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Welcome RotoBallers to a special set of Friday FanDuel lineup picks! Let's try to keep the spitballs to a minimum and I'll try to keep your entries worthy of the honor roll. There are just two early games, one in the afternoon and one in the early evening hour. That leaves us with 26 teams to choose from on a deeply rich pitching slate. If you have questions about that earlier games, feel free to hit me up on Twitter with questions (@MarkStrausberg).
With so many great pitching options though in the main slate, we are going to have to pick our players very carefully. Read below to find out what player I will be suggesting for your lineups, as I provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 5/28/2021.
Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also check out today's DraftKings MLB DFS lineup picks, and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. With that out of the way, here are my picks for tonight.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game Expensive Play:
Gerrit Cole - NYY @ DET (12,200)
There is an argument to be made that at this price, Cole is more of a GPP play. But no other pitcher on this slate has as high of a probability of having a great outing as Cole does. What Cole can do for your entry alone can easily put you in the top half of your contest. You know Cole is a stud, you don't need me to detail why. And the Tigers are one of the best match-ups in the league. Let's move on, shall we?
Cash Game Cheap Play:
Kris Bubic - KCR @ MIN ($6500)
Nearly half the price of Cole, expect fantasy owners to flock to Bubic tonight. Frankly, he's too cheap given his recent cult-like following. However, given his 1.52 ERA and 17 Ks in in 23.66 IPs, it's not hard to see why he's suddenly become popular. While Minnesota is not the easiest match-up, Bubic is squaring off against the owner of a 5.75 ERA, Randy Dobnak, one of the weaker pitching options on today's slate. Between the low price, the impressive recent production, and the odds of coming away with a win, it's easy to see why Bubuc should be a popular pick in your cash games tonight.
GPP Alternative Play
Framber Valdez , HOU vs SDP ($8,500)
Valdez is making his first start of the season and is coming off the DL. Most DFS players tend to avoid those making their first start after doing so. But Valdez looked pretty good in his most recent rehab start.
Here is Framber Valdez punching out the first batter of his rehab start @SL_Skeeters ... my scouting take — he is totally winning the Cy Young Award. pic.twitter.com/4nBXdqng1x
— Sean Pendergast (@SeanTPendergast) May 24, 2021
I'm not sure if Sean Pendergast is joking or not, but I think Valdez winning the Cy Young is over optimistic. However, that doesn't mean he can't have a solid season and pitch well in his first game this season. 2019 was Valdez's rookie season and all he did was have an impressive 8.66 k/9 that season. He followed that up in 2020 with a 9.68 k/9 along with his solid 3.57 ERA.
Valdez's issue in 2019 was giving up the long ball. However, as good as the Padres have been this season, they actually have the tenth-fewest HRs in the league. His WHIP is sometimes a little high as well, giving him a dangerous downside. But in last year's shortened season it was a very manageable 1.12 and I will be happily investing in Valdez's upside Friday night.
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Jose Abreu (1B) and Yasmani Grandal (C) - CHW vs SEA ($3,900/$3,200)
I am planning on stacking White Sox tonight. It will be a popular stack, but that doesn't make it the wrong one. And it starts with Abreu, who last put up a donut a week ago. He's having a spectacular May, with a 1.093 OPS just the last three weeks alone. What I also like about Abreu is that he has a career .327 BABIP, but currently it is sitting at .294, meaning we are likely to see him be even better this season. Although the 10 HRs this season is still pretty good! If Abreu is a little too expensive for you or you are looking for a higher leverage option, consider Grandal.
With so many highly productive options at first base, catchers are rarely selected to fill this slot on FanDuel. But Grandal can be a high leverage play given that he has notched 24 FD points or higher in three of his last seven games. The fact that he can switch hit makes him even more attractive, especially given who is on the opposing mound tonight. But hold that thought briefly.
Nick Madrigal - 2B, CHW vs BAL ($2,700)
We are going to need to save somewhere and no better place than 2B with Madrigal getting his chances against the highly flammable Matt Harvey. Harvey has a 6.31 ERA and 1.60 WHIP. Madrigal meanwhile has a current streak of four consecutive games of double-digit fantasy points. Wanna bet he makes it five?
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - 3B/1B, TOR at CLE ($4,600)
If you want to cheaper, I wouldn't fault you for going Yoan Moncada. Ok, I know you are probably growing weary of the options from the South Side of Chicago for a little bit. I understand, but then you'll have to forgive me as I make another obvious pick as is anyone hotter right now than Vlad? He last failed to score fantasy points back on May 12th, giving us a very high floor. Guerrero Jr's 16 bombs lead the league but he is making a run at the triple crown with his 41 RBIs (third-most in the league) and his fifth-best .333 average.
If he's under $5K, I'm going to need a good reason not to play him. There isn't one. Lock him in.
Trea Turner- SS, WSH vs MIL ($4,100)
Let's be nice and say Brett Anderson is not as good as he once was. Trea Turner is. I know I will gladly select a player with double-digit HRs, double-digit SBs, and a .316 average. But should that price scare you, grab Carlos Correa at $2900 who went yard last night. Or if that's still too expensive, grab Isiah Kiner-Falefa who is hitting .286 and facing Justus Sheffield and his 5.11 ERA.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Yordan Alvarez - OF, HOU vs SDP ($3,100)
Check his injury status before game lock. However, if he does play, this is just too cheap for the All-Star OF who has seven HRs and is batting .310 on the season. I know Dinelson Lamet and his 1.64 ERA looks like a tough match-up, but his xERA is 4.23. Add in the fact that southpaws are hitting .273 against Lamet, I'll gladly take the leftie Alvarez if he plays today.
Tyler O'Neill - OF, STL at ARI ($3,000)
O'Neil meanwhile is a Benjamin less than Alvarez and while he doesn't have quite the cache of Yordan, he does have more HRs this season than he does. O'Neil has very quietly been getting it done and went long again last night. Tonight he gets Madison Bumgarner and his 4.53 ERA in Arizona. O'Neil screams bargain play.
I've got another cheap outfielder I like and we circle back to that game in Chicago.
Cedric Mullins - OF, BAL at CWS ($2,700)
You thought I was going to recommend another CWS player, didn't you? Well, the other side of that game is attractive too. Dallas Keuchel has been one of the weaker options on the pale hose pitching staff this year. He has only 28 Ks in nearly 55 innings and a 4.28 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. He has his lowest K-rate since his rookie year and his underlying stats tell us he could be even worse. He is definitely trending downwards.
Meanwhile, the swith-hitting Cedric Mullins is on the upswing. He's hitting nearly .300 and is on pace for a 20/20 season. He too very quietly has been doing things like this:
MULLINS FOR THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/WHP2aGsgbN
— Orioles on MASN (@masnOrioles) May 4, 2021
If you are looking to spend up a little more, I would suggest the $3300 Mitch Haniger who is criminally underpriced. I like Haniger, but even I was surprised to see that he has a baker's dozen of HRs already! He will be facing Jordan Lyles and his 5.94 ERA. 'Nuff said.
Good luck with your entries!
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