We have a busy Memorial Day for baseball this year, with nine of the 13 games taking place early. Before we get to that, it's important to remember all of those who served in the Armed Forces who never got to come home to their loved ones. Those who made the sacrifice so that we are free to do many of the common things that we take for granted.
I can make a case for five out of the six pitchers on the night slate. The main slate is not so easy. However, for the first time in about a week, we wont have to worry about rain. We will have a nice breeze blowing out to left if the roof is open in Houston though. Otherwise, it's just a beautiful day for baseball around the country.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 5/31/2021. 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. Let's get to it!
FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Jose Berrios – MIN at BAL ($9,100)
I'm good with fading Corbin Burnes after a lackluster performance in his last start and he's facing a team that just swept the Yankees in New York. The Tigers aren't really a team to target with pitchers anymore. It's a good matchup and all, but I like the $1,600 savings to go with Berrios. The Orioles are not new to losing streaks. Who can forget 1988? They are currently on a 13 game slide. Berrios himself just beat this team last week and put up 41 FanDuel points while doing so. Berrios wasn't even all that sharp in that game. There is definitely potential for more.
Potential Alternate Play
James Kaprielian – OAK at SEA ($8,000)
Kaprielian continues to pitch well to start his major league career. His last outing against this same Mariners team last week was likely his best. He shut out Seattle for seven innings and picked up 43 FanDuel points in the process. This is the same light-hitting Mariners squad in a pitcher's park facing fellow (and struggling) rookie Logan Gilbert. I have to like Kaprielian's chances at another win here.
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Miguel Sano – 1B, MIN vs. BAL ($3,000)
Sano was absolutely dreadful to start the 2021 campaign, and the .168 batting average still paints a bad picture. However, Sano has hit seven of his nine home runs on the season in the last 12 games. One of those came off of today's pitcher, Jorge Lopez, on Wednesday. Sano has now hit three homers against Lopez in just 11 at bats with seven RBI. It's safe to say that he has Jorge's number.
Starlin Castro – 2B, WAS at ATL ($2,300)
If you scroll past all of the injured players at second base, to a place where even the buses don't run, you'll find a lonely man named Starlin Castro. Castro still gets on base at a good rate, but he doesn't have a lot of pop in his bat anymore at age 31. Charlie Morton may be Castro's Fountain of Youth. Castro is 12-32(.375) with three homers, a steal, and nine RBI in his career against Morton. The floor here is a handful of points. The ceiling is somewhere in the 20's. Not bad for a guy at this price.
Alex Bregman – 3B, HOU vs. BOS ($3,200)
Eduardo Rodriguez may be priced like a good pitcher, but he sure isn't performing like one. He has allowed 13 runs over his last three starts in just 15 innings pitched. Rodriguez has slashed his walk rate, but his cutter and slider are being hit at alarming rates. Bregman hits all of his pitches well, which could explain why he has two homers in seven at-bats against Rodriguez in his career.
Fernando Tatis Jr. – SS, SD at CHC ($4,500)
Yesterday Tatis only got up six FanDuel points. I say only because that was his first game under double digits in four games. Tatis hasn't gone scoreless in DFS since May 1 and has topped the 40 FanDuel point threshold three times since then. He is putting up insane totals. He even topped 60 once! What other hitter can score like a pitcher? Tatis has an insane 22 RBI in his last 11 games.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Nelson Cruz – OF, MIN at BAL ($3,600)
Cruz has reached base safely at least once in every game since coming off a minor wrist injury on Wednesday and did the two games before that as well. Cruz didn't get to face Lopez on Wednesday, but he is 3-6 with two homers against him in his career. I know it's a nine game slate, but this is a nice day to full stack Twins. We all know how the ball flies in Baltimore when the weather warms up.
Joc Pederson – OF, CHC vs. SD ($2,900)
Three of Pederson's four home runs on the season have come in the last ten days. The hot streak is finally yielding some power! Pederson's only two hits against Chris Paddack from his days in Dodger blue are home runs. Pederson is the ultimate boom/bust play today, but with Paddack struggling to be successful this year, I'm in!
DJ Stewart – OF, BAL vs. MIN ($2,100)
Speaking of boom or bust, Stewart's last three hits are all of the home run variety. The bad news is that it has spanned 20 at bats over seven games. Two of those homers came in Target Field last week. Though he didn't nick Berrios, he did get one against the struggling Twins bullpen. Don't ignore Orioles just because they're playing Berrios. He's not going the distance here.
FanDuel DFS Stacks Options
- Minnesota Twins
- Cincinnati Reds
- Oakland A's
- San Francisco Giants