Lots of great matchups tonight on this 13-game main slate. Let’s see what we can do to find some spots that can win us a tournament. The focus of this article is to sort through the myriad of options on larger slates and find not only some solid foundational plays but also some spots that could go overlooked. We focus on stacks that are solid for small-field and SE as well as overlooked spots for large-field GPPs, and we discuss players that have good past history vs. the pitchers they’re facing. Our Discord strategy rooms are incredibly active. Hop in and join the discussion!
FIVE DFS MLB Stacks
Baltimore Orioles (4.57 IRT)
This is an interesting spot to me tonight. Baltimore’s offense is elite and has been playing very well all season, including lately, leading the league in runs (81) and long balls (29) over the past two weeks. Tonight they face the Texas Rangers and Max Scherzer who is making his second start after being on the IL all season. He looked good, but the Rangers will be conservative with ramping him back up, and they do have a bottom-five bullpen ERA, so if the Orioles can get to Scherzer, the upside continues to be there. Our MLB Leverage Stacks tool likes them tonight as they project as one of the top teams but are middle of the pack for leverage. Gunnar Henderson is a top candidate for MVP, so I’m starting my Baltimore lines with him. Cedric Mullins is in the midst of one of his hot streaks (.500 average and 1.500 OPS in his last six games), and Adley Rutschman (993 OPS in L7) is always solid. Jordan Westburg is hitting .310 with two HR and five RBI in his last seven, and I like having shares of him as well.
Aug 23, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India (6) hits a double against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati Reds (4.16 IRT)
The Reds teed off on Miles Mikolas yesterday in the series opener, torching him for 10 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits in just 4.1 innings. They’ll look to continue the trend tonight against Andre Pallante, he of the 5.23 ERA and 1.62 WHIP. The Cardinals’ bullpen is a little overworked as well, having pitched 4.2 innings in the loss yesterday and eight innings in the doubleheader against Atlanta on Wednesday, so this is a nice spot overall for the Reds’ offense to keep things going regardless of who’s on the mound for St. Louis. Jonathan India is where I’m starting my stacks as he’s been on fire (a 1.480 OPS in his last seven games),and Elly de la Cruz (1.008 OPS in L7) would be next; Jeimer Candelario isn’t hitting the best, but he’s got a couple of HR in his last few games, and Luke Maile has been producing for cheap (a HR and two SB in his last four games).
Atlanta Braves (5.15 IRT)
The Braves are in one of the better spots on paper tonight as they are at home facing the Padres and Randy Vazquez, who has not been good this season (a 5.10 ERA and 1.68 WHIP speaks to that). Atlanta’s offense hasn’t been playing well lately (.179 average while scoring just 16 runs in their last six games), but the matchup is too good to concern ourselves with that, I think. Jarred Kelenic (1.049 OPS in L7) finally looks like the player everyone thought he’d be, and he looks very comfortable in the leadoff spot. Austin Riley has turned his season around as well, and both Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson always have upside.
May 30, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Guardians (4.96 IRT)
One of only two games tonight with a 9.5 O/U, the Guardians come into this one with the league’s second best record while hitting nearly 30 points better over their past two weeks compared to their season average. They get Alec Marsh who hasn’t been good lately (he’s allowed 19 earned runs in 25.s innings this month, and that includes an outlier of seven shutout innings against the Yankees three starts ago). Start your lineups with Jose Ramirez (1.000 OPS in L7, including three HR) and Steven Kwan (who is breaking out this season), and mix in some Bo Naylor (1.245 OPS in his last six games) and Josh Naylor (hitting .500 with a couple of RBI vs. Marsh).
New York Mets (4.04 IRT)
The Mets have been playing well offensively lately, scoring 80 runs in their last 11 games while hitting .308 as a team. They face a solid pitcher tonight in Ronel Blanco, but on a large slate, taking a chance on a hot offense makes a little bit of sense. Brandon Nimmo just had his 10-game hitting streak snapped last night, but I’m going right back to him (he has an 1.137 OPS in L7), and I’m adding in Mark Vientos (four HR and seven RBI in L7) and Francisco Alvarez and his 1.792 OPS in L7 as my starting spots. Pete Alonso (.898 OPS in L7), Francisco Lindor (.834 OPS with two SB in L7), and J.D. Martinez (seven RBI in L7) are always viable pieces as well with great upside.
For other popular plays, our revamped MLB Research Station has every stat you need to send your research to the next level!
May 3, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) hits an RBI triple during the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
FOUR MLB BvP Matchups
Freddie Freeman vs. Logan Webb: 14-31 with three 2B, a HR, five RBI, and two BB
DJ Lemahieu vs. Yusei Kikuchi: 8-23 with two 2B and four BB
Bobby Witt Jr. vs. Triston McKenzie: 4-12 with a 2B, two HR, and five RBI
Christian Yelich vs. Jameson Taillon: 10-26 with a 2B, two HR, and three RBI
THREE MLB Value Plays
Kevin Kiermaier ($2000 DK / $2100 FD): 5-18 with three RBI and a SB in his last five; hitting .297 with two HR and five RBI vs. Stroman
Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($3100 DK / $2600 FD): 11-game hitting streak
Ramon Laureano ($2600 DK / $2400 FD): hits in five of his last seven games; Perez making his first start back from injury