Welcome to Fantasy Alarm's MLB DFS picks and daily fantasy playbook for Wednesday, May 20th. 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. This MLB DFS playbook covers every key position on DraftKings and FanDuel with our best MLB DFS picks for today.

Slate: 6-Game DK Main, 9-Game FD Main  |  Lock Time: 7:05 PM ET/6:40 PM ET, Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Vegas Totals: NYM/WSH (highest-projected FD game), ATH/LAA (second-highest FD, highest DK), Five games tied for third-highest

Highest K-Projections: Chris Sale 7.5 O/U (+102), Shohei Ohtani 6.5 O/U (-150), Trey Yesavage 5.5 O/U (-136), Cam Schlittler 5.5 O/U (-130), Kyle Harrison 5.5 O/U (+110)

MLB Weather Today, 5/20

NYM vs. WSH - Storms in the area that could lead to a delay or postponement. 

TOR vs. NYY - Storms in the area that leave a high probability of a delay and a real chance for PPD.

MIL vs. CHC - Temps around 50 degrees and 15-20 mph wind blowing in. Great pitching weather. 

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

MLB DFS Top Pitchers

Shohei Ohtani (LAD)

Analysis: On DK, Ohtani is trending towards being massive chalk if we can't play pitchers in TOR/NYY due to weather. If that game is PPD before lock, Ohtani becomes the only pitcher priced above $8,700 on the slate and is likely rostered by more than half the field in most contests. He's been brilliant this season, with a 0.82 ERA and 29.2% strikeout rate through seven starts. 

Cam Schlittler (NYY) *WEATHER RISK

Analysis: There is legitimate weather risk in this game that we need clarification on before deciding if Schlittler is playable. While it is easy to pivot to Chris Sale on FD, Schlittler is the only obvious spend-up outside of Ohtani on DK. He's been incredible this season with a 1.35 ERA and 30.1% strikeout rate. 

Chris Sale (ATL) *FD ONLY

Analysis: Sale is the obvious pivot on FD, where he is the most expensive pitcher. He's off to another Cy Youn-caliber start, with a 1.96 ERA and a  29.6% strikeout rate through nine starts. He draws a matchup against a Marlins offense that has been average against lefties while striking out at the 10th-highest rate. 

MLB DFS Value Pitchers

Kyle Harrison (MIL)

Analysis: Harrison is enjoying a breakout season for the Brewers, with a 2.09 ERA and 30% strikeout rate through eight starts. He draws a tough matchup against the Cubs, but he also gets a huge boost from the chilly temperatures and wind blowing in at 15+ mph. 

Edward Cabrera (CHC)

Analysis: Cabrera has fallen short of lofty expectations after being acquired by the Cubs in an offseason trade. Through nine starts, he owns just a 4.06 ERA and 21.3% strikeout rate. The Cubs will lean on him to stop a four-game losing streak and avoid a sweep at the hands of the division rival Brewers. E-Cab gets the same Wrigley weather boost as Harrison. 

Michael Wacha (KC)

Analysis: This is more about the matchup than a desire to play Wacha. For the season, Boston ranks dead last with an 82 wRC+ against right-handed pitching while striking out at the 11th-highest rate. They get a big ballpark downgrade for offense going into Kansas City, and they are also missing two of their best hitters in Anthony and Story. 

Wacha has been great this season with a 2.83 ERA, but there has been a lot of luck involved (.215 BABIP, 83.7% LOB%). There is some regression coming in the near future, but it doesn't necessarily happen tonight in this elite matchup. 

NOTE: It would be great if we could play Trey Yesavage, but it does not look like Mother Nature is going to cooperate in that regard. If the weather clears as we approach lock, I would definitely pivot. 

Top Options For Strikeouts

The four top strikeout targets in today's MLB DFS projections each carry a K/9 above 10.0 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 main slates.

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

Chris Sale: 29.6% K% (10.5 K/9)

Shohei Ohtani: 29.2% K% (10.2 K/9) 

Cam Schlittler: 30.1% K% (10.2 K/9)

Kyle Harrison: 30.0% K% (11.2 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

Nick Kurtz (1B, ATH)

Analysis: Kurtz has been mashing after initially starting slow this season. He's up to a 184 wRC+ in May despite hitting just three home runs. He is among the league leaders in both hard hits and average exit velocity, so the home runs should be picking up in short order. Kochanowicz has done a better job of containing lefties this season, but he still owns just a 13.7% strikeout rate against them.  

Mike Trout (OF, LAA)

Analysis: Trout is enjoying a resurgent season with a 148 wRC+ to begin the year. He's already clobbered 12 home runs, and he's also added five stolen bases. The fact that he's running again for the first time in years indicates he is fully healthy. Trout has also had heavy reverse splits in his career, and Civale has been hit harder by righties this season (.203 xISO). 

Brent Rooker (OF, ATH)

Analysis: The A's have the top implied team total on the DK slate, and Rooker is set up perfectly to handle his opponent's biggest strength. Kochanowicz owns an elite 57.1% ground-ball rate this season, but Rooker has posted a 50% fly-ball rate. 

Maikel Garcia (3B, KC)

Analysis: The Royals have struggled offensively against lefties this season, but their best hitter has actually been Maikel Garcia. He owns an elite .273 ISO and .444 wOBA against southpaws this season. He should lead off and also adds upside on basepaths. 

MLB DFS Value Hitters

Jorge Soler (OF, LAA)

Analysis: Soler has been an average hitter this season, but he has actually been excellent against righties with a .231 ISO. Civale has been reverse-splits this season, which plays into Soler's prodigious righty power perfectly. 

Salvador Perez (C, KC)

Analysis: Perez had a long history of crushing lefties until he struggled last season. He's back in form this season, posting a .184 ISO against southpaws, and he owns a .201 ISO against them in his career. 

Zack Gelof (3B, ATH)

Analysis: Gelof has flashed power and speed for the A's, with six homers and four stolen bases in his first 102 plate appearances. Strikeouts have been a problem in the past, but he's improved in that department and faces an extremely low-strikeout pitcher. 

MLB DFS Top Stacks

Primary Stack: Athletics vs Jack Kochanowicz (LAA RHP)

Why: The A's are the top stack of the day against the low strikeouts and hard-hit issues of Kochanowicz. He does possess strong groundball numbers, so fly-ball hitters are the preferred targets, with Langeliers, Kurtz, and Rooker standing out. 

Primary Stack: Los Angeles Angels vs Aaron Civale (ATH RHP)

Why: Civale has a 2.70 ERA, but he also has an unsustainable 90.3% strand rate, and he's been lucky with fly-ball variance. His 48% hard-hit rate ranks in the bottom 10% of the league, and he's striking out just 17.2% of batters. ERA estimators all have him almost two runs worse than his actual ERA. 

Primary Stack: New York Mets/Washington Nationals *FD ONLY (WEATHER RISK)

Why: I'm grouping these two together since they are in the same weather game and only available on FD. The Vegas run total is up at 10 runs, with a fairly even split on both sides (NYM slight favorites). The Mets will be quite popular if the weather holds, while the Nats look to be flying under the radar. Littell has been destroyed by lefties this season (.404 ISO) and allowed power to both sides of the plate last season. Thornton is making his MLB debut for the Mets. 

"Contrarian" Stack: Milwaukee Brewers vs Edward Cabrera (CHC RHP)

Why: Cabrera has struggled with power this season, allowing a 12.9% barrel rate and 1.41 HR/9. The weather should help him in that regard today, but the Brewers actually score the fewest percentage of their runs via the home run in the league. They have hit the fewest home runs in the league, yet rank 7th in runs scored. They might just be uniquely set up to succeed in the tough weather conditions tonight. 

"Contrarian" Stack: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Michael McGreevy (STL RHP)

Why: McGreevy has been one of the luckiest pitchers in baseball, at least according to his 2.10 ERA and 5.78 xERA. He's surrendered just a .203 BABIP despite allowing an 11.1% barrel rate and 39.6% hard-hit rate. His .542 xSLG ranks in the bottom 2% of the league, and he should be allowing much more significant damage than he has to this point in the season. Cruz and Lowe are two of my favorite tournament plays on the entire slate. 

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters & Pitchers

The "Chalk" (Popular)

The "Pivot" (Low

Owned)

The Winning Logic
Harrison (SP, chalk DK value)Wacha (SP, low-owned, elite matchup)Finding a pivot off Ohtani is going to be difficult on DK if we lose TOR/NYY. Wacha has been solid and gets one of the best possible matchups, so I would prefer to differentiate at SP2. 
ATH + LAA as primary stacksMIL + PIT as contrarian stacksThe weather should keep MIL off the radar, and PIT looks to be way off the board. Both teams have winnable matchups. 
Witt (chalk hitter)Turang/Lowe (low-owned, high-upside options) Spending up for Witt at SS is going to be a popular strategy. It's viable to pivot that salary to 2B, where both Turang and Lowe are expected to be low-owned. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

  1. Shohei Ohtani (SP1)
  2. Kyle Harrison (SP2)
  3. Nick Kurtz (Core Bat)
  4. Mike Trout (Core Bat)
  5. Brent Rooker (Core Bat)
  6. Jorge Soler (Core Value Bat)
  7. Salvador Perez (Core Value Bat)

Player Pool

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Stacks

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