Welcome to Friday! It’s been another great week with lots of exciting baseball. Let’s end the week on a high note and go into the weekend strong with some more winning MLB DFS lineups!

 

 

 

Today we have a 9-game main slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel that will be starting at 7:05 PM ET. 

We also get some early baseball to entertain us until that time with the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs playing a nice afternoon game at Wrigley Field. 

We have an exciting slate today after yesterday’s small slate of games so let’s jump right into today’s playbook and some of my favorite MLB DFS picks for the day.

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, May 3

MLB Weather Today, 5/3

There are some thunderstorms set to be in the area this afternoon but currently doesn’t look like there is any reason to be concerned unless things change drastically. 

MLB DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

We have an exciting slate today with a lot of quality pitchers, and even the bottom end of pitching isn’t as terrible as it usually is, so finding the right places to attack for offense could be slightly more challenging. 

In addition to my favorites today, I will also give an honorable mention to Ronel Blanco (yes, I will take the loss; I was wrong about Blanco; he has been fantastic since the no-hitter). If you want a cheap option, go with Ryan Weathers over any of the five guys priced above him. 

For the offensive side, some of my favorite lineups to target today include the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Guardians, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, and Los Angeles Dodgers.  

 

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options For Strikeouts

Best Odds For A Win

 

 

 

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

George Kirby, Seattle Mariners

George Kirby is coming off the best start of his career. He pitched 7 innings, giving up only 1 hit and striking out 12 batters against a strong Arizona Diamondbacks team. Yet he comes into today’s game cheaper than he has been all season. 

I understand Houston's threat. They strike out less than any other team against right-handers and are a top-10 team against righties in OPS. I think this price more than accounts for that, though, and Kirby is good enough for that to not matter. We won’t get another 12 strikeouts, but if he can even manage half of that (which I think he will), he will be well worth this price. 

Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox

Tanner Houck continues to dominate. His last outing against the Cubs was another great one. He pitched 6.2 innings with 9 strikeouts, no walks, and gave up only 1 run. That was his third game this season with 9 strikeouts or more. 

I know the Twins have been playing much better, but they don’t scare me and they still strike out a lot. I think Houck’s great season continues today and he somehow also is coming in cheaper than he has been all season. 

Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals

While I would likely rather save the money and take George Kirby or Tanner Houck, if you asked me who is most likely going to be the top-scoring pitcher on this slate, my answer would easily be Sonny Gray. He has struck out 21 batters in his last two starts and now faces the Chicago White Sox.

You have to pay up for him, but if you want the best pitcher in your lineup, that is Sonny Gray and I think he is absolutely worth paying the high price for still if you are comfortable saving money elsewhere. 

Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians

Tanner Bibee is also coming off a great performance here. You would’ve been happy with the 5.2 innings against the Athletics, where he struck out 8 and only gave up 2 earned runs, but then he goes and faces the Atlanta Braves and has the best outing of his season: 7 innings, 9 strikeouts, 0 walks, 2 hits, 0 runs. Ridiculous. 

Now he faces the Trout-less Angels who have the 5th highest strikeout rate against right-handed pitchers. If you can’t afford Gray, Kirby’s matchup scares you, or any other reason you are off my other favorite guys, Bibee is the clear answer, and I will certainly be doing multiple lineups today just so I make sure to get a share of Tanner Bibee in this matchup.

 

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

Core MLB DFS Hitters

*Note: Will Be Updated As Official Starting Lineups Are Released

Freddie Freeman, 1B Los Angeles Dodgers

Is it weird to say that Freddie Freeman is a bit overlooked now? On almost any other team he would be the star and the best player on the team, but hitting after Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani gets you a bit overshadowed. 

The 40-year-old Charlie Morton has still been great through his first 30 innings this season, but I don’t see him surviving the Dodgers, and I think this is a matchup that favors Freddie Freeman. 

Josh Smith, 3B Texas Rangers

Josh Smith has been great for the Rangers this season and has amazingly filled Josh Jung's absence. He has a .923 OPS on the season and 1.542 over the last seven games. He is also finding himself batting anywhere between 5th and 7th in this good Rangers offense. 

I trust Brady Singer less than any of the pitchers on the top end today, and I still don’t think he belongs priced up there. The Rangers should be able to provide plenty of offense still today and Josh Smith’s hot run should continue. 

Ozzie Albies, 2B Atlanta Braves

Ordinarily, Ozzie Albies is a guy I usually only target against lefties. So far this season, he has a higher OPS against righties (small sample, but still), and with a matchup against Gavin Stone, I am willing to break that rule today. 

Ozzie is on a 14-game hitting streak. Over that stretch, he has slashed .362/.422/.500. Now, it has come with no homers and only 1 steal, but he is providing value without those, and you can expect more homers and steals to come. 

Tyler O'Neill, OF Boston Red Sox

Chris Paddack had a great 10-strikeout outing but then immediately lost it again against the Angels, giving up 4 runs off 8 hits in 5 innings while only striking out 2 (though he did still get the win because it’s the Angels). I think the Red Sox are a great team to stack today against him, and Tyler O’Neill has been their best hitter this season.

The only player in baseball (with at least 50 PA) with a higher OPS than Tyler O’Neill is Mookie Betts. We’ve always known that Tyler O’Neill had a super high ceiling if he could stay healthy, and we are seeing it now. He has been fantastic, and I don’t see him slowing down anytime soon as long as he is healthy. I am willing to pay the increased price for him. 

 

 

 

Player Pool

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