Alcantara. With a weak bullpen behind Alcantara, the Angels could shine as a dark horse team—or I’ll be wrong twice in a row.
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Good luck with your King of the Diamond picks for tonight! Whenever this promotion is happening, I’ll be doing these strategy articles exclusively on DraftKings Network.
For a more in-depth breakdown of how the King of the Diamond promo works, check out our How to Play King of the Diamond article on DraftKings Network.
