MLB DFS Playbook May 26: Top Plays for DraftKings and FanDuel

Hello and welcome to the MLB DFS Playbook for May 26! We have a big 12-game slate on our hands tonight. We have a 7:05 pm ET start time, so plenty of time to read over all the content today! Make sure to check out our awesome MLB DFS tools as they are always worth going through before building your lineups as are the Vegas Odds. However, as I am sure you have figured out by now, the new playbook will be a one-stop shop that includes everything from easy-to-read player write-ups and suggestions to MLB Weather Reports to lineup construction tips to our best value plays for DraftKings and FanDuel. You will be given core plays around which to build your lineups, DFS stacks to consider for GPP tournaments and key statistics to help you in your DFS research. Let’s dive in! 

MLB DFS Playbook May 26

MLB Weather Updates

Potential rain in the New York Mets vs. Colorado Rockies game (expect it to be played though)

Games that appear to have a decent wind blowing out:

None. 

Games that appear to have a decent wind blowing in:

None.

DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

This slate is LOADED. So many options both on the mound and at the dish with good pitchers facing bad offenses and good offenses facing bad pitching. Kevin Gausman checks in as the most expensive pitcher on DK, while Mitch Keller takes the cake on FD. We do have Coors Field on tonight’s slate as well, so there are a lot of things to consider before setting your lineups today. The directions you can go tonight are nearly endless, which does make it a bit tougher to limit the options down. 

Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options for Strikeouts

Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays

Hunter Brown, Houston Astros

Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates

Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox

Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels

Best Odds for a Win

Hunter Brown (Houston Astros -261)

Max Scherzer (New York Mets -222)

George Kirby (Seattle Mariners -156)

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Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups

Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays

Gausman has scored at least 17.2 dk points in three straight and has flashed monster upside with two games of at least 37.6 points this season. He rolls into this game with a 3.14 ERA and 81 strikeouts across 63 innings of work. He is the top priced pitcher on the slate and for good reason. The Twins are not a scary matchup and Gausman will likely keep it rolling today. 

Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates

Keller tops the slate in points per game this season, averaging a ridiculous 24.8 dk points per game. He has scored at least 19.9 points in SIX straight starts and has two outings with at least 42.3 points! Just absurd. He enters tonight’s game with a 2.44 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 77 Ks across 62.2 innings of work. He may have a tough time picking up a win in this one though, with the Mariners sending George Kirby to the hill. 

Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels

Detmers has been such a mixed bag thus far, as he is still winless and has a 4.87 ERA, but he has 53 Ks across 40.2 innings of work and just struck out 12 in his last outing, finishing with 27.8 dk points, despite no win and three runs against. The Marlins are not a good offense and Detmers could have his bst outing of the season today. That first win might still be tough though, with the Marlins sending Jesus Luzardo to the mound. 

Recommended DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

6.02 – New York Mets vs. Connor Seabold

5.23 – Colorado Rockies vs. Max Scherzer

5.20 – Atlanta Braves vs. Taijuan Walker

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Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups

Francisco Alvarez, C, New York Mets 

For yesterday’s value piece I wrote “Alvarez is feeling good at the dish right now, scoring 18, 23, 5, and 19 dk points over his last four games. He is 6-13 in that span with three home runs, 7 RBI, and 4 runs scored. He is still extremely cheap too, so we love that. The only issue with Alvarez is that we have to deal with awful old head manager Buck who still bats Alvarez 9^th for who knows what reason, but outside of that, he’s a great play.“ He delivered once again with another double-digit point game. Let’s go back to the well again with the Mets heading to Coors Field. 

Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets

From one Mets bat to another; Alonso has SIX home runs in his last NINE games and now has 19 home runs on the year, easily leading the league. Now he heads to Coors Field to face Connor Seabold, who has a 5.97 ERA, 1.64 HIP, .315 BAA, and six home runs allowed through 31.2 innings this season. I would be surprised if Seabold at Coors Field is the situation to slow Pete down right now. 

Maikel Garcia, 2B/3B, Kansas City Royals

Garcia has gone 5-7 with a double, two steals, and two runs scored over the last two games, scoring 18 and 17 dk points. He is hitting .294 over his last 10 games. He has smashed lefties thus far, slashing .421/.421/.579 against them through 19 PA’s. Patrick Corbin has pitched well recently, but he’s still Patrick Corbin and righties have a .781 OPS against him this season. 

Rougned Odor, 2B/OF, San Diego Padres

Okay who is this guy and what did he do with the real Odor? Kidding, but he’s 7-15 over his last four games with two home runs, a steal, 11 RBI, and three runs scored. He has scored 18, 12, 19, and 27 dk points over his last four games, so let’s ride the hot bat at this point. He is extremely cheap, gets the short porch in right field of Yankees Stadium, and gets to face a bad pitcher in Randy Vasquez. 

Yordan Alvarez, OF, Houston Astros

Alvarez is hot at the dish, hitting .353 over his last 10 games with three home runs and 18 total R/RBI. He is now hitting .297 on the year with 12 home runs, 46 RBI, and a 1.003 OPS across 43 games of action. One of the best hitters in the game year in and year out. Today he faces James Kaprielian, who has an 8.68 ERA and 1.86 WHIP on the season through 28 innings of work. 

MLB DFS Podcast May 23

MLB DFS Livestream May 23

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

• DraftKings
• FanDuel

$ Tier	SP	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
High	Mitch Keller $11,400		Pete Alonso $4,300	Marcus Semien $4,400	Rafael Devers $3,600	Corey Seager $3,900	Ronald Acuña $4,700
	Kevin Gausman $11,100		Matt Olson $4,100			Fernando Tatis $3,600	Yordan Alvarez $4,500
	Hunter Brown $10,300						Brandon Nimmo $3,500
Medium	Reid Detmers $8,300	Francisco Alvarez $3,200	Nathaniel Lowe $3,200	Jeff McNeil $3,200	Brett Baty $3,100	Bobby Witt $3,300	Kyle Tucker $3,300
			Vinnie Pasquantino $3,100		Mark Vientos $3,100	Willy Adames $2,900	Michael Conforto $3,200
Low	Matthew Liberatore $7,700		Matt Carpenter $2,600	Owen Miller $2,800	Alec Bohm $2,900	Maikel Garcia $2,700	MJ Melendez $2,800
			Triston Casas $2,600	Ji Hwan Bae $2,700	Gunnar Henderson $2,700		Rougned Odor $2,200

Stacks

Mets	Brett Baty	Francisco Alvarez	Mark Vientos	Brandon Nimmo	Pete Alonso
DraftKings	3400	3300	3300	4900	5700
Fanduel	3100	3200	3100	3500	4300

Royals	Vinnie Pasquantino	Bobby Witt	Maikel Garcia	MJ Melendez	Salvador Perez
DraftKings	4000	5500	2400	3500	4900
Fanduel	3100	3300	2700	2800	3200

Padres	Juan Soto	Fernando Tatis	Rougned Odor
DraftKings	5700	6100	2700
Fanduel	3600	3600	2200

Rangers	Leody Taveras	Nathaniel Lowe	Marcus Semien	Corey Seager
DraftKings	3000	4300	5700	5400
Fanduel	2900	3200	4400	3900