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
Tampa Bay Rays
Yeah, I’m interested. Tampa Bay is pushing toward the playoffs, they’re playing in a hitters’ park, and Jacob Lopez has a 5.64 ERA. That’s pretty much everything I need to see. The Rays have been one of the more interesting offenses to target because they can create runs in different ways, and this is the type of matchup where I want to lean into that. With Tampa fighting for the postseason, I like the urgency angle, too. This is one of my favorite tournament spots.
May 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) hits a home run during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Boston Red Sox
I’m going to eat the chalk here. Jameson Taillon is making his second start with Toronto after coming over from the Cubs, and his first outing didn’t exactly inspire confidence — three runs in four innings. His season ERA is still sitting at an ugly 5.96, and now he gets one of the hottest offenses in baseball. Boston is going to be popular, but I’m perfectly fine with that. This is one of those spots where the matchup is good enough that I don’t need to get cute just to be different.
St. Louis Cardinals
I really like this as a tournament spot. Andrew Painter has the prospect pedigree, but the results haven’t exactly matched it, with a 6.48 ERA and 1.57 WHIP this season. That’s a lot of traffic for a pitcher facing a Cardinals lineup that can take advantage when given opportunities. I’m not saying St. Louis is suddenly going to be one of the safest offenses on the slate, but that’s not what we’re looking for in GPPs. Painter’s name should keep ownership reasonable, and if he continues struggling, the Cardinals have plenty of paths to a big game.
Apr 11, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) grounds into a force during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Baltimore Orioles
This is much more about the matchup than the Orioles’ recent offensive form. They’ve been pretty awful lately, so I’m definitely not going to pretend this is some elite offense right now. But Dean Kremer has a 5.93 ERA, and the recent history shows just how hittable he can be. Before his first start with Minnesota, when he allowed just one earned run over five innings, he had given up 20 earned runs across his previous four starts. That’s a pretty wide range, and I’m willing to bet on the bad version showing up again. I don’t need a ton of Baltimore, but for tournaments, I like taking a few shots.
Athletics
Even with the injuries, I still want some Athletics here. They’re at home in a good hitters’ park, and Freddy Peralta is carrying a 5.37 ERA. That’s enough for me to take some shots, especially because Oakland has shown plenty of offensive upside when the lineup gets going. This isn’t a spot where I’m expecting them to be a massive chalk stack, either, which makes it even more appealing. Give me some A’s in tournaments and see what happens.
For other popular plays, our revamped MLB Research Station has every stat you need to send your research to the next level!
May 11, 2022; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) looks on against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
FOUR MLB BvP Matchups
Willy Adames vs. Hayden Wisnewski: 3-8 with a 2B, HR, and five RBI
Francisco Lindor vs. Bryce Elder: 6-13 with two 2B, two HR, four RBI, and two BB
Salvador Perez vs. Tarik Skubal: 12-42 with three 2B, four HR, and nine RBI
George Springer (DTD) vs. Sonny Gray: 10-32 with a 2B, two HR, five RBI, and five BB
THREE MLB Value Plays
Jordan Beck ($2500 DK / $2300 FD): seven-game hitting streak (.904 OPS during)
Myles Straw ($2500 DK / $2400 FD): 6-12 with a 2B, two RBI, and four BB against Sonny Gray
Brett Sullivan ($2800 DK / $2400 FD): 6-15 with two 2B, a HR, and five RBI in his last seven games (1.171 OPS)