Welcome to the MLB DFS Playbook for May 30! We have a robust 13-game main slate with some top pitching available, but we also have a whole lot of bad starters out there which means we may be able to find a few more bargain picks in some unusual places tonight. So let’s get to it, and, as always, let me remind you, as you move through today’s DFS Playbook, be sure to check in with our MLB DFS Tools, take in the daily MLB projections, follow the MLB DFS Ownership projections and maybe even take our MLB DFS Lineup Generator for a spin. With so much knowledge at your fingertips, it’s going to be tough to not see green no matter if you’re playing cash games or GPP tournaments. 

MLB DFS Playbook: May 30

MLB Weather Updates

WAS/LAD – wind is blowing out slightly to center which should help the Dodgers bats. The Nationals haven’t hit for much power and it doesn’t feel like the wind is strong enough to help them all that much.

DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

First and foremost, we can be thankful there is no game at Coors Field tonight, so that immediately takes a ton of overpriced, mediocre bats we feel compelled to use off the table. The key to success tonight is going to be the effectiveness of the starters we use. We have four legitimate aces who could be considered no-brainers, but using two of them on DraftKings is going to make it awfully difficult, so I am looking at one high-priced arm to pair with either a mid-tier guy and dig for a few extra bargain bats or I will pay down for my second starter and see if I can’t squeeze in a high-priced bat or two. Not sure the high-priced hitting talent is going to be fully necessary considering how many poor starters we have on the slate, but one or two would certainly be helpful. As for FanDuel lineups, there are too many great pitchers on the slate to pay down at the position. You could, but with the way scoring is skewed, you’re better off with one of the top 4 hurlers available.

 

 

Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

Best Odds for a Win

Bullpens Most Likely to Blow Your Starters’ Win & Boost Your Stacks

Side Note: Most overused bullpens in the last week are the Athletics (37.2 IP), Rockies (29.1), Royals (28.0), Rays (26.1) and White Sox (26.0)

Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups

Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays

The choice to pay up for pitching comes down to McClanhan versus Joe Ryan for me and while I love what Ryan has brought to the table, I am going to tilt more towards McClanahan with this match-up against the Cubs. There may be some win blowing slightly in at Wrigley today and McClanhan’s fly-ball rate has jumped this season, but the fact that the Cubs are mashing the ball into the dirt 45-percent of the time against righties should help, given McClanahan’s pitch-mix.

Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks

The home/road splits for Gallen are glaring and if I cannot afford McClanahan (or Ryan for that matter), then using the DBacks righty against a weak Rockies team seems like an easy pivot. Gallen has a 0.77 ERA with a 28.7-percent strikeout rate at Chase Field this season and while the Rockies bats have awakened recently against the Mets and Marlins, expecting them to hit Gallen is going to be a tough ask. This is still a team that has a .291 wOBA with a 24.3-percent K-rate on the road this season.

Bryce Elder, Atlanta Braves

He doesn’t have the strikeout rate his top contemporaries have on today’s slate, something that makes him better-suited for FanDuel, but considering the Oakland A’s have a 26.5-percent K-rate with a dismal .281 wOBA against right-handed pitching, we’re happy to use him on either site. His salary comes in almost $1,000 cheaper than the top-tier on DK, so if you want to fade the top starters, he comes in nicely as a potential No. 1 to pair with a pay-down.

Kyle Gibson, Baltimore Orioles

Another low-strikeout guy, but the price is definitely right for a second starter to use in your DK lineup. He’s coming off back-to-back seven-inning games where he allowed a total of just one run and he’s got three quality starts in his last four. All three of those came against the top talent in the AL East, so matching him up against a Cleveland team that has a .268 wOBA with a .096 ISO over the past week and has a .278 wOBA on the year against righties seems like we’re getting some decent bang for our buck.

 

 

Recommended DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups

William Contreras, C Milwaukee Brewers

The overall numbers aren’t great, but that is just as much an issue with his surrounding lineup as it is his own performance. We like him for his numbers against southpaws this season -- .849 OPS, .369 wOBA – but equally important are the struggles of lefty Yusei Kikuchi who is allowing right-handed hitters to post a .373 wOBA against him and has allowed 12 earned runs over his last 13.2 innings (three starts), including six home runs in that span.

Pete Alonso, 1B New York Mets

I’m jamming him into my lineups today and dealing with the cost and my budget from there. Ranger Suarez has only allowed one home run during his three starts, but he’s also given up 12 earned runs over 11 innings and right-handed hitters are posted a massive .430 wOBA against him. Alonso is crushing all pitching this season, but that .414 wOBA and .344 ISO against southpaws is too juicy to pass up.

Nolan Gorman, 2B St. Louis Cardinals

We’re building our lineups like Earl Weaver built the Orioles back in the late 70’s. It’s all about the three-run home run and Gorman against a righty is exactly where we want to be for that. He’s hit 11 of his 13 homers off righthanded pitching and has an impressive 1.088 OPS and .450 wOBA. That matches up beautifully against Greinke who is allowing lefty hitters to post a .369 wOBA against him and has allowed more than half of his home runs allowed to lefties.

Evan Longoria, 3B Arizona Diamondbacks

At this stage in his career, Longoria is nothing more than a platoon player and his only real value comes against left-handed pitching. He’s seen Kyle Freeland plenty of times and is 11-for-36 (.306) against home with two home runs, six RBI and a .390 wOBA. I am finding, especially on DK, that paying down at the hot corner works well and will continue to take advantage of the favorable match-up. 

Royce Lewis, SS Minnesota Twins

You may as well strike while the iron is both hot and cheap. Lewis is at the minimum price and gets a favorable match-up against Brandon Bielak who is allowing righthanded hitters to post a .418 wOBA against him. Righties have also hit 18 of the 22 home runs allowed by Bielak in his career. The Twins offense has started to heat up, so now is as good as any to use him in your lineups.

Randy Arozarena, OF Tampa Bay Rays

Yes, I know you don’t need me to tell you to start Arozarena ever, but given his price tag in comparison to the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuna and Aaron Judge, we love using Arozarena at a slight discount and against righty Kyle Hendricks who is on the very downside of his career. He crushes lefties more than righties, but he’s about to heat up and sits in the middle of baseball’s most productive lineup to date.

Michael Conforto, OF San Francisco Giants

He got the day off yesterday when the Giants faced a lefty, but now stands in against righthander Johan Oviedo who is allowing a .337 wOBA to lefty hitters this season. But it’s more about what Conforto has been doing lately than this actual match-up. Oviedo is a tomato can for sure, but add to it that Conforto is slashing .357/.396/.494 with three home runs and a .414 wOBA over the last two weeks.

 

 

MLB DFS Podcast May 30

Take listen to today's MLB DFS Podcast as the guys break down the 13-game MLB DFS main slate on DraftKings and build an example lineup at the end!

 

MLB DFS Livestream May 30

Come check out Jonathan Impemba and James Grande @ 5 pm ET as they break down the MLB DFS main slate on the Bettor Sports Network!

Player Pool

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Stacks

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