MLB DFS DraftKings.com & FanDuel.com Lineups & Picks for May 27, 2018
Happy Sunday, DFSers. We’re back for another full slate of MLB DFS games scheduled for 5/27/18. The main slates on both DraftKings and FanDuel kick off at 1:05 p.m. EST. We’ve got 11 games in play at DraftKings, while FanDuel’s main slate features nine games.
For today, we’re listing our top MLB DFS picks at pitcher, hitter, 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. This is important to consider when constructing a roster. 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 an unsuspecting 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.
5/27/18 MLB DFS TOURNAMENT PICKS
Nifty Fifty: $50 entry, $250k guaranteed (DraftKings) – $50,000 to 1st!
Rally Cap: $8 entry, $150k guaranteed (DraftKings) – $25,000 to 1st!
MLB Squeeze: $4.44 entry, $100k guaranteed (FanDuel) – $10,000 to 1st!
MLB Rally: $9 entry, $50k guaranteed (FanDuel) – $10,000 to 1st!
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Best MLB DFS Pitchers for May 27, 2018
Gerrit Cole @ CLE ($11.6k DraftKings, $11.2k FanDuel)
Cole does scare me in this one, but mostly just due to his price tag. The matchup itself is actually pretty workable. Cole, who has five double-digit strikeout starts this season, has tremendous upside given his K-potential. It just so happens the Indians are striking out at a slate-high 10.1 strikeouts per game over their last 10. Cole, meanwhile, has exceeded seven strikeouts in all but two of his 10 outings this season, which seems to suggest, along with that upside, a very promising strikeout floor. Of course, you’re not interested in the floor; you need Cole to hit big to pay off his salary. I know, I know. This Cleveland team just embarrassed Lance McCullers last night. But Cole is playing on a different level this season. And he’s a perfect 4-0 on the road this season. Fire away in GPPs and Cash games, but only in the latter if value opens up at some positions.
Miles Mikolas @ PIT ($9.5k DraftKings, $9.3k FanDuel)
There are a plethora of elite options on this slate that cost top dollar. Mikolas may not be traditionally elite, but he has looked that way at certain times this season. And he’s a bit cheaper than the likes of Cole or Chris Sale. Coming off a nine-inning, nine-strikeout gem against the Royals, Mikolas has continued to build on a breakout season. And when he faced Pittsburgh back in April, though he failed to secure the win, the young starter struck out seven over seven, while allowing just two runs. For me, he’s a no-brainer on this slate if you are fading the highest tier. And on DraftKings, I think you almost have to roster him. Mikolas has limited strikeout upside given Pittsburgh’s low strikeout rate, but he still can bring you a substantial ROI given his ability to go late in games. I prefer him in GPPs, but I really like him in head-to-heads since he is quite safe.
Kevin Gausman @ TB ($8.1k DraftKings, $8.5k FanDuel)
I’ll start out by saying I like Gausman more on DraftKings than FanDuel, since you need two starters over there and he comes in a little cheaper at DK. But frankly, you can make an argument for him on both sites. Gausman has not received much help from the Orioles’ offense this season. Just look at his 6.1 inning outing against the Chicago White Sox last week in which he struck out 10, allowed zero earned runs but still couldn’t get the win. Today, he gets a Tampa Bay team he has already faced this season. In that start, he struck out six over 7.1 innings, and he actually got the win in that one. With a 2.11 ERA on the road this season, Gausman provides much-needed security and salary relief facing off against a Rays team that is in complete rebuild mode. I don’t think it’ll be perfect, but Gausman doesn’t have a ton of blowup potential, while he does have some upside given his ability to strikeout guys at a 9.00+ K/9 this month.
Other pitchers to consider: Chris Sale, Stephen Strasburg, J.A. Happ, Nick Pivetta, Cole Hamels
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Best MLB DFS Hitters for May 27, 2018
C.J. Cron vs. BAL ($4.2k DraftKings, $3.4k FanDuel)
In 14 career at-bats against Kevin Gausman, Cron has managed to rack up an OPS just north of 1.000, with five hits, a double, and a home run. And earlier this month against Gausman, Cron had two hits with an RBI in a game where Gausman shut down the rest of the Rays. Gausman is a guy who can really put away sub-par offenses, but he’s also a guy who can absolutely blow up, something he’s done a few times this season. Either way, Cron apparently has his number, and the Rays first basemen comes in at a low cost with home run upside — he’s got 11 this season. And during the last lengthy Rays home stand, nine games in April, Cron had 14 hits. So far this stint, he has four over five games. I’d recommend sticking to GPP only with him, though there’s an argument for Cash given the kind of season he’s having.
Travis Shaw vs. NYM ($4.5k DraftKings, $3.7k FanDuel)
As the highest-scored third basemen over at RotoQL’s batter matchup tool, Shaw sticks out on this large slate. Today, he’ll face the New York Mets and right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler. While Wheeler has shown potential at times, he struggles against left-handed bats, allowing a .812 OPS to hitters of that handedness this season (compared to a .735 OPS to righties). Shaw is truly a different player when he faces lefties. Just look at his OPS splits. Against RHPs, he’s racked up a 1.039 OPS this season. He’s managed an OPS of just .422 against lefties. The fact that Shaw has six hits over his last 12 at bats doesn’t hurt either, as he and the streaking Brewers look to take three of four games in this series against the Mets. Shaw is in play in both cash games and GPPs.
Jose Abreu @ DET ($4.3k DraftKings, $3.8k FanDuel)
The Chicago White Sox are a disaster of a team, and Jose Abreu isn’t getting any younger. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reap the benefits of the slugger on your own roster, especially today against Blaine Hardy, a left-handed relief pitcher who allows right-handed batters to hit for an OPS of .889. He also has been atrocious this year at home, allowing opposing hitters to rack up an average of .381. Granted this all is across a small sample size, but the 31-year-old relief pitcher doesn’t have a lot of pitches in him on any given day. And Detroit’s bullpen has the sixth-highest ERA in the league this season. Toss in the fact that Abreu has already taken Hardy yard before (in just four at bats), and you can see why I like the guy. Look to roster Abreu in GPPs, but monitor the weather. There could be a delay in Detroit.
Michael Conforto @ MIL ($3.8k DraftKings, $3.4k FanDuel)
Another guy from the Milwaukee-New York game I like is Conforto, a lefty who today faces off against Jhoulys Chacin, a righty who can’t stop lefties. This season, Chacin has allowed a .586 OPS to right-handed batters. He’s allowed a .800 OPS to lefties. So it should come as no surprise that Conforto is 5-for-12 lifetime against Chacin. But why I really like the Mets outfielder is his recent history. He’s been absolutely destructive at Miller Park this series, with two home runs, four hits, and four runs through the first three games (12 at bats). Though he’s struggled this season, his slugging percentage has improved by roughly 33 percent month-over-month, and he’s hit five home runs this month compared to just one in April. With Conforto playing really well right now, take the savings and the upside in a matchup he should be able to exploit. He’s Cash and GPP-viable.
Other hitters to consider: Mookie Betts, Eugenio Suarez, Whit Merrifield, Ozzie Albies, Nomar Mazara, Joey Votto, Nicholas Castellanos, Scooter Gennett, Rhys Hoskins, Tim Anderson, Brandon Nimmo, Salvador Perez, Joey Gallo
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MLB DFS Stacks to Consider for May 27, 2018
Tigers vs. James Shields (White Sox)
White Sox vs. Blaine Hardy (Tigers)
Nationals vs. Elieser Hernandez (Marlins)
Brewers vs. Zack Wheeler (Mets)
Mets vs. Jhoulys Chacin (Brewers)
