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Zach's top DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks for today, Thursday, 5/29/25. His favorite daily fantasy baseball lineup sleepers and value picks for DFS on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Happy Thursday, RotoBallers! For the most part, Thursday is a travel day for Major League Baseball as teams get set for their upcoming weekend series. Don't worry, though! There are still four games on the schedule, giving us a small but fascinating slate for DFS fantasy baseball. Both FanDuel and DraftKings start the slate with the 6:45 p.m. ET contest and include the four games taking place under the lights.
The first game on the slate is the second game of the doubleheader in Philadelphia between the Phillies and Braves. The other three contests each involve one team from the AL West and will be played in stadiums with roofs, meaning weather will not be a factor in those contests. The Athletics and Astros are starting new series against the Blue Jays and Rays, respectively, while the Mariners are finishing out their three-game set against the Nationals.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/29/2025, with the slate starting at 6:45 p.m. EDT. The lineup picks will showcase elite players, 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.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Zack Wheeler - PHI - P ($10.5K DK, $10.6K FD)
Wheeler was scheduled to go on Wednesday, but he is now scheduled to have an awesome head-to-head matchup with Chris Sale in the second game of the Braves-Phillies doubleheader. Wheeler has been outstanding for the Phillies this season, going 6-1 in 11 starts with a 2.42 ERA, 2.75 FIP, and 88 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings. He has averaged 25.7 DraftKings points and 44.6 FanDuel points per contest.
While his overall numbers are great, he has been even better recently, not allowing a run in three straight starts and racking up 22 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings against the Guardians, Pirates, and Athletics. The Braves are a bit tougher of a matchup, but they rank in the bottom third of the league in runs scored and have a 21.7% strikeout rate against righties. If you can afford Wheeler, he brings both a high ceiling and a high floor to this matchup.
MacKenzie Gore - WAS - P ($9.3K DK; $10K FD)
Gore is a solid pivot from Wheeler if you need to save salary, especially on DraftKings, where the salary disparity is more significant. Gore is only 2-5 on the season but has a solid 3.47 ERA and an even better 2.81 FIP. He has produced 13.43 K/9, which is the top mark in the majors, with Wheeler checking in fourth with 11.2 K/9. Gore has nine strikeouts in three of his last four outings, including his last start when he earned 26.5 DraftKings points and 46 FanDuel points against the Giants.
MacKenzie Gore, K'ing the Side in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/KI0u7NsgrB
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 23, 2025
The Mariners rank in the top 10 in strikeout rate this season and over the last two weeks, so Gore should be able to pile up strikeouts again on Thursday. He has an extremely high ceiling and can be a nice GPP pivot since his strikeout ceiling could end up vaulting him past the steadier but more expensive Wheeler.
Jose Berrios - TOR - P ($7.6K DK; $8.2K FD)
The Blue Jays give the ball to Berrios to open their series at home against the Athletics. Berrios has gone at least six innings and earned double-digit DraftKings points in four of his last five outings. He gave up a three-run home run to Junior Caminero in the first inning of his last start, but then locked in and retired 16 of the next 17 batters he faced to still turn in a solid, six-inning performance in the loss.
He has a favorable matchup against the Athletics, who have lost 13 of their last 14 games and have been held to three runs or fewer in three of their last five games. Berrios has 28 strikeouts in 30 innings over his last five starts, and the Athletics have a top-10 K% in the majors over the previous two weeks. Those two trends could converge and set Berrios up as a great value option if you don't want to pay up for two top-tier arms.
Also Consider: Chris Sale - ATL - P ($8.8K DK; $9.9K FD), Ryan Gusto - HOU - P ($6.4K DK; $7K FD)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - TOR - 1B ($4.9K DK; $3.3K FD)
Guerrero is a great power bat to build around as the Blue Jays take on lefty Jacob Lopez in their series opener with the Athletics. Guerrero has eight hits in his last nine games, including a pair of homers, and has a 58.1% hard-hit rate over that span with a 19.4% barrel rate. He's hitting the ball harder than his results show this season, with an xBA and xSLG that indicate positive regression should be on the way. He is hitting .333 with a .407 wOBA against lefties, so this should a good spot to plut him into your lineup as a key bat to build around.
Jeremy Pena - HOU - SS ($3.9K DK; $3.2K FD)
There are several strong options to consider at shortstop on Thursday night, but don't overlook Pena, who is a little cheaper but performing very well as the leadoff hitter in Houston. Over the last 20 games, Pena has hit .333 (26-for-78) with three home runs, two stolen bases, 11 runs scored, 15 RBI, and a .401 wOBA. He's not a batted ball metrics phenom like Guerrero, but he consistently finds ways to chip in meaningful contributions from the top of a lineup with a pretty solid matchup this Thursday against Shane Baz and the Rays. Pena homered on Tuesday and stole a base on Wednesday to post back-to-back strong games against the Athletics to start the week.
Jose Tena - WAS - 3B/2B (DK only) ($2.7K DK; $2.5K FD)
Tena is a great value play with nice versatility to slide into a couple of different spots on DraftKings. The 24-year-old lefty has been platooning at the hot corner but has made the most of his chances when given the nod against right-handed pitchers like Emerson Hancock, who the Nats will face Thursday.
Jose Tena is no joke pic.twitter.com/RngFyb60D1
— Kev (@klwoodjr) May 2, 2025
While continuing to turn in sparkling defensive work, he has hit safely in seven straight games, going 9-for-25 (.360) with four doubles, five runs scored, and three RBI. He brings good speed but hasn't attempted many stolen bases this season in Washington, although his minor league numbers hint that there is more power and speed potential as he settles into the majors. Facing Hancock at this salary, Tena is a nice low-cost option that brings good upside based on his current form.
Also Consider: Isaac Paredes - HOU - 3B ($4.5K DK; $3.4K FD), Jose Altuve - HOU - 2B/OF ($4.2K DK; $3.1K FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
James Wood - WSH - OF ($5.7K DK; $4K FD)
Hancock has given up a .419 wOBA to lefties, so Wood is a top option from the Nationals' lineup to consider. The hulking 22-year-old is hitting .287 in his first full season in the majors with 15 homers in 55 games, boosting him to an impressive .407 wOBA. Of those 15 homers, 10 have come against right-handed pitchers, whom he has a .421 wOBA against. He homered in three of his last four games and has a 100% hard-hit rate and 50% barrel rate in his last five contests, including this moonshot on Wednesday.
James Wood just hit a second 400-foot HR in as many days. He’s so good.
He’s got 15 jacks and he’s on pace for 45 homers this season. He’s 22 and already a superstar. And because it’s late night Nats, people are probably in bed and actually … pic.twitter.com/FOZ1nW2Vag
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) May 29, 2025
Josh Lowe - TB - OF ($4.8K DK; $3.2K FD)
Lowe is another lefty in a good spot on Thursday night, since his Rays visit Ryan Gusto and the Astros. Lowe hit leadoff on Wednesday and hit second in the order in four of his five previous starts. In such a premium run production spot in the lineup, he brings a high ceiling. In those six games, he went 8-for-23 (.348) with two doubles, a home run, and an average of 9.0 DraftKings points per contest. He has multiple hits in three of those games and a solid 47.4% hard-hit rate in that small sample size, which shows his upside if he can stay in that lineup slot.
Jonatan Clase - TOR - OF ($2.5K DK; $2.3K FD)
I've been a fan of Clase as a sleeper prospect to watch since his time with the Mariners, and the 23-year-old is getting another shot with the Blue Jays. In Triple-A last year, he hit .263 with a .346 wOBA, 12 home runs, and 38 stolen bases in 94 games. This year, he hit .315 in his 27 games in Triple-A without a home run but with 15 stolen bases. He joined the Jays 11 games ago and has hit safely in his last five games, going 6-for-12 with a pair of doubles, three RBI, and four walks. He has a good plate approach and plenty of speed potential to make him an excellent bargain option if he's in the lineup on Thursday against Lopez and the A's.
Also Consider: Julio Rodriguez - SEA - OF ($5.1K DK; 3.4K FD), Lawrence Butler - ATH - OF ($4.1K DK; $3.1K FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Washington Nationals vs. Emerson Hancock (SEA)
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Jacob Lopez (ATH)
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