On this first Saturday night of June, DraftKings has a fun five-game slate of fantasy baseball action. There could be some weather issues in New York for the Red Sox-Yankees matchup, but the rest of the slate looks free of weather problems with a boost to bats in Colorado, where the Brewers face the Rockies. DraftKings has a wide variety of ways to get a piece of the fantasy baseball action, including GPPs, Tiers and Pick6. For this post, we’re focused on some prime picks for MLB DFS cash games.
This contest format allows managers to double the entry fee, since almost half of the players are paid out. These 50/50 or “double-up” contests are best suited for lineups with high floors and as little risk as possible. In on-diamond terms, we’re looking to hit singles with these lineups, not home runs. Variance is not as much of a factor here as we look for players with high floors regardless of their ceilings. In short, these should be the safest and most consistent MLB DFS plays of the slate.
With all that in mind, let’s dive into my top picks.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB Single Entry $25 Double Up (Night)
SP Nolan McLean, New York Mets at San Diego Padres, $8,200
The smaller slate with the high-risk spot for starting pitchers in the Bronx leaves only a few mid-range starting pitchers to consider for Saturday’s MLB DFS Picks. McLean has had a few inconsistent outings lately, but he’s my top play from the midrange since he gets a good matchup against the Padres.
Mclean got a win against the Marlins, working five innings and allowing just one run in his last start. He didn’t go deeper in the game though because he uncharacteristically issued five walks. He’ll need to regain his control in this start against the Padres, but he is averaging a solid 17.0 FPTS per start this season since his strikeout rate is typically pretty high.
The Padres have been struggling at the plate, posting a 25.5% K% in the last two weeks, the second-highest rate in the MLB over that span. They’re hitting only .186 as a team during that span with an average of 9.1 strikeouts per game. McLean is looking to get back on track, and pitching at Petco Park sets him up well for that kind of “get right” outing Saturday night.
3B Josh Jung, Texas Rangers vs. Cleveland Guardians, $3,800
Jung is the kind of consistent contributor at a great salary that fits well in balanced lineup builds. Jung has at least six FPTS in seven of his last eight games and is hitting .311 with seven homers, a .370 wOBA and 137 wRC+. He has averaged 9.4 FPTS per game over his last 10 contests and 9.5 FPTS in his 26 games this year at Globe Life Park.
Jung’s consistent contact and high ceiling make him a good play under $4,000, especially in a good matchup against the struggling Tanner Bibee ($6,800).With Corey Seager ($4,400) and Wyatt Langford ($3,800) back in the lineup, the Rangers should be more productive overall. Jung hitting third should be right in the middle of the scoring on Saturday.
OF Carson Benge, New York Mets at San Diego Padres, $3,400
Benge has moved into the leadoff spot for the Mets and has become a great option in MLB DFS picks since he offers plenty of ways to deliver excellent value. Benge went 0-for-4 in the opener in San Diego, but he had double-digit fantasy points in four of his previous six contests.
The rookie is hitting .248 with six homers on the season, but in his 23 games since moving to the leadoff spot, he’s hitting .296 with three homers, four stolen bases and a .350 wOBA. He has a 44.7% hard-hit rate over that span with an impressive 14.5% barrel rate, which gives him a high ceiling if he smashes one on Saturday night.
He and the Mets will be facing former teammate Griffin Canning ($5,400), who has let lefties hit .294 against him with six homers and a .430 wOBA this season. Whether you’re stacking the Mets or looking for solo plays in the outfield, Benge is a great play under $3,500.
