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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on May 21th, 2022. Thunder Dan's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
The weekend is here and brings with it a whole bunch of baseball games! Saturdays often give us a day baseball AND evening baseball and we have a perfect split of six games on both the early slate (1:05 EST) and main slate on DraftKings. FanDuel never wants to make things easy for us, but they also have a six-game early slate at 4:05 EST and a five-game main slate at 7:05 EST that does not include the second game in the Coors Field doubleheader.
Yesterday I had Trevor Story in this piece and he hit a grand slam, which really boosted my lineups on the night. Then I went to bed and woke up to see that Darin Ruf hit TWO home runs after I said "once in a while he may even reward you with a homer" in my blurb about him. Maybe I can predict a few more dongs today, let's see. I'm going to toss out some recommendations from both slates in case you are playing the early or late slates (or both).
As always, this article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on Saturday 5/21/2022. The lineup picks will range from some elite high-priced players to mid-priced options, and value plays. I'll give you a few of my top pitching options and then some infielders, outfielders, and teams to stack! You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. Now that we got all of that out of the way, it's onto the picks!
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Alek Manoah, TOR vs. CIN ($9,000 DK, $10,200 FD)
I was tempted to leave Cortes here from yesterday's article, but that felt lazy, especially when I don't really think he's the best pay-up option now that we have a different mix of games. Manoah is on the early slate and I really like his price on DraftKings where you only have to spend 9k to get a pitcher who has been excellent so far this season. Manoah brings him sub-2 ERA and sub-1 WHIP into this match-up with the Reds, who have arguably been the worst team in baseball this season. He's a massive -265 favorite and has been able to neutralize both lefties and righties so far this year with his dynamic fastball-slider combo. His strikeouts have dipped a bit lately, but he doesn't walk anyone and I think I much prefer his match-up with Cincy (24% K rate to RHP, 8th most in the league) to the tougher draws that Musgrove, Rodon, and Cortes have on the DK early slate.
Frankie Montas, OAK vs. LAA ($9,800 DK, $9,000 FD)
Here we go again, Palyo, you are going to recommend another dude in the same match-up that he just excelled in? Isn't that super lazy (and frankly dangerous) analysis? I'm not sure why I'm arguing with myself in front of all of you, I apologize. But I won't apologize for the pick, I like Frankie tonight but I would like to clarify that he is more of a GPP play for tournaments with Verlander being the safer cash play.
Montas struck out a season-high 12 Angels in his last start which was four more than in any other start this year with eight strikeouts being his most before that. I wrote about Montas here in my most recent "Strikeout Kings" article and while he's not doing anything really all that different this year, he has seen a modest bump in strikeouts. I mentioned in that piece that he can be a streaky pitcher and that last year we saw him go on a multi-week strikeout bonanza. I have no data to back up that he might be starting another one of those, but I do know that the Angels have been striking out over 24% of the time against RHP over the last two weeks and that Montas has the type of stuff to get it done and isn't afraid to challenge good hitters with his best pitches either.
Also consider: Carlos Rodon/German Marquez (early), Justin Verlander/Jeffrey Springs (main)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Christian Walker - 1B, ARI vs. Justin Steele ($4,200 DK, $2,800 FD)
This is where I would usually tell you to play Ketel Marte vs. a lefty (and you should still do that, by all means). But it's a good chance to highlight Walker as well, who has four home runs in his last six games and is finally seeing the positive regression (I don't even think that's the right term but let's just use it anyway) that we knew was coming based on how freaking hard he had been hitting the ball all season. Against a pitcher like Steele, who is relying entirely too much on his fastball that isn't a very good pitch, I really like some Snakes' bats here.
Luis Urias - 2B/3B/SS, MIL vs. Patrick Corbin ($4,600 DK, $2,900 FD)
Urias usually gets a bump up in the lineup against lefties and has done nothing but hit since he finally got into the lineup in May after missing the first few weeks of the season. I can't help but pick on Corbin, and I realize he actually hasn't been as bad as my perception of him, but he's still one of the pitchers on the evening slate that we should be targeting and is prone to blow-ups. Even after keeping Houston at bay for five innings, he came out and got walloped in the sixth and ended up allowing five runs in his last start. I like the Brewer bats tonight.
Kike Hernandez - 2B/OF, BOS vs. Chris Flexen ($3,600 DK, $2,800 FD)
It was tempting to roll with Story again (and I will probably still play him), but let's shine a light on Hernandez here who despite his poor overall average has actually been picking it up of late and has been a productive DFS play. He's super cheap right now and leading off for an offense that seems to finally be getting going. Chris Flexen is a fraud who I will continue to stack against. His 5.50 xFIP and massive fly-ball tendency to righties is a great thing to see if you want to load up on Kike, Story, JD, and Bogaerts today.
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
George Springer - OF, TOR vs. Hunter Greene ($5,200 DK, $3,800 FD)
Springer is riding a four-game hitting streak and will lead off for this Toronto offense that just can't seem to get it going lately. Well, today just might be the day that they do! As much as I'm in awe of Hunter Greene's ability to throw 100 MPH gas, I think we can attack him with right-handed power bats based on the fact that he's allowed 11 HR already in only seven starts. Eight of those long balls have been by righties and Greene's reverse splits are pretty severe so far as he's allowed a .423 wOBA, a .403 ISO, and a 62% FB% to RHH.
This is a great spot for a "Springer-Dinger" like my pal Euan Leith would call it and I'd certainly give that other big right-handed youngster they have hitting behind him a look as well (Vladmir Guerrero Jr. - I know you knew who I meant, but I have to put his name in here so the cool little hyperlink can take you to his RotoBaller player page!)
Kyle Tucker - OF, HOU vs. Jon Gray ($5,300 DK, $3,800 FD)
Yordan Alvarez has the better overall numbers on the season of the big-swinging Houston lefties, but Kyle Tucker actually has the better profile against Jon Gray today and has been quietly rounding into form after a really unlucky start to the year. Tucker brings some stolen base upside as well.
Seth Brown - 1B/OF, OAK vs. Michael Lorenzen ($2,400 DK, $2,500 FD)
You won't find another cheap bat with as much power as Brown has anywhere else today, it's that simple. He struggles with contact, we know that for sure. But he's now collected two hits in three straight games and we saw him come through with another dinger last night. Lorenzen is a groundball guy who is getting righties to pound it into the ground over 60% of the time this season, but he's been vulnerable to LHH and is allowing a .419 wOBA to them so far.
Hunter Renfroe - OF, MIL vs. Patrick Corbin ($4,700 DK, $3,000 FD)
Renfroe is a well-known lefty-masher and just happens to be in solid recent form as he's collected eight hits over his last four games. Whether or not that matters to you (in terms of his "hotness"), he's a great play based on his match-up as well. Corbin's primary pitches to righties are his sinker and slider and Renfroe smashes them both. Most notably, he has a 101 exit velocity against sinkers over the last several seasons and is able to elevate them often with only a 22% GB rate.
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Early Slate Stacks
- Diamondbacks vs. Justin Steele
- Red Sox vs. Chris Flexen
Main Slate Stacks
- Astros vs. Jon Gray
- Brewers vs. Patrick Corbin
I hope I gave you a head start on your research today and I wish you the best of luck on whatever slates you decide to play. If you ever have questions about DFS or fantasy baseball, my DMs are always open and I appreciate you taking the time to read my picks today.
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