MLB DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Sunday (5/14)

I’m lucky to write about these Saturday and Sunday slates. We always have all 30 teams suiting up for both of these cards, making my job much easier. Picking between all of these teams can be challenging at times, but it also opens up the door for a ton of value. That’s certainly the case on Sunday slates because we get some of the most bizarre lineups of the week.

Starting Pitcher Rankings

Starting Pitcher Strategy

We don’t have many top-notch aces to discuss, but we have a gluttony of young pitchers in fantastic spots. All four of the guys we’re about to mention have been brilliant at times this year, and any one of them could take the next step to become a star. None of the guys are too overpriced either, and it should make for an easy slate from a lineup constriction standpoint.

Cash Game Recommendations:

Logan Gilbert (SEA) at DET

Gilbert broke out last season with a 3.20 ERA and 1.17 WHIP but looks even better this year. The right-hander has a pristine 0.99 ERA to pair with his brilliant 11.2 K/9 rate. Those tell us that his ERA is about to drop soon, and a matchup with Detroit could start that positive regression. The Tigers rank 29th or 30th in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA, and xwOBA.

Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs. KC

The Royals offense has been an embarrassment. Kansas City sits 25th in OBP and 24th in wOBA. They were also near the bottom in runs scored before a big week, but there’s simply no talent in this lineup to scare us away from Peralta. The Brewers righty has scored at least 40 FanDuel points in five of his seven starts, generating a 1.80 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 11.1 K/9 rate in that span. He’s also projected to be a -200 favorite in this spot.

GPP Recommendations:

Andrew Heaney (TEX) at OAK

The A’s were the worst offense in baseball last season, and they’re just as bad this year. Oakland ranks bottom-three in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA, and xwOBA. That’s big because of Heaney’s inconsistencies, scoring at least 27 FanDuel points in five of seven starts. One of those upside games should be easy to reach against Oakland, with Heaney dropping 34 FD points in their most recent matchup less than a month ago.

Mitch Keller (PIT) at BAL

Keller might be amid a breakout season. This former top prospect has had a nightmarish career, but something has clicked this year. He’s collected a 2.20 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 9.6 K/9 rate across his last seven starts. Getting to face Baltimore in Camden Yards is a treat, too, because that’s the most pitcher-friendly park in the sport right now.

Top Lineup Stacks

Seattle Mariners (vs. Joey Wentz)

• Road (Comerica Park)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/SEA -150

Seattle has a sneaky offense, and they should have some success against a subpar pitcher like Wentz. The Tigers lefty has a 6.09 ERA and 1.35 WHIP this year. It’s hard to even understand why this guy is in the rotation, but it should benefit Seattle since they have so many talented hitters from the right side that get the platoon advantage against Wentz.

Milwaukee Brewers (vs. Jordan Lyles)

• Home (Miller Park)
• Value: Low
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/MIL -130

Lyles is a pitcher that I’ve loved stacking against since his Colorado days. He hasn’t improved much since then, totaling a 6.20 ERA this year. He’s also got a 5.14 ERA and 1.42 WHIP throughout his 12-year career. Numbers like those are scary against an offense like the Brewers, particularly in a place like Miller Park.

Texas Rangers (vs. Drew Rucinski or JP Sears)

• Road (Oakland Coliseum)
• Value: High
• Risk: Medium
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 9 Runs/TEX-180

This Oakland pitching staff is the worst in baseball, and Rucinski is a major reason why. The young righty has an 8.16 ERA and 2.09 WHIP. That would put any offense in play against them, but the Rangers rank second in runs scored and fifth in OBP. They’re also leading the league in double-digit scoring games, and one of those could be in play here. If JP Sears is starting, he’s got a 5.54 ERA. No matter who’s pitching for Oakland, we want to stack against them.

Core Studs

• Acuna is the best power-speed hitter in baseball. The future MVP is hitting .345 this season but also has 34 runs, 22 RBI, and 15 steals. He’s simply one of the safest options in DFS atop this Braves lineup and shouldn’t have any issues against a lefty with a 4.89 career ERA.
• Alonso has been struggling a bit but still has the power stroke. He’s one of the league leaders with 13 homers and 31 RBI. There’s no better bet for 30-35 homers in the NL every year, and one of those dongs could happen against Jake Irvin. The rookie had a 5.64 ERA and 1.55 WHIP at Triple-A before joining one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball.
• J-Rod has gotten off to a slow start, but he is still one of the best hitters for the next decade. Since his call-up last year, Rodriguez has 35 homers, 31 steals, 108 runs, and 94 RBI. That’s some of the best stat-stuffing you’ll see, and he comes into this matchup homering in two of his last five games. If we stack against Wentz, J-Rod needs to be the critical piece atop the lineup.
• We had Rowdy in here yesterday, and we’re going back to the well for all the same reasons. The lefty masher is flirting with a .500 SLG and .900 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor. That always has hit batting cleanup for this dangerous lineup, and he shouldn’t have any issues against a righty with a 5.14 ERA and 1.42 career WHIP.
• Semien is one of the streakiest hitters, but he’s amid one of his hot stretches right now. The second baseman is hitting .288 this season while providing 32 RBI and 31 runs scored. That’s no surprise when considering his elite power-speed combo, and it doesn’t really matter if he faces Rucinski or Sears.

Value Plays/Punts

• Suarez can look like one of the worst hitters at times, but this slugger always ends the season with 30 bombs. He’s actually second in baseball in home runs over the last five years, picking up 163 homers since 2018. We love that power potential since he gets the platoon advantage against a subpar southpaw like Wentz.
• Castellanos in Coors sounds like a recipe for success. This .300 hitter is starting to get rolling, registering a .336 AVG, .534 SLG, and .898 OPS over his last 29 games. We’d love him against anyone at Coors, but facing a lefty only adds to his value.
• Wade is not a household name, but this guy typically bats atop the Giants lineup and usually produces. Late Night Lamonte has a .436 OBP, .677 SLG, and 1.113 OPS over his last 20 games. That’s quietly one of the best stretches of any player all year, and he should keep that success going against Brandon Pfaadt‘s 12.10 ERA and 1.97 WHIP.
• The Dodgers always pull these random players out of nowhere, and Outman is one of them. The last name does not do this guy justice because he’s got a .372 OBP, .574 SLG, and .946 OPS.
• Sanchez did leave on Saturday, but he’s one of the best punt plays if he can return here. Over his last 12 games, Sanchez has a .375 AVG, .775 SLG, and 1.165 OPS. That’s absurd from such an affordable player, and he shouldn’t struggle against a pitcher with a 7.36 ERA and 1.45 WHIP.

Hitter Strategy

The first thing we want to do on this slate is to stack the Mariners. That’s my favorite offense of the day, and many of their bats are relatively affordable. We should be able to pair them with teams like the Mets, Marlins, Reds, Brewers, Phillies, Dodgers, Giants, and Rangers. There’s plenty of value from those teams to build around, especially since we don’t have too many expensive pitchers.

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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.