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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/8/21. Mike Schwarzenbach's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
It's Saturday in Major League Baseball which means we've got a split-slate over on Draftkings. In this space, we'll be focusing on the main slate which starts at 7:10 ET, but check out the other Rotoballer DFS content for recommendations for the day slate.
This Saturday slate is a weird one as there aren't any pitchers nor offenses that scream for attention from DFS players. Coors Field isn't in play, there are no true-ace pitchers on the mound, yet no team is implied for over five runs with the Braves, Red Sox, White Sox, and Astros all sitting at 4.9 implied runs as of Saturday morning. As a result, expect ownership to be fairly spread out on this slate making our priority to find players who could have big games, without worrying as much about rostership percentages or gaining leverage on the field.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/8/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also check out today's FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. It’s also important to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Ian Anderson - P, ATL vs. PHI ($8,900)
Ian Anderson is coming off a rough outing in his last start making him the perfect buy-low option in DFS. In his last start, Anderson allowed four runs in four innings to the Blue Jays in Dunedin, a park that has been quite hitter-friendly in its limited time as an MLB venue. Prior to that outing, he went 13 2/3 straight innings without allowing a run to the Cubs and Yankees. On the season Anderson has tossed 33 innings with solid numbers across the board like a 3.27 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. He's got solid peripheral numbers backing that up as he's got a strong 3.09 xFIP and a 29 percent CSW%.
The Phillies put up a dozen runs last night but are not overly daunting for right-handed pitchers. Philadelphia is sporting a 27 percent strikeout rate versus right-handers this season which ranks 27th in the league and, aside from Bryce Harper, the Phillies have a very right-handed lineup. Anderson has just as much upside in this spot as the higher-priced arms on the board.
Daniel Lynch - P, KC vs. CWS ($5,300)
Lynch made his season debut Monday against the Indians to mixed results. On one hand, he gave up three runs in 4 2/3 innings. On the other, he was one out away from getting out of the game in line for a win with only one earned run as two runs were added to his ledger after departing the contest. If he's capable of completing five innings against this White Sox club then Lynch will blow this price out of the water.
The second-ranked prospect in the Royals farm system sports a strong four-seam fastball that sits at 95 MPH. He pairs that with a devastating slider that he threw 28 times in his first start and earned whiffs 43 percent of the time. He'll need a third pitch to start working deeper into starts, but Lynch should be able to work five innings with five or six K's tonight which is all we're looking for at this price.
Other options: Cristian Javier ($10,300) vs. TOR, Lance Lynn ($9,500) @ KC
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DraftKings DFS Infielders
Christian Vazquez - C, BOS @ BAL ($4,200)
The catching landscape looks bleak as usual so paying up for Vazquez feels like a solid move, especially with so much other value on the board. The Red Sox backstop is the seventh-highest priced catcher on the slate but offers the most upside playing in the friendly confines of Camden Yards. The Orioles will be starting Zac Lowther who will be followed by a subpar O's bullpen. The Red Sox could have a big night and Vazquez should be part of it, assuming he's in the lineup with a day game scheduled for Sunday.
Freddie Freeman - 1B, ATL vs. PHI ($5,300)
Don't look now but the Braves' star first baseman has been awful to start 2021. A day off on Thursday didn't help as he went 0-for-4 again on Friday while watching his batting average drop to .195. The reigning NL MVP is marred in a horrific slump where he has just one hit in his last 30 at-bats.
So why are we paying this price for him ins DFS? Freeman has been bad this season, yes, but he's still hitting the ball hard and rocking elite plate discipline. His sub-20 percent strikeout rate is s not typical of batters hitting under .200 and he's taking his walks as he's sporting a 15.6 percent walk rate. When he makes contact it's been loud as he's got a 48.9 percent hard-hit rate and a .280 xBA. Freeman will come around eventually. I'm betting it's tonight against Vince Velasquez who Freeman has a .424 on-base percentage against in 33 career plate appearances.
Jose Altuve - 2B, HOU vs. TOR ($4,800)
After a rough couple of games in Yankee Stadium Altuve seems to be back to his old self as he homered on Thursday and got on base three times on Friday. The Houston leadoff hitter is in a prime spot again on Saturday against LHP Steven Matz. Altuve has struggled with right-handed pitching this year but he's hitting southpaws to the tune of a .378 batting average and a .830 OPS. He should get three cracks at Matz tonight atop an Astros order with a healthy implied run total.
Kyle Seager - 3B, SEA @ TEX ($4,800)
Another splits-based play. Seager has gotten off to a slow start against LHP this year but has been fine versus righties and has a strong matchup tonight. The Mariners are an affordable stack as they'll face off with Kohei Arihara who has been roughed up in his first season in the U.S. Arihara has a 5.76 ERA with an astronomical 9.30 FIP through 25 innings. He's not striking anyone out as his K-rate sits at just 13 percent. Fire up the Mariners with confidence and make sure to include Seager in the middle of it.
Xander Bogaerts - SS, BOS @ BAL ($5,200)
Bogaerts had a six-game hit-streak snapped on Friday but let's go right back to the well against Lowther and the Orioles. Not only was Bogaerts' hit streak snapped, but he also had scored at least one run in every game since April 30 with three home runs in that time. This is too good of a spot to fade Bogaerts when he's hitting the ball this well.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Hunter Renfroe - OF, BOS @ BAL ($3,000)
The Red Sox are one of the top stacks of the night, but you'll pay a pretty penny to roster the big bats in the order. Enter Hunter Renfroe who is a home run threat every time he's in the lineup. He should be playing Saturday against a lefty and could be a cheap power source in Camden Yards which is an elite park for right-handed batters. Renfroe is making hard contact 43.8 percent of the time so far this year and has always been an extreme fly ball hitter. Take a shot on him here for a cheap dinger.
Jose Marmolejos - OF/1B, SEA @ TEX ($3,000)
The Mariners are a nice stack tonight against Arihara and I want some Marmolejos at this price. He'll have the platoon advantage from the five-hole in the Mariners order which should lead to a couple of trips to the plate with men on base. Marmolejos' price makes it easy to stack up the middle of the M's batting order against Arihara.
Marcel Ozuna - OF, ATL vs. PHI ($4,900)
Another chance to pick on Velasquez. Ozuna hasn't put up the numbers we're used to seeing from him yet but he has five hits in his last three games so he may be coming around. Atlanta should pound Velasquez tonight and Ozuna will be right in the middle of it batting from the cleanup spot.
DraftKings DFS Stacks
- Houston Astros vs. Toronto Blue Jays (Steven Matz, LHP)
- Boston Red Sox @ Baltimore Orioles (Zac Lowther, LHP)
- Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies (Vince Velasquez, RHP)
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