The main slates on FanDuel and DraftKings have plenty of top tier options from which to choose, but don’t fret about value guys, as I have uncovered quite a few below for your MLB DFS lineups. DraftKings’ main slate features nine games, whereas the main slate FanDuel has eight contests. Neither of the main slates include Coors Field, so we don’t have to navigate those waters today. I like the thought of the Rays being a top MLB DFS stack this afternoon against Clarke Schmidt and the New York Yankees. When looking to make your daily fantasy baseball lineups for this afternoon, be sure to check out all of the tools we have here at Fantasy Alarm, including our MLB starting lineups, Vegas Odds, daily MLB projections, and more. Here are my favorite value plays for your MLB DFS lineups on FanDuel and DraftKings for Sunday, May 14.
MLB DFS Value Pitchers
Kyle Gibson, SP Baltimore Orioles (DraftKings: $7,300 / FanDuel: $8,000)
Pittsburgh had a good run to begin the season, but it has come to a screeching halt here in May. Pittsburgh has the worst batting average (.177), wRC+ (53), and team strikeout rate (28.5%) in the month of May, and they are sliding. While they are sending out Mitch Keller, their ace, I’m not so sure the offense is going to be able to do much to help in this one. Gibson loves pitching in Baltimore, as seen by his 1.93 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 9.16 K/9 at home this season. He’s been fortunate to have home starts against Oakland and Detroit this season, but he cannot control the hand that he was dealt. He has a quality start in each of his three home starts this season, and it’s a very good matchup against a struggling Pittsburgh offense.
Yusei Kikuchi, SP Toronto Blue Jays (DraftKings: $8,200)
This one is not for the faint of heart, as Atlanta is one of the best in the business against left-handed pitchers. Atlanta does strike out a fair amount against lefties, and Kikuchi has really one had two bad starts this season. What Kikuchi has going for him today is that he’s pitching at home, and he’s been dominant at home this season. In his two home starts this season, he’s put up 29.8 and 30.5 DraftKings points, and he’s coming off a solid start against Pittsburgh. Kikuchi’s strikeouts are up at home, his ERA is a dazzling 0.77, and even when you look at 2022, he was far, far better at home than on the road. I can’t trust him in cash games, but he makes for an interesting SP2 in tournaments, as the matchup should scare others off.
Note: Lucas Giolito is a guy I really like today, but I have concerns about the weather for this one. If it clears up, it’s a great spot for Giolito at home against a struggling Houston offense.
MLB DFS Value Hitters
Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Seattle Mariners (DraftKings: $3,700 / FanDuel: $2,800)
I don’t like the price as much on DraftKings today, but he’s certainly not unplayable over there either. It seems as if things are turning around for Hernandez after a rough, rough start to the season. He’s hitting .279 in the month of May with a 106 wRC+ and he’s a cool 4-for-9 thus far in this series against Detroit, including hitting a home run last night. Hernandez has an .886 OPS against southpaws this season, and he draws a good matchup today against Detroit’s Joey Wentz, a southpaw who has allowed a 6.16 ERA and 1.89 HR/9 at home. Right-handed hitters have posted a .515 SLG against him this season, and the wind should be blowing out for a good chunk of this game.
Nick Pratto, 1B/OF Kansas City Royals (DraftKings: $2,700 / FanDuel: $3,300)
Pratto, much like the entire Kansas City offense, has come alive here in the month of May. He’s hitting .342 with a .632 SLG in the month of May, and how dare I not mention his two home runs, five doubles, 11 runs scored, and 11 RBI during this run. Milwaukee’s Colin Rea has not been good at home this season, and while he’s surrendered a ton of production to left-handed hitters this season, Pratto’s .890 OPS versus righties and 1.026 OPS on the road keep catching my eye. There’s a plethora of options in the outfield today, so I prefer to use Pratto at first base in my DFS lineups today.
Nick Senzel, OF/2B/3B, Cincinnati Reds (FanDuel: $2,900)
Senzel isn’t as quite a value over on DraftKings as he is on FanDuel, so that’s where I’m looking to use him today. Senzel against lefties has been quite profitable this year, as he’s hitting an even .500 against southpaws with a 267 wRC+ and 1.372 OPS. He’s hitting second in the order today, and Braxton Garret has really struggled against right-handed hitters this season, not to mention the fact that he has also posted a 9.69 ERA at home this season. Believe it or not, Senzel has been better away from Great American Ball Park this season, so he also has that working for him.
Luke Raley, 1B/OF, Tampa Bay Rays (DraftKings: $3,700 / FanDuel: $3,000)
If Raley cracks the lineup, he’s an affordable part of any Tampa Bay stack today, if you choose to go that route. In the month of May, Raley is slashing .393/.414/.571 with a 181 wRC+ and a 15 percent barrel rate! He’s making a ton of hard contact and you can get to New York’s Clarke Schmidt with left-handed bats. Schmidt has served up a .378 average and .480 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season, and Raley has a .938 OPS and .317 ISO versus righties. Check to be sure he cracks the lineup for today’s game, and if he does, fire him up!
Jake Bauers, 1B/OF, New York Yankees (DraftKings: $2,000: FanDuel: $2,400)
Bauers can only be played in the outfield on DraftKings and at first base on FanDuel, but the minimum price on DraftKings is intriguing for the Yankees leadoff hitter this afternoon. Eflin has an ERA approaching five on the road this season, and Bauers is hitting .333 with a 1.122 OPS against righties this season. He’s also sporting a cool 1.357 OPS at home this season, and he’s an even .500 so far this series. Eflin can be tough on lefties, but if Bauers can get on, some of the right-handed bats behind him can bring him around. If you stack Rays against Clarke Schmidt today, Bauers is a very cheap option to use on the other side of your stack.
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