Fantasy Baseball Picks: Top DraftKings MLB DFS Targets, Values for May 27

Most of the Major League Baseball action on Saturday is during the afternoon, but there are still five games under the lights to give us a strong slate for daily fantasy baseball on DraftKings. The contests begin at 7:15 p.m. ET and include some interesting matchups. Coors Field is hosting one of those games, so there should be some offense available in that matchup. In addition to that game, there is one divisional matchup and three interleague contests. You can find my top targets from the 10 teams scheduled to be in action below.

Make sure to keep a close eye on pregame lineups and the latest player news by installing the DK Live app and following DK Live on Twitter (@dklive). I’m also on Twitter (@ZT_Sports), where you can keep up with all my picks as the season continues.

Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]

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For up-to-the-minute news, analysis, and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.

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PITCHER

Stud

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels vs. Miami Marlins ($11,400) – Ohtani stands head and shoulders above the rest of the starting pitchers and is worth paying up for even though his salary is almost $2K more than any other option in play. Even if we just focus on what he’s done on the mound, Ohtani has had another remarkable season, going 5-1 with a 3.05 ERA and 4.02 FIP and also totaling 80 strikeouts in just 59 innings. His 12.2 K/9 rate makes him a great fantasy play, and he has over 25 DKFP in six of his 10 starts.

He had a few rough outings early in May but turned things around with a strong performance at home against the Minnesota Twins in his most recent start. In that game, he went six innings and allowed just one run on two hits while striking out nine. Even in the no-decision, he earned 25.9 DKFP. He gets a great matchup Saturday night against the Marlins, who have scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball this season. Ohtani’s ceiling as a starting pitcher in this matchup on this slate is sure to make him a popular play, but it will be hard to get around rostering him since he can go off and post a huge number.

Other Options – Justin Verlander ($9,600), Edward Cabrera ($8,000)

Value

Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals at Cleveland Guardians ($7,200) – Flaherty has been wildly inconsistent this season for the Cardinals, but he does have more upside than the other value SP on this slate, so his ceiling makes him worth the risk. Flaherty showcased how good he can be two starts ago at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. In that outing, he struck out 10 and allowed just three hits in seven shutout innings on his way to a season-high 36.8 DKFP. In his previous home start, though, he had been crushed by the Angels and allowed 10 runs in 2 ¹⁄₃ innings for a season-low -15.4 DKFP.

The highs have been high and the lows have been low on Flaherty’s roller-coaster ride of a season, but overall, he’s 3-4 with a 5.29 ERA, 4.88 FIP and 9.53 K/9. He has actually been better on the road, and this matchup against the Guardians should be a good one for him. Even though Cleveland doesn’t strike out much, they have scored the fewest runs in the Majors and are hitting just .225 as a team. Flaherty’s main struggle has been his control issues, and if he can get those resolved, he should be able to put together a strong start in Cleveland. His recent mixed results make him a volatile play, but the upside is undeniable.

Other Option – Garrett Whitlock ($6,800)

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INFIELD

Stud

Pete Alonso, New York Mets at Colorado Rockies ($5,400) – Alonso came up empty on Friday night in the first game. of the Mets series at Coors Field, but I’m still going back to him on Saturday in a good matchup against Chase Anderson ($6,000). Alonso leads the Majors with 19 home runs this season, with six of those in his past 10 games, helping him average 13.2 DKFP per game in those 10 contests. Before posting just 2.0 DKFP in Friday’s win, Alonso homered and totaled 32 DKFP by also adding his first stolen base of the season on Thursday. Alonso’s power potential in an ideal home run environment makes him a strong option to build around, so I’m going back to the well on Saturday night.

Stud

Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals at Cleveland Guardians ($4,700) – Gorman also came up empty on Friday, going 0-for-4 as his 15-game hitting streak came to an end. During that run, he went 20-for-53 (.377) with five doubles, six home runs, 17 RBI and a .527 wOBA. He has established himself as a middle-of-the-order hitter for the Cardinals and should be able to get right back to run production in Saturday’s matchup with Guardians SP Tanner Bibee ($8,500).

Other Options – José Ramírez ($5,000), Francisco Lindor ($4,700)

Value

Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs ($3,500) – The Reds have one of the better matchups on this slate as they face Jameson Taillon ($5,700), who has given up 16 runs in 9 ²⁄₃ innings over his three most recent outings. McLain is one of my favorite Reds plays and has delivered good production since arriving in the Majors 10 games ago. The 23-year-old has hit second in the order in all 10 games, going 13-for-40 (.325) with four doubles, two home runs and a .430 wOBA. He hasn’t stolen any bases yet, but he did have 10 thefts in 38 games in Triple-A, showing the potential for stolen bases is definitely there. McLain has quickly established himself as a legitimate fantasy option and should continue to produce in this matchup.

Value

Nolan Jones, Colorado Rockies vs. New York Mets ($3,300) – Jones is an interesting play with a high ceiling that can slot in at 3B or in the OF. He went 0-for-3 in his first MLB action of the year on Friday, but he was absolutely demolishing Triple-A and brings a high ceiling to this matchup at Coors Field. Jones actually made the Rockies’ roster for Opening Day but didn’t appear in a game before landing in the minors with the Albuquerque Isotopes. He hit .356 in his 39 games there with 12 home runs, five stolen bases, a .356 ISO and a .504 wOBA. The 25-year-old got his first taste of the majors last year and will look to translate enough of that minor league production to earn a regular role with the Major League team moving forward and also has the ability to give your fantasy team a boost with this affordable salary.

Other Options – Brett Baty ($3,000), Triston Casas ($2,600), Gio Urshela ($2,400)

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OUTFIELD

Stud

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels vs. Miami Marlins ($6,100) – Trout continues to put up great numbers every year and has been starting to heat up lately after a slower start by his lofty standards. After picking up two hits on Friday, he is 11-for-38 (.289) over his past 10 games with four home runs, a .342 ISO and a .423 wOBA. He has a 64.0% hard-hit rate over that span, per Statcast, raising his season rate to an even 50%. He’s seeing the ball well and driving it to all fields, so he brings his typical high ceiling to Saturday night’s matchup with the Marlins.

Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Boston Red Sox ($4,900) – Carroll doesn’t have the track record of Trout but has emerged as a strong stud play this season. The 22-year-old lefty is hitting .285 with seven home runs, 14 stolen bases and a .379 wOBA. He has hit safely in eight of his past 10 games with nine walks, two home runs, four stolen bases and an average of 12.1 DKFP per game over that span. He had a rough patch earlier this month but seems to have moved past that and should be primed to produce in Saturday’s matchup against Garrett Whitlock ($6,800), who will be making his return from the IL.

Other Options – Christopher Morel ($5,700), Brandon Nimmo ($4,500), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($4,300)

Value

TJ Friedl, Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs ($3,600) – Friedl and McLain make a nice 1-2 stack for the Reds in this good spot against the Cubs and come fairly affordably. Friedl just returned from a mild left oblique strain but it looks like he’ll be the team’s leadoff option against righties like Taillon. He had two hits in each of his two games since returning, producing 14 and 13 DKFP while adding his fifth stolen base of the season. Overall, the lefty is hitting .321 on the year with three homers, three triples and a .371 wOBA. Especially if he leads off again, he’ll be a solid midrange value play Saturday.

Value

Mickey Moniak, Los Angeles Angels vs. Miami Marlins ($3,400) – Moniak is also part of a solid 1-2 stack if you pair him with Trout in the top two spots for the Angels. Moniak sat Wednesday against a lefty but had started each of the previous three games in the leadoff spot. Since joining the Halos in mid-May, he has hit safely in each of his eight starts and hit a blistering .419 (13-for-31) with four home runs, two doubles, a .516 ISO and a .569 wOBA. Before being called up, he was also having lots of success in Triple-A, so there’s a chance this success will stick (although obviously not at this level). Moniak was the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft back in 2016, so he could just be a bit of a late-bloomer. Regardless of his long-term outlook, he’s a great value option while he’s so hot and in this premium lineup spot ahead of Trout and Ohtani.

Other Options – Starling Marte ($3,800), Jake McCarthy ($2,800)

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Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) 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.