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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on May 3, 2018. Troy Klauder's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
We've got a big Thursday on DraftKings today, full of ten games split over four different slates. The 1pm eastern slate is the biggest, with six games, while the main slate at 7pm has four. In this article, I will be recommending players on every slate.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/3/18. 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
Carlos Carrasco - P, vs TOR ($12,100)
Carrasco is my favorite starting pitcher on Thursday as he takes on the Blue Jays on the early slate. While he was removed from his last start with back tightness, he is expected to be fine for this outing and have no innings restrictions. In fact, the "DTD" tag on him almost makes him more valuable, as other players will likely avoid him, almost making him a contrarian play. Carrasco has struck out 18 batters in his last 17 2/3 innings with a 2.60 ERA and should be invested in as an ace to build your lineups around.
Lance McCullers Jr. - P, vs NYY ($9,100)
Some people see that a pitcher is facing the Yankees and immediately run away. However, it's worth noting that the Yankees have actually been a below-average lineup on the road this year, with a .305 wOBA that ranks them 17th in baseball. They also strike out 24.7% of the time against right-handed pitching, which is the 7th highest mark, so there's lots of potential here in GPP formats. I still wouldn't start any random pitcher against the Yanks - I want an ace. That's why I like McCullers, who has pitched like an ace this year outside of one blowup start. McCullers has just a 2.96 FIP and an insanely good 1.90 Deserved Run Average this year, and is striking out batters 31.7% of the time. This is the cheapest price at which you're gonna be able to get a pitcher this good on DraftKings.
DraftKings Infielders
Francisco Cervelli - C, at WAS ($3,500)
Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli is quietly having himself a breakout season, and his price hasn't yet fully adjusted to that. Cervelli has an incredible .313/.394/.575 line this year and has significantly cut his strikeout rate down to 16.0%. He gets a great matchup in Jeremy Hellickson, who has just a 14.5% K-rate with a 4.47 FIP this year.
Jose Abreu - 1B, vs MIN ($4,100)
Abreu is an elite hitter who is coming at a significant discount on Thursday. Even with his "struggles" this season he's got a 125 wRC+ with six bombs and a career low 15.7% K-rate. His low batting average is partially due to bad luck, as evidenced by a .266 BABIP, which is much lower than his career norm. His opposition, Jake Odorizzi, has some major regression on the way, as evidenced by his 5.15 SIERA. Odorizzi already has a 1.97 HR/9 this year, so Abreu should fare well against him.
Asdrubal Cabrera - 2B, vs ATL ($3,900)
Much like Cervelli, Cabrera is a hitter having an outstanding season who still hasn't been priced correctly. Cabrera has a fantastic 165 wRC+ and is batting leadoff for the Mets, a spot where he can score lots of runs and get plenty of plate appearances. Braves starter Julio Teheran has had his fair share of struggles this year, posting a 5.53 FIP. Cabrera is worth playing in all formats at this price.
Mike Moustakas - 3B, vs DET ($4,200)
Moose has been destroying the ball this year, as he's already got eight home runs with a .906 OPS. He's in a great spot against Mike Fiers, who has just a 15.2% K-rate with a 1.57 HR/9. I love Moose in GPP formats today for his huge upside.
Trea Turner - SS, vs LAD ($4,500)
Speed is often overlooked in daily fantasy - steals are worth points too, and speedsters often score runs frequently. Turner already has 12 steals this season and has a career-high .384 OBP, thanks to a 13.8% walk-rate. Pirates starter Trevor Williams appears to be having a strong season if you look at his 2.29 ERA, but he has just a 16.4% K-rate with a 12.1% walk-rate. Try to pair Turner with some other Nationals hitters for a stack.
DraftKings Outfielders
Nicholas Castellanos - OF, at KC ($4,400)
Castellanos feasts on left-handed pitching, as he's got a ridiculous .450/.522/.650 line against southpaws this season. He's facing one of the worst lefties in the league in Eric Skoglund, who has a horrible 6.23 ERA through four starts. He's definitely worth the price tag on Thursday.
Adam Jones - OF, at LAA ($3,300)
I like Adam Jones as a punt play tonight as he's batting fourth against Jaime Barria. Barria only has seven major league innings, and has as many walks as he does strikeouts. You can use Jones in your lineups and spend big elsewhere.
