Thursday's MLB DFS main slate features just four games on DraftKings and FanDuel. With the smaller slate we have a smaller player pool to pick from and the rostership is going to be high on the top plays here today.

 

 

 

Before building your DFS lineups here today make sure you check out the MLB DFS Preview Show with myself and Howard Bender as we give you a first look at today's DraftKings main slate and break down our top plays, values and fades before building an example lineup at the end of the show.

There are lots of great players to talk about, so let’s just dive right into today’s playbook and some of my favorite MLB DFS picks for the day!

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Thursday, May 30

MLB Weather Today, 5/30

No major weather concerns today.

MLB DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

As I said in the open, we have just four games which means pitching specifically is going to be uber chalking, especially on DraftKings where you need to pick two starters.

Zac Gallen against the Mets is the most popular option, and he is also the top priced play and should be in all cash game lineups. For tournaments you can certainly fade the chalk on smaller slates and hope that he has a less than stellar performance, but I'd rather plug him in and look to be different with my SP2 on DraftKings.

When it comes to your lineup construction, the lack of a player pool means less obvious value plays. The lack of value plays can make it difficult to fit in multiple top priced hitters. 

This is a slate where we can look to punt catching to help save salary so we can spend up at other positions.

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options For Strikeouts

Best Odds For A Win

 

 

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks

The Mets lineup today is likely without Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor who are both day-to-day with injuries which will only make this matchup that much easier for the top priced and highest expected rostered starter on this slate.

Lock in Gallen today because cashing without him should he put up 25+ fantasy points today on DraftKings and 35+ fantasy points on FanDuel will be hard to do.

Nick Pivetta, Boston Red Sox

Which version of Nick Pivetta shows up today? In two of his last four starts he has negative fantasy points. In the other two starts he has over 20 which included a 30 FP effort against the Cardinals two starts prior.

Pivetta has solid strikeout potential, and the Tigers lineup isn't anything special.

I'm looking for Pivetta to give us a something like we saw against the Rays where he went 5.2 innings with two earned runs and had eight strikeouts for 22 FP and if he gets the win thats an added bonus.

Trevor Williams, Washington Nationals

We've talked a lot about Trevor Williams this season as the Nationals starter had continued to outpitch what his metrics were suggesting however as he's continued to find success those numbers on Fangraphs have also come down where his 2.29 ERA is matched by a 3.19 xERA and a 2.78 FIP. 

If Williams is the real deal, then this is a great price against a struggling Braves lineup.

 

 

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

Core MLB DFS Hitters

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

Rafael Devers, 3B Boston Red Sox

It's honestly not that I think Devers is the best hitter on the slate but when the slate is small, and the player pool doesn't give you many options you have to decide whether you are spending up for the top priced play at the position or just completely punting.

I'm going with the former here and spending up for Devers who has the homer upside that could be what it takes to cash in your tournaments here today.

Aaron Judge, OF New York Yankees

If you aren't spending up for Devers or even if you are I still think you need to get Judge in your lineup here today. The Yankees outfielder is hitting .314 with an OPS of 1.247 over the last 10 games. He has five home runs during that stretch with 10 runs and nine RBI.

The Yankees face lefty Patrick Sandoval today and this season against southpaws Judge has a .466 wOBA and a .361 ISO.

Los Angeles Angels

With a lefty on the mound, I'm just going to combine this play with all my favorite Angels who are a top three offense against left-handed pitching this season.

Yes, Carlos Rodon is a very good starting pitching but when Luis Rengifo and Zach Neto have the best batting averages in baseball against lefties and Kevin Pillar is as hot as he is right now you have to take that into consideration.

Add to the fact that rostership suggests that Rodon is a popular pitching play today, then stacking against him is a nice contrarian play on a small slate.

 

Player Pool

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Stacks

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