MLB DFS DraftKings & FanDuel Fantasy Lineups & Picks for May 17, 2018
We’ve got a great slate of MLB DFS games scheduled for Thursday, 5/17/18. The main slate on DraftKings includes nine games starting at 7:05 p.m. EST, and the FanDuel main slate also includes nine starting at the same time.
For today, we’re listing our best MLB DFS pitchers, hitters, and stacks to target in Cash and GPP lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. The info below can also be used for crafting your daily fantasy baseball strategy at FantasyDraft.
Please note the advice below is relevant for daily fantasy purposes. A player or team might be better or worse from a fantasy perspective than in real life due to matchup, price, and lots of other factors. Remember that more than in other sports, variance is a huge part of baseball. Even Mike Trout can go 0-for-4 on a given night, and Max Scherzer can get lit up by a weak team.
Weather can also play a huge role in MLB DFS on a nightly basis, and lineups are constantly shifting. So always, always check the starting lineups and weather reports when playing for an MLB slate. If a game gets rained out, your player gets zero points! There are several weather concerns tonight, so please check the weather reports as we get closer to lineup lock.
5/17/18 MLB DFS TOURNAMENT PICKS
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Rally Cap: $8 entry, $125k guaranteed (DraftKings)
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Rally: $9.99 entry, $100k guaranteed(FanDuel)
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Best MLB DFS Pitchers for May 17, 2018
Cole Hamels @ CWS ($10.8k DraftKings, $8.8k FanDuel)
Left for dead by some writers (**raises hand**), Cole Hamels put on a magnificent display in a brutal matchup against the Astros last Thursday. He held their righty-heavy lineup to just one hit over six strong innings. That makes four consecutive outings with 100-plus pitches 2 ER or fewer allowed against some of the top offenses in the American League. Now, he faces one of the MLB’s worst offenses in the White Sox, who are sporting the second-lowest collective average (.213) with the highest K-Rate (27.3%) in the Majors when facing LHPs this season. Hamels’ K-Rate (25.1%) is way up from last year (17.1%), and he could go deeper into tonight’s game considering his longevity in recent starts.
Kevin Gausman @ BOS ($7.9k DraftKings, $8.6k FanDuel)
Because the Red Sox got off to such a furious start this season, Kevin Gausman is unlikely to be a popular option in Cash formats. But he’s been rolling recently and comes with good upside against a Boston team that’s hitting a below-average .256 with the lowest BB Rate (5.8%) in the Majors over the last 14 days. Gausman was much better at home early in his career but has posted a 1.80 ERA with a stellar 52.5% ground ball rate on the road this season. He’s holding RHBs to a .260 wOBA on the road and therefore matches up well against the Red Sox with most of their lefties struggling. He’s held current Sox to a .227 average (47-for-207) with a 22.2% K-Rate in his career and fits well into GPP lineups created by the optimizer on RotoQL.
Chris Archer @ LAA ($6.9k DraftKings, $8.6k FanDuel)
An even riskier option with even more potential upside relative to his price tag on DK, Chris Archer faces a red-hot offense. But he’s had success against the Angels in the past. He even held Mike Trout to a human .263 average (5-for-19, 0 HRs) and current Halos to an overall .204 average (21-for-103) with 35 Ks in his career. Archer’s seen a rise in homers and a decline in strikeouts, yet the velocity remains the same on his fastball. He should still be in his physical prime at the age of 29. He’s paid off as a GPP play in three of his last four road starts and is posting a 10.28 K/9 ratio away from Tropicana Field.
Other pitchers to consider: Tyler Skaggs, Chad Kuhl, Jon Lester, Andrew Triggs
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Best MLB DFS Hitters for May 17, 2018
Kris Bryant @ ATL ($5.3k DraftKings, $4.9k FanDuel)
Braves rookie LHP Mike Soroka might have contained two of the weakest offenses in the Majors in terms of facing lefties (Mets and Marlins). But those results may be fool’s gold if you’re thinking of using him tonight. The Cubs are ranked 10th in collective wOBA (.329) and sixth in ISO (.190) when facing LHPs, led by a notable lefty-killer in Kris Bryant. He’s a scorching 17-for-41 (.447) with 5 HRs and a 54.8% hard contact rate off lefties this season. Bryant sputtered a bit as he returned from a concussion earlier this month, but has been raking ever since and is worth the money with a projection of 13.5 FPs tonight on RotoQL.
Ryon Healy vs. DET ($4.4k DraftKings, $3.6k FanDuel)
When the Mariners face a vulnerable lefty, Nelson Cruz has been the premier play in years past, but he may now be passing the torch to a younger RHB who mashes against the platoon. Ryon Healy is a career .316 hitter with a 21.9% HR/FB ratio when facing LHPs. He’s also 9-for-27 with 3 HRs to post a .474 wOBA against lefties this season. Tigers southpaw Matt Boyd is improving but still rocks a 5.04 xFIP with a 30.1% hard contact rate. That doesn’t give Healy tremendous individual upside, but he could thrive as part of a Mariners offense that boasts the highest wOBA (.349) against LHPs in the A.L.
David Dahl @ SF ($4.1k DraftKings, $2.7k FanDuel)
There’s a good chance David Dahl bats cleanup tonight against struggling RHP Jeff Samardzija with elite hitters in front of him in Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado. That would put him in good position to succeed even at spacious AT&T Park. Dahl is hitting .368 with a 30.8% line drive rate off RHPs this season, and Samardzija has imploded lately, giving up 2 HR and 5 ER in consecutive outings. Lefties are 16-for-52 (.364) with 4 HRs off “The Shark” this season and Dahl is quite cheap on FanDuel given this spot.
Jurickson Profar vs. CWS ($3.3k DraftKings, $2.7k FanDuel)
With Elvis Andrus (elbow) and Adrian Beltre (hamstring) on the DL, there should be ample opportunities for Jurickson Profar to gain some rhythm by playing close to every day. The highly touted prospect has hit safely in eight of his last nine appearances and could serve as a cheap addition to a Rangers stack against vulnerable veteran James Shields. Profar has posted a 24.9% line drive rate over his last two campaigns but has been a bit unlucky to post a .230 BABIP during that span. He has a decent floor while LHBs such as Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo are boom-bust options to consider against Shields, who sports a 1.45 HR/9 ratio on the road.
Other hitters to consider: Mike Trout, Freddie Freeman, Odubel Herrera, Starling Marte, Joey Gallo, Nick Castellanos, Paul DeJong, Danny Valencia, Mike Zunino, Brandon Crawford
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MLB DFS Stacks to Consider for May 17, 2018
Pirates vs. Eric Lauer (Padres)
Rockies vs. Jeff Samardzija (Rockies)
Rangers vs. James Shields (White Sox)
Cubs vs. Mike Soroka (Braves)
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