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Brandon's top DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks for today, Monday, 5/19/25. His favorite daily fantasy baseball lineup sleepers and value picks for DFS on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Happy Monday, RotoBallers! My name is Brandon! You can find me and my work with the NHL and soccer teams, respectively!
Tonight, we have a nine-game slate to kick off the week, and the currently live top-3 highest implied team totals are: COMING SOON.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/19/2025, with the slate starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT. The lineup picks will range from some elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is always essential.
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Kris Bubic KC at SF - (DK $9.7K || FD $10.5K)
Kris Bubic will make a big case to be the pitcher of the slate tonight. He is coming off a dominant outing against Houston, where he gave up six hits, one walk, one earned run, one run, and struck out nine bats. The San Francisco Giants are not bad, but they are also not doing great. They are in the bottom half of the league in Strikeout Percentage, as well as wOBA, wRC+, and Contact against left-handed pitchers.
Meanwhile, Bubic is a top-10 pitcher across O-Swing Percentage, Z-Contact Percentage, and CWS Percentage. He is also top-30 in K Percentage, SIERA, and K-BB Percentage. Furthermore, in his most recent five starts and 30 innings pitched, he has conceded 25 hits, two home runs, six walks, five runs, and five earned runs, while striking out 29.
Those are good for 7.5 hits, 0.6 home runs, 1.8 walks, 1.5 runs, 1.5 earned runs, and 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings. It is not out of the realm of possibilities for Bubic to catch seven or eight swinging at the plate tonight.
Cristopher Sanchez PHI at COL - (DK $8K || FD $9.9K)
Speaking of in-form pitchers and quality starts. Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies is coming off one himself. In his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sanchez gave up four hits, one home run, three walks, two runs, two earned runs, and struck out eight over six innings. Over the season, the pitcher is top-20 in K Percentage, SIERA, K-BB Percentage, CWS Percentage, and Pitch.
Not only is he catching batters swinging, but his control is elite.
This will help him in a batter’s paradise at Coors Field versus the second-worst team in Strikeout Percentage against left-handed pitchers. The Rockies are also bottom-10 in wOBA and wRC+. Sanchez has already faced the Rockies once this season, at home, and he struck out seven in five innings, while giving up four hits, one home run, two walks, one run, and one earned run.
For only $8K on DraftKings, if Sanchez can produce another quality start, he will shatter his value. In his last five starts, 26 innings pitched, he has conceded 18 hits, two home runs, 12 walks, nine runs, and eight earned runs, while striking out 33. That is good for 6.2 hits, 0.69 home runs, 4.15 walks, 3.11 runs, 2.76 earned runs, and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
- Luis Castillo SEA at CWS (DK $9.5K || FD $8.7K)
- J.T. Ginn ATH vs. LAA (DK $6.7K || FD $8K)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Jorge Polanco - 2B, (2B/3B on FanDuel) SEA vs. Davis Martin (DK $5.1K || FD $3.2K)
Jorge Polanco will be coming into this matchup at Wrigley Field on rest, after not starting on Sunday. The second-baseman has produced three singles, one home run, one walk, one run, and one RBI in his last five games and 14 at-bats. He has faced Davis Martin once before, amassing one single and one RBI in two at-bats.
Over the season, Polanco has the best wOBA, .435, and SLG, .660 on the Mariners roster. He also has the second-best xwOBA, .417, and xSLG, .630, on the roster when facing right-handed pitchers who use four-seam, cutter, and changeup pitches like expected pitcher Martin does.
Martin is currently the fourth-worst expected pitcher on the slate tomorrow, sitting bottom-100 or worse in all meaningful pitching metrics, excluding O-Swing Percentage. Expect Polanco to at least reach value.
Gunnar Henderson - SS, BAL vs. Quinn Priester (DK $4.7K || FD $3K)
Gunnar Henderson has cooled off in his most recent five games and 23 at-bats. The shortstop has produced five singles, one home run, one walk, one run, and three RBIs. Over the season, he has the third-best wOBA, .397, and the second-best SLG, .577, on the Orioles roster. Unfortunately, he does not perform nearly as well against right-handed pitchers who throw sinkers, cutters, and sliders.
He has the ninth-best xwOBA, .299, and xSLG, .324 on the Orioles roster.
Luckily, he and the Orioles will be facing the expected worst pitcher on the slate, Quinn Priester. Priester is a bottom-50 or worse pitcher across the board. Henderson will have a few opportunities to reach and exceed value here.
Ryan Mountcastle - 1B, BAL vs. Quinn Priester (DK $3.5K || FD $2.6K)
Ryan Mountcastle, though, is much different from his teammate above. The first baseman has produced seven singles, two doubles, two walks, three runs, and two RBIs in his last five games and 22 at-bats. Shockingly, though, he has the 11th-best wOBA, .292, and the 10th-best SLG, .390, on the Orioles roster.
However, against sinkers, cutters, and sliders thrown by right-handed pitchers, Mountcastle has the fourth-best xwOBA, .369, and the third-best xSLG, .511.
As mentioned above, Priester is far from the best pitcher and arguably the worst on the slate. If Mountcastle can focus early, he will have every chance to produce a ceiling performance.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Trea Turner - SS, PHI vs. COL (DK $5.9K || FD $3.9K)
- Max Muncy - 3B, LAD vs. ARI (DK $3.5K || FD $2.9K)
- Brooks Lee - 2B/SS (2B/SS/3B on FanDuel), MIN vs. CLE (DK $3K || FD $2.6K)
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Kyle Schwarber - OF, PHI vs. Kyle Freeland (DK $6.4K || FD $4.5K)
Kyle Schwarber may be the starting bat in the majority of lineups tonight. Over the season against left-handed pitchers that throw Sinkers, Curveballs, and Sweepers, Schwarber has the best xwOBA, .547, and the xSLG, .947, on the Phillies roster, and it isn’t a competition either.
Furthermore, he has the best overall wOBA, .485, and SLG, .712, on the Phillies roster against left-handed pitchers. In the outfielder’s most recent five games and 19 at-bats, he has produced four singles, one double, one home run, three walks, three runs, and three RBIs.
Expected pitcher Kyle Freeland has improved this season in more ways than one. However, he is still a bottom-100 pitcher for the most part. If Schwarber can focus on the plate early, he is expected to be the Top Bat of the Slate. Can Freeland’s dominance over Schwarber continue, or will he finally get his revenge?
Randy Arozarena - OF, SEA vs. Davis Martin (DK $4.6K || FD $3.2K)
Outside of the aforementioned Jorge Polanco above, the next man up in Seattle is a question mark. However, Randy Arozarena surely makes his case. In his most recent five games and 17 at-bats, he gathered five singles, one double, one walk, one stolen base, and two runs. He has the third-best wOBA, .372, and the fourth-best SLG, .402, on the roster.
Against right-handed pitchers that use sinkers, cutters, and changeups, Arozarena has the third-best xwOBA, .403, and the fifth-best xSLG, .463; he also has the fifth-best hard-hit percentage.
Arozarena has four at-bats versus Martin. In those four at-bats, the former produced one single, one home run, one walk, one stolen base, and two RBIs. Can he have another productive outing tonight?
Harrison Bader - OF, MIN vs. Logan Allen (DK $3.4K || FD $2.7K)
Harrison Bader returned to the Minnesota lineup after a brief two-game stint where he sat out due to his groin. In his return, he struck out twice in five at-bats. Throughout his most recent five outings and 18 at-bats, he has produced five singles, two doubles, and two RBIs.
On the Twins roster, Bader has the third-best wOBA, .378, and the fifth-best SLG, .465. When analyzing Minnesota bats with at least 20 pitches faced against left-handed pitchers who throw four-seamers and sweepers–not many faced–Bader has the fifth-best xwOBA, .291, and the fourth-best xSLG, .392.
On the slate, expected pitcher Logan Allen is the second-worst pitcher. He is bottom-60 or worse in Strikeout Percentage, SIERA, O-Swing Percentage, K-BB Percentage, and Pitch Control. For only $3.4K on DraftKings, in a somewhat advantageous hitting environment against the slate’s second-worst pitcher, Bader is in line to reach value.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Lars Nootbaar STL vs. DET (DK $5K || FD $3.2K)
- Christian Yelich MIL vs. BAL (DK $4.3K || FD $3K)
- Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ARI vs. SEA (DK $3.5K || FD $3K)
DraftKings/FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Landon Knack
Despite never being mentioned, the Arizona Diamondbacks are one of the top stacks of the slate. The D-backs against right-handed pitchers this season have the best wOBA, are top-five in both wRC+ and Contact, and are a top-10 club in Barrel Percentage. Furthermore, expected starter Landon Knack is the seventh-worst pitcher on the slate.
Sure, Knack is a top-50 pitcher in both K Percentage and Z-Contact Percentage, but he is also a bottom-50 pitcher in CWS Percentage and Pitch Control.
If the visitors do not get themselves in a pinch, they are expected to produce some fireworks.
Favorite Combo: Carroll, Marte, Suárez, Smith
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Brandon Pfaadt
In the other dugout is the Los Angeles Dodgers. The hosts are just as good as the D-backs against right-handed pitchers this season, if not better. They are the second-best in wOBA and wRC+, and are in the top five in both Contact and Barrel Percentage. Expected starter Brandon Pfaadt is not nearly as bad as Dodgers expected starter Landon Knack.
However, the former struggles to strike out batters and against a batting order that loves hitting and getting on base, spells doom for Pfaadt. Expect this to be the top game stack of the slate.
Favorite Combo: Ohtani, Freeman, Pages, Edman
- Baltimore Orioles vs. Quinn Priester
Outside of the D-backs/Dodgers game, there are a few spots left to attack. The Baltimore Orioles vs. Priester matchup and the Milwaukee Brewers matchup are under-owned blow-ups waiting to happen. The Orioles cannot figure out their bats this season and have been inconsistent thus far.
It does not help that their striking out erases anything good they do offensively. Nevertheless, Priester is the second-worst pitcher on the slate. He is bottom-50 or worse in both Z-Contact Percentage and CWS Percentage, and he is bottom-30 in everything else.
Despite Baltimore’s ability to strike out too much, they are expected to come out swinging against Priester and his inability to strike out batters or control his pitches.
Favorite Combo: Mountcastle, Henderson, O’Hearn, Laureano
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