We’ve got a seven-game slate for Saturday’s MLB action.
Let’s find some studs and values for your MLB DFS lineups on DraftKings. This article was written before lineups were announced.
Make your DraftKings MLB DFS picks here: MLB $125K Relay Throw [$25K to 1st]
PITCHER
Stud
Lance McCullers Jr., Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners, $7,800 — The McCullers experience has always been an exciting one. Some may say too exciting as there are vomit-inducing outings mixed with euphoric highs. Rarely is there status quo. But we only live once. For the first seven seasons of his career, McCullers posted a FIP at 3.7 or below. The strikeout rate was often in the mid-to-high 20% range. The big bugaboo has always been the control, as the walk rate was often in the double-digits. Last season, the strikeout rate was a career-low 22.3% while the walk rate was 14.2%. This season, the strikeout rate is 31% while the walk rate is 9.5%. Good, right? Well, in his season opener, McCullers went seven innings, struck out nine hitters and allowed only one earned run on four hits. In the second outing, he walked three, struck out four and allowed three earned runs in four innings. Seattle is fourth in strikeouts, 27th in ISO, dead-last in wOBA and 26th in wRC+, so the positive McCullers experience seems likely.
Value
German Marquez, San Diego Padres vs. Colorado Rockies, $6,400 — Marquez got roughed up in his first outing of the season, giving up four earned runs on eight hits (two home runs) in only three innings. He walked one hitter but struck out only one. In the second outing, he did not allow an earned run over five innings, walking one and striking out four. That was good for 19 FPTS. Now he gets the Rockies away from Coors Field. Colorado is fifth in strikeout rate and 25th in wRC+.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Brandon Nimmo, Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Dodgers, $4,200 — Nimmo bats leadoff for the Rangers and is slashing .340/.415/.489 on the season with one home run and one stolen base. He’s been extremely lucky as the BABIP is .417, but the plate discipline remains excellent while the ISO is below the career average. Now he faces Emmet Sheehan, who is very talented but has struggled to start the season. He’s allowed two home runs, walked five and struck out eight in nine innings. Lefties have obliterated him.
Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox, $3,200 — Walker has been hotter than the sun, hitting a home run in three straight games and four of the last five contests. The ISO is a whopping .386! The slash line of .295/.367/.682 is slightly BABIP-fueled and the strikeout rate is still high at 28.6%, but the walk rate is a career-high 10.2%, the average exit velocity is a robust 97.4 mph and the barrel rate is 26.7%. He’s crushed left-handed pitching, going 6-of-13 with two doubles and three home runs. Ranger Suarez is a left-handed pitcher with a career FIP that is 1.00 higher against lefties.
INFIELD
Stud
Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants at Baltimore Orioles, $5,200 — Devers and the entire Giants offense have gotten off to a slow start this season, but Devers went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI on Wednesday. The star has a long track record of success, so it’s only a matter of time before he gets back to his career norms. Currently, the ISO is .140 but he’s been over .200 in each of the last seven seasons. Chris Bassitt has a career 1.34 HR/9 with 95 career homers allowed against left-handed batters compared to 49 to righties. He’s struggled to start this season, posting an 8.52 FIP while walking six, striking out only three and allowing a home run in 6.1 innings.
Juan Brito, Cleveland Guardians at Atlanta Braves, $2,200 — With Gabriel Arias suffering a hamstring injury, Brito was called up on Tuesday and promptly got to work, going 4-for-8 with two doubles, a run and an RBI while striking out only once. He was sixth and seventh in the batting order and put up eight and 12 FPTS. Throughout his minor-league career, Brito displayed excellent plate discipline with some power and speed. In Triple-A during the 2024 season, Brito produced 21 home runs, 92 runs, 84 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 652 plate appearances. The above was written ahead of Friday’s game, but he’s still attractive at the price.
