MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/6/2019

Monday’s slate across the majors is loaded with top-tier pitching options. We might not see a ton of high scoring games, but there are still some hitters who are in excellent spots to be productive, as well. Let’s get right to it and highlight some of the best players to target in DFS. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our MLB Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

STARTING PITCHERS

Gerrit Cole vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $11,500
DraftKing =$10,700

Of all of the aces taking the mound, Cole might be the most appealing one. He’s been hot out of the gate, recording a 2.68 xFIP and a 37.6 percent strikeout rate across his first seven starts. Now he’ll have the benefit of facing a Royals team that doesn’t have much power and is in the bottom half of the league in runs scored. Cole was also stellar at home last year, recording a 2.62 xFIP and a 0.97 WHIP.

Cole Hamels vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Wrigley Field
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings =$9,000

If you’re looking to shy away from the top-tier options, Hamels is someone to strongly consider. It doesn’t get any better than his matchup against the Marlins, who are last in the league in runs scored (91) and OPS (.602). He already faced them earlier this season, recording eight strikeouts across seven scoreless innings.  Hamels has pitched well, in general, allowing three earned runs or fewer in each of his last five outings.

CATCHER

Willson Contreras vs. Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Wrigley Field
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = 4,800

At a position that normally lacks significant offensive firepower, Contreras stands out as the top option Monday. He’s off to an insanely hot start with a .454 wOBA, although some of that has been aided by his .373 BABIP. The goods news is that he’s increased his walk rate by almost four percentage points and he’s cut down his groundball rate from 52 percent last year to 39 percent this season.

Others to consider: Robinson Chirinos

FIRST BASE

Nate Lowe vs. Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $2,400
DraftKings =$3,600

Kelly has a 4.49 xFIP and a 19.3 percent strikeout rate this season, so he’s someone to consider stacking against. He’ll also have to face the DH with this game being played at Tropicana Field. If you’re looking for some salary relief to help offset the high-priced pitching options, Lowe is worth considering. He has a hit in five of six games since being called up and was excellent last year with a .347 wOBA and .200 ISO at Triple-A.

Others to consider: Anthony Rizzo and Ji-Man Choi

SECOND BASE

Brandon Lowe vs. Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $4,800

Continuing to attack Kelly brings us to the Rays’ promising young second baseman. Lowe wasn’t great during his first taste of major league action last year, but he’s been a different player this year with a 153 wRC+. His 33.1 percent strikeout rate is alarming, but with Kelly’s underwhelming arsenal, Lowe could be in line for another productive stat line.

Others to consider: Enrique Hernandez and Jonathan Villar

THIRD BASE

Alex Bregman vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,000

There are few hitters in the league as hot as Bregman is right now in the power department. After recording a grand slam Sunday, he now has five home runs across his last five games. Look for him to be a thorn in the side of Junis, who has allowed 1.5 HR/9 for his career.

Others to consider: Matt Carpenter and Justin Turner

SHORTSTOP

Corey Seager vs. Kevin Gausman, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $3,600

Seager is still looking to find his way after missing most of last season due to injury. He had a much-needed meaty stat line Sunday, hitting 2-for-4 with two doubles and a walk against the Padres. He won’t face the toughest of opponents in Gausman, who has a 4.07 xFIP despite being the beneficiary of a .234 opponents’ BABIP. With his career .375 wOBA against right-handed pitchers, Seager might be able to provide value at his reduced price on both sites.

Others to consider: Javier Baez and Paul DeJong

OUTFIELD

Michael Brantley vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900

Brantley might not be the biggest of names in the league, or in his own lineup for that matter, but the start that he’s off to shouldn’t be ignored. He’s always been able to hit for average, but his .229 ISO this year is particularly impressive when combined with his .396 wOBA. With a wOBA of at least .362 against righties in four of the last five seasons, look for him to keep things rolling against Junis.

Josh Reddick vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings =$3,900

Reddick has never been known to strike out much and he’s been even better in that department this season with a 10.6 strikeout rate. After a .258 BABIP dragged down his average last year, he’s been able to produce a .359 wOBA entering play Monday. He also performs well against righties, recording a wOBA of at least .356 versus them in four of the last five seasons.

Alex Verdugo vs. Kevin Gausman, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $4,300

Verdugo shined at Triple-A last year with a .382 wOBA, but he didn’t have a clear path to playing time this year after the Dodgers brought in A.J. Pollock. However, with Pollock now on the IL with an elbow injury, a regular role has developed for him. His price on DraftKings isn’t bad, but he’s especially appealing if you need to save some money at outfield on FanDuel.

Others to consider: Tommy Pham and Kyle Schwarber

Author Bio:

Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat, and was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.