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Tonight's featured slate starts at 7pm eastern, with nine games to choose from. We've also got two later slates, but those games are covered within the featured slate. Since it doesn't fit into any slate, the Dodgers-Marlins matchup at noon will not be included here.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/17/18. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays.
You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports too. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @TroyKlauder.
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DraftKings Starting Pitchers
Cole Hamels - P, at CHW ($10,800)
Hamels is coming off of back-t0-back stellar outings against two of the toughest lineups in baseball in the Astros and the Red Sox, where he allowed a combined two earned runs over 12 innings. Hamels has a strong 25.1% K-rate on the year and he should continue his success against the White Sox. Chicago strikes out more than any other team in baseball against lefties, with a 27.3% mark. This gives Hamels a ton of upside.
Jeff Samardzija - P, vs COL ($7,000)
I understand why you might be wary of starting Samardzija, but he gets a fantastic matchup tonight. The Rockies are one of the worst lineups in the league, as their paltry .289 wOBA versus righties ranks them 27th in baseball. They also have the fifth highest strikeout rate against right-handed pitching at 24.8%. Shark will also get to face them at pitcher-friendly AT&T Park. At this price, he should provide you with outstanding value.
DraftKings Infielders
Buster Posey - C, vs COL ($4,000)
You can never go wrong with Posey at catcher, as he's one of the most consistent producers at the position. He's batting .390 over the last 15 games and has a .354 wOBA on the season. Posey is a great play in cash games, where his high floor is the most valuable.
Joey Gallo - 1B, at CHW ($4,300)
Gallo is one of the most prolific power hitters in the game, as he's already got 13 homers on the season. He can easily add to that total on Thursday against James Shields, owner of a 5.44 ERA. I would consider an entire Rangers stack against Shields, but Gallo is certainly worth playing as a standalone, particularly in GPP contests where his boom or bust profile is best suited.
Jed Lowrie - 2B, at TOR ($4,100)
Lowrie has had an insane season so far, posting a .329/.383/.557 line with nine homers and 36 RBI. He's in a great hitter's ballpark against Aaron Sanchez, who has an awful 4.90 FIP on the season. Lowrie is in a great spot for both runs and RBI batting third for the A's, and comes at a cheap price for the kind of year he's had.
Yangervis Solarte - 3B, vs OAK ($3,400)
While Solarte has cooled off a bit lately, he's still a cheap power option to consider at third or second base on Thursday. He's in a great spot to drive in some runs batting fifth against Andrew Triggs, who has an abysmal 5.31 ERA this season.
Tim Anderson - SS, vs TEX ($3,600)
Anderson obliterates left-handed pitching, so if you're not using Hamels as one of your starters, he's a stellar option at shortstop. He's got a 163 wRC+ against southpaws this year and will be leading off for the Sox, which gives him lots of opportunities for production.
DraftKings Outfielders
Ronald Acuna, Jr. - OF, vs CHC ($4,200)
20-year-old phenom Ronald Acuna, Jr. has lived up to the hype so far, sporting a 130 wRC+ with four homers and two steals. While it looks like he may have a tough matchup against Jon Lester, Lester has some serious regression on the way. Lester's got just a 19.2% K-rate with a 10.6% walk-rate, good for a 4.56 FIP. Acuna should have a good day in his home ballpark, which is a great hitting environment.
Franchy Cordero - OF, at PIT ($3,700)
Cordero can give you points in a variety of ways, as he's already got six homers and five steals this season. It helps that Cordero is on the road, away from Petco Park, which is arguably the best pitcher's park in the league. Cordero's high strikeout rate makes him a risky play in cash games, so look to him in GPP contests.
