Welcome to Fantasy Alarm's MLB DFS picks and daily fantasy playbook for Friday, May 22nd. Our MLB DFS projections combine advanced pitching metrics, platoon splits, strikeout prop data, and ownership positioning to identify the sharpest plays on every slate. Whether you are targeting DFS projections, running lineups through our DFS optimizer, tracking ownership trends, or checking confirmed lineups, Fantasy Alarm has the tools to sharpen your edge. Today's 12-game main slate has multiple different directions to go because we have a loaded pitching slate with Jacob deGrom, Davis Martin, Logan Henderson, Kevin Gausman, and Michael Soroka taking the mound. It's also Gerrit Cole's return.This MLB DFS playbook covers every key position on DraftKings and FanDuel with our best MLB DFS picks for today.

Slate: 12-Game Main  |  Lock Time: 7:05 PM ET, Friday May 22, 2026

Vegas Totals: COL/ARI (highest-projected game), LAD/MIL (second-highest), WAS/ATL - DET/BAL (tied for third-highest)

Highest K-Projections: Jacob deGrom 7.5 O/U (-135), Kevin Gausman 6.5 O/U (+115), Michael Soroka 5.5 O/U (-144), Eury Perez 5.5 O/U (-130)

MLB Weather Today, 5/22

DET vs. BAL - It's going to be raining basically the entire night so we'll see what the Orioles do. It's likely the play through it because it's not heavy rain.

WAS vs. ATL - There's heavy rain that COULD ruin the chances that this game is played, but it might hold off until later and they could get the game in.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

MLB DFS Top Pitchers

Jacob deGrom (TEX)

Analysis: This is the best spot on the board and that's pretty straight forward. The Angels strike out 26.4% of the time and are 28th or worse in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+. deGrom has a big strikeout ceiling as only Logan Henderson has a higher K-rate on the slate, but deGrom has a 7.5 implied strikeout prop tonight and is favored to go OVER that number.

Logan Gilbert (SEA)

Analysis: There's definitely some stuff that suggests Logan Gilbert's numbers are going to improve compared to what the surface level stuff tells us. The Royals matchup is really good as they're only a 97 wRC+ against righties and have a 22% K-rate. Gilbert has a big ceiling.

Davis Martin (CWS)

Analysis: The Giants offense is definitely improving BUT they've been on the road for a while and now they're back home. They rank 26th in wRC+, 27th in OPS, and 29th in wOBA against right-handed pitching this year. Martin has been an elite pitcher this year and is missing a boatload of bats pitching to a 27.4% K and 12.5% SwStr. Now he faces a bad offense in an elite pitching environment.

Kevin Gausman (TOR)

Analysis: This is definitely not the easiest spot in the world because Pittsburgh does rate out really good against right-handed pitching, but Vegas loves him today. He minus money to go over 17.5 outs and his strikeout over/under is set at 6.5, which is the second-highest mark on the main slate. Gausman has a great ceiling putting up 25+ DKP in three games this year.

MLB DFS Value Pitchers

Michael Soroka (ARI)

Analysis: The spot is quite good for Michael Soroka as he faces the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies are one of the worst offenses in baseball against right-handed pitchers ranking 28th in wRC+ and have a 23.3% K-rate. On the year, Soroka has a career-high 10.1 K/9 and 26.2% K as his SwStr is up to 10.5% from 9.4% last season.

Trevor McDonald (SF)

Analysis: It's hard not to like Trevor McDonald here because he's missing bats at a decent clip and keeping EVERYTHING on the ground. I mean everything. He has a 64.8% GB rate and 22.4% K-rate on the year. The White Sox are league average are against right-handed pitching and strike out at a 24.5% clip.

Jeffrey Springs (ATH)

Analysis: The Padres are the worst team in baseball against left-handed pitching, plain and simple. They're last in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ while ranking 29th in ISO. They also strike out 24.4% of the time against southpaws. Springs has a 3.04 ERA on the road and 4.6 at home, so pitching in San Diego is a big boost for Springs.

Top Options For Strikeouts

The three top strikeout targets in today's MLB DFS projections each carry a K/9 above 10.9 and favorable opponent strikeout splits. K-prop lines and value ratings are incorporated below for DFS and prop context. These are the arms building the highest strikeout ceilings on the nine-game slate.

Our model identifies these arms as the highest-ceiling plays for Alt-K lines today:

Logan Henderson: 32.4% K% (11.5 K/9) 

Jacob deGrom: 31% K% (10.8 K/9)

Connor Prielipp: 28.4% K% (10.4 K/9

Davis Martin: 27.4% K% (9.5 K/9) 

Michael Soroka: 26.2% K% (10.1 K/9)

Payton Tolle: 26.1% K% (8.8 K/9)

Best Odds For A Win

The following MLB DFS picks offer a combination of favorable win odds, sustainable ERA and xFIP metrics, and soft opponent matchups. Each carry K-prop lines worth noting alongside their DFS value at reduced ownership relative to the top tier.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Stacks & Hitters

MLB DFS Top Hitters

Corbin Carroll & Ketel Marte (OF/2B, ARI)

Analysis: Tomoyuki Sugano is arguably the worst pitcher on the main slate and the DBacks look fantastic offensively. Carroll has a .275 ISO, .251 xISO, .355 wOBA, and .369 xwOBA while Marte has a .198 ISO, .215 xISO, .321 wOBA, and .373 xwOBA against right-handed pitching. Meanwhile, Sugano has allowed a .306 ISO, .338 xISO, .405 wOBA, and .456 xwOBA to lefties.

Matt Olson (1B, ATL)

Analysis: Matt Olson is bashing against both right-handed and left-handed pitching, which bodes well using someone against openers. Olson has been especially good against right-handers and the Nats are using Miles Mikolas as their bulk pitcher today. Olson has a .322 ISO, .355 xISO, .418 wOBA, and .398 xwOBA.

Julio Rodriguez & Randy Arozarena (OF, SEA)

Analysis: The Mariners have some mid-tier bash brothers against left-handed pitching. Especially Rodriguez as he's posted a .373 ISO, .370 xISO, .442 wOBA, and .432 xwOBA and Randy Arozarena has a .213 ISO and .355 wOBA. There's some bad underlying numbers for Noah Cameron as he's posted a .140 ISO, .182 xISO, .336 wOBA, and .357 xwOBA.

Shea Langeliers (C, ATH)

Analysis: Righties have been the power side against Walker Buehler and here lies a powerful fella named Shea Langeliers. Langeliers has a .259 ISO, .294 xISO, 9 HR, and a .423 wOBA against Buehler. Buehler has allowed a .164 ISO and a .218 xISO to righties.

MLB DFS Value Hitters

Michael Harris (OF, ATL)

Analysis: There's absolutely zero reason Michael Harris should be the price he is on DraftKings. Zero. None. Best value on the board.

Mark Vientos (1B, NYM)

Analysis: Righties have absolutely dominated Eury Perez this year and would ya look at that..Mark Vientos hits from the right side. Vientos has a .155 ISO and .262 wOBA but .236 xISO and .328 xwOBA respectively. Righties have a .345 ISO and .399 wOBA against Perez this year.

Nolan Arenado (3B, COL)

Analysis: He's really cheap against a bad pitcher. Righties have a .163 ISO, but .225 xISO, .287 wOBA, and .369 xwOBA. Arenado has a .193 ISO and .366 wOBA against right-handed pitching.

MLB DFS Top Stacks

Primary Stack: Arizona Diamondbacks vs Tomoyuki Sugano (COL RHP)

Why: The Diamondbacks have the highest implied total on the board and are in a fantastic spot.

LHH - .306 ISO, .338 xISO, .405 wOBA, .456 xwOBA

RHH - .163 ISO, .225 xISO, .287 wOBA, .369 xwOBA

Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, Nolan Arenado, Geraldo Perdomo, and Ildemaro Vargas are the top five Diamondbacks I'd look at.

Primary Stack: Atlanta Braves vs Richard Lovelady/Miles Mikolas (WAS LHP/RHP)

Why: Sure Richard Lovelady is opening, but Miles Mikolas as the bulk pitcher is ALWAYS appealing. The Braves have an elite matchup because of the righties and lefties they're throwing at them. Righties and lefties have ISOs over .230 against Mikolas this year and .340 wOBA's or higher. 

"Contrarian" Stack: Athletics vs Walker Buehler (SDP RHP)

Why: Righties are hitting for massive power against Walker Buehler and his elevated flyball rate. Righties have a .218 xISO against Buehler while lefties are hitting north of .300. Elite option.

"Contrarian" Stack: New York Mets vs Eury Perez (MIA RHP)

Why: I prefer the righties here, but the lefties are appealing too because they're the speedy one's in the Mets lineup and nobody allows steals more than Eury Perez. Righties for power, lefties for speed.

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters & Pitchers

The "Chalk" (Popular)

The "Pivot" (Low

Owned)

The Winning Logic
Kevin Gausman (SP, chalk)Springs (SP, similar tier)Nobody playing Springs in good matchup. The best matchup for LHP, actually.
ARI + ATL as primary stacksATH + NYM as contrarian stacksA's have a lot of HR upside & the Mets can steal a boatload of bases here.
Carroll + Marte (chalk)Langeliers + Soto (lower owned)Two players with multi-homer upside that are unowned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The foundation for every MLB DFS lineup you build today. These are the core MLB DFS picks by position across DraftKings and FanDuel.

  1. Jacob deGrom (SP1)
  2. Michael Soroka (SP2)
  3. Corbin Carroll (Core Bat)
  4. Matt Olson (Core Bat)
  5. Julio Rodriguez (Core Bat)
  6. Michael Harris (Core Value Bat)
  7. Nolan Arenado (Core Value Bat)

Player Pool

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Stacks

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