MLB DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (5/20/24) (2024)

Happy Monday! MLB got a little wonky with their scheduling today, with today’s eight-game slate starting at 6:40 p.m. EDT. We should be thankful that both DraftKings and FanDuel are starting their slates at this time, with games starting at 6:10 and 6:20 that could have further complicated things. The biggest issue with this slate is that all the games start by 8:10 p.m. except for one, which just happens to feature the very chalky Dodgers. Los Angeles is going to be hard to fade, but if you do and they falter, then you’re going to make a ton of money.

The most interesting team on the slate could be the Los Angeles Angels. They are a plucky bunch of no-name players that happen to pulverize left-handed pitching. Framber Valdez looked great in his last start and is an extreme groundball pitcher, but if he gets loose at all then the Angels could pounce. The Astros should get to Reid Detmers a bit as well, making this one of the most stackable games on the slate.

This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/20/2024 and the slate locking at 6:40 p.m. EDT. The lineup picks will range from some elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is also essential.

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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Dean Kremer (BAL//RHP) at St. Louis Cardinals ($7.7K DK, $8.3K FD)

Dean Kremer has been significantly better this year than you realize. He has scored 19 or more DraftKings points in four straight games, averaging 7.5 strikeouts per game in those starts. He allows a few too many home runs (1.76 home runs per nine innings) and walks (2.5 walks per nine innings over his last four starts), but he’s pitching enough innings (five or more in all but one start this year) and striking out enough batters (25% strikeout rate) to make up for it.

The Cardinals rank as an elite matchup for Kremer as they don’t hit for a lot of power but strike out a ton against right-handed pitchers. The current roster for St. Louis has a .200 batting average and a 33% strikeout rate against Kremer in 15 career at-bats. He’s the ninth most expensive pitcher on the slate, yet he ranks second in my pitching model today behind only Pablo Lopez, making him a great value at his price point.

Dean Kremer threw six shutout innings in today’s win.

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The righty spoke to the media after his impressive outing. pic.twitter.com/4iZiLhw1Eo

— Orioles on MASN (@masnOrioles) May 5, 2024

Pablo Lopez (MIN/RHP) at Washington Nationals ($9.5K DK, $10.6K FD)

Pablo Lopez is very expensive, priced only behind Yamamoto and Sonny Gray today, but my pitching model has him as the top-ranked arm on the slate, which makes the $1,000 you save by using him over Yoshinobu Yamamoto seem like a gift. Lopez got that high ranking by having the third-highest swing-strike rate, strikeout rate, and xFIP on the slate. He also has the highest strikeout-to-walk rate, which will help limit any trouble he could get into against the Nationals.

Washing is a strong matchup for Lopez as they have shown little power against righties this year. This will be helpful for Lopez, as he’s been a little home run-prone on the road, giving up five bombs in only 22 innings (2.05 home runs per nine innings). Despite these missteps, he’s still averaging over 20 DraftKings points per game in four road starts this year. You can expect this from a pitcher who hasn’t struck out fewer than seven batters in his road starts; strikeouts are king!

Also Consider: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Michael Wacha, Taj Bradley, Sonny Gray, Tanner Houck

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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Maikel Garcia - 3B, KC vs Reese Olson ($4.3K DK, $3.3K FD)

Maikel Garcia is currently running hot, averaging nearly 11 DraftKings points per game over his last ten starts. He has scored double-digit fantasy points in four straight games. This strong run of games goes back further, as he’s had a hit in 20 of the last 24 games he’s played. He’s scored 16% more fantasy points per game at home than on the road this year, hitting four of his five home runs at Kauffman Stadium. In three games against the Tigers this year, he’s averaging 12.7 fantasy points per game, and in his career, he’s got a .375 batting average with one home run against Reese Olson in eight at-bats.

Will Smith - C, LAD at Joe Mantiply ($5.1K DK, $3.6K FD)

Nobody on the Dodgers hits left-handed pitching quite like Will Smith. He has the highest wRC+ on the team by more than 50 points over the next-best Los Angeles batter, MVP-frontrunner Mookie Betts. In 53 plate appearances, Smith has a .442 batting average, a .744 slugging percentage, a .524 wOBA, and a ridiculous .302 ISO against lefties in 2024. He’s only faced Joe Mantiply four times in his career, but he’s gotten a hit in three of those at-bats, including one for extra bases. Smith often hits in the middle of the Dodgers’ lineup, increasing his chances for RBI opportunities. He’s a great cash game option and a must-play in any Dodgers stacks.

Jeremy Pena - SS, HOU vs Reid Detmers ($4.5K DK, $3.3K FD)

With such a loaded lineup, it’s a surprise to see Jeremy Pena as the most successful right-handed batter against left-handed pitching this season. He has a .373 batting average to go along with a team-high .627 slugging percentage and a strong .255 ISO. The only batter on the team to have better production against lefties than Pena is MVP candidate Kyle Tucker. Pena is swinging a hot bat at the moment, scoring double-digits DraftKings points in two of his last three games while posting a .333. Batting average. He’s seen success in this matchup in the past, sporting a .357 batting average in 14 at-bats against Reid Detmers.

DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Taylor Ward, OF - LAA at Framber Valdez ($4.7K DK, $3.1K FD)

Taylor Ward is starting to warm up, hitting a home run in three of his last four games. He also has a .350 batting average in those four games, having scored double-digit fantasy points in three of those games. Ward hasn’t shown much power against lefties yet this year, but that doesn’t mean he’s not playing well as he has a .343 batting average and .514 slugging percentage against southpaws; he just hasn’t gotten his home run stroke going quite yet. That could change against Valdez, as Ward has crushed him in the past to the tune of a .462 batting average in 26 at-bats.

TAYLOR WARD!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/kQpPBnsUtm

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) May 18, 2024

Josh Lowe, OF - TB vs Tanner Houck ($4.3K DK, $3.2K FD)

Jose Lowe has only played 11 games so far this year, and just a handful against right-handed pitching, but when he squares up to the plate against a righty he has been eating. Lowe has a team-high .545 slugging percentage in 37 at-bats against right-handers this year, including both of his home runs. He’s also enjoyed playing Boston this year, averaging twice as many fantasy points in his four games against the Sox as he scores against the rest of the league. In his career, he’s seen successful against Tanner Houck, with four hits in six at-bats.

Joc Pederson, OF - ARI at Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($4.2K DK, $2.7K FD)

Joc Pederson is the ultimate one-off play today, having seen a little success against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Pederson has had three at-bats against the new Dodgers’ ace and he got a hit in each of those at-bats. This makes sense, as Pederson is the best Diamondbacks’ hitter against right-handed pitching in 2024. He has a .500 slugging percentage, a .292 batting average, and is the only player with an ISO over .200 against righties on the team. Pederson has a .467 batting average over his last four games, and for the season is shockingly batting over .300. It’s probably not wise to stack heavily against Yamamoto, but as a one-off, it does make some sense to run Pederson; especially on FanDuel where he’s priced cheaply enough to allow you to spend up at other positions.

DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks

1. Milwaukee Brewers at Ryan Weathers (MIA/LHP)

Favorite Plays: Willson Contreras, Willy Adames, Joey Ortiz, Jackson Churio, Blake Perkins

2. Houston Astros vs. Ried Detmers (LAA/LHP)

Favorite Plays: Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena, Jake Meyers, Alex Bregman

3. Los Angeles Angels at Framber Valdez (LAA/LHP)

Favorite Plays: Taylor Ward, Jo Adell, Logan O’Hoppe, Luis Rengifo, Kevin Pillar

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