It seems Thursday always has early and late games, which breaks the day up into two smaller slates. Both slates are more than playable, though, and this article will focus on both of them.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/4/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.
You can read our FanDuel and Yahoo DFS lineup picks as well. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @BalesSJustin.
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DFS Lineup Stacks to Target on DraftKings
Boston Red Sox vs Tyler Wilson
The Orioles were forced to pitch Ubaldo Jimenez last night, which means Wilson is expected to draw the start tonight. He has struggled with a 5.40 ERA this season, and the Red Sox have one of the highest upside offenses in the MLB. Boston is a -122 favorite in a game set at 10 runs, which is the highest team total on the slate. They're an elite stacking option.
Minnesota Twins vs Jharel Cotton
The Twins have had an average offense this season, but they have flashed great upside. They get a good matchup against Cotton tonight, and he has struggled with a 5.00 ERA through five starts. The Twins enter this game as -116 favorites in a game set at 9 runs, and they're a high upside stack on this slate.
DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider on DraftKings
Max Scherzer - vs ARI ($12,600)
Scherzer is coming off a bad game, but he has been enjoying a great season. He has a 3-2 record with a 2.94 ERA and a 10.7 K/9. He has scored at least 25 fantasy points in four of his five starts, and he gets a solid matchup against the Diamondbacks tonight. Scherzer is a ridiculous -253 favorite in a game set at 8 runs, and he's an elite option in all leagues.
Alex Meyer - at SEA ($5,300)
Meyer makes an interesting option. He struggled with command in his first game this season, but he comes with elite strikeout potential, which is all he needs to his price tag. He's a slight underdog in a game set at 8.5 runs, and he'll be throwing in a pitcher friendly stadium tonight. He's a high upside salary relief option in tournaments.
DFS Infielders to Consider on DraftKings
Catcher (C)
Salvador Perez - vs CWS ($3,500)
Perez is always a high upside option when he is facing left-handed pitching. He gets a great matchup against Derek Holland, and Perez is a powerful player. He has been heating up over his last few games, and he can be used in all leagues tonight.
First Base (1B)
John Jaso - at CIN ($3,200)
Jaso has struggled quite a bit this season, but he has been playing much better recently. He has also been a much better hitter on the road this season. Furthermore, he has hit well against right-handed pitching, and gets a good matchup against Tim Adleman.
Second Base (2B)
Jed Lowrie - at MIN ($2,900)
Lowrie is an extremely consistent hitter, who strings hits together to gain upside. He's hitting over .300 in his last 10 games, and he has also displayed decent power over that span. He gets a great matchup against Kyle Gibson tonight, and Lowrie is a great option, especially in cash games.
Shortstop (SS)
Carlos Correa - vs TEX ($4,800)
Correa has had a bit of a down season thus far, but he is a player that comes with great power and speed. It will be on full display as the season continues, and he has been heating up a bit recently. He gets a good matchup against A.J. Griffin tonight, and Correa is a high upside tournament option on this slate.
Third Base (3B)
Miguel Sano - vs OAK ($4,400)
Sano has quietly been one of the hottest hitters in the Majors, as he's hitting over .400 with tremendous power over his last 10 games. He gets a good matchup against Jharel Cotton tonight, and Sano is hitting in a favorable spot in the Twins lineup. He's an elite option.
DFS Outfielders to Consider on DraftKings
Khris Davis - at MIN ($4,000)
Davis is hitting under .150 over his last 10 games, but his OBP is nearly .400. The majority of his hits have been home runs, as well. He has been enjoying a solid season, though, as he has double digit home runs. He gets a great matchup against Kyle Gibson, and Davis has been playing well enough to be used in all leagues.
Andrew Benintendi - vs BAL ($4,600)
Benintendi has been playing well recently, as he's hitting over .300 with decent power over his last 10 games. He gets a great matchup against Tyler Wilson, and Benintendi has dominated right-handed pitching. He's a crucial part of a Boston stack on the slate tonight.
DFS Hitters to Avoid on DraftKings
Dansby Swanson - vs NYM ($3,200)
Swanson has been struggling quite a bit this season, but he has been playing at a much higher level recently. His hard-hit rate over the last two weeks has increased to 34%, but he has a 61% ground ball rate, which hurts his value. He also has a -0.109 wOBA and -0.198 ISO differential against right-handed pitchers. He has only scored double digit fantasy points in two of his last 10 games, as well.
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