MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/15/2019

Weather shouldn’t be an issue Wednesday for the main evening slate in DFS, which is a relief considering all of the rain that some teams have dealt with recently. With eight games to choose from, we have a nice mix of pitchers and hitters to discuss. 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

Justin Verlander vs. Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $12,000
DraftKings = $11,000

Verlander stands out as the top pitching option for this slate. He’s off to another great start with a 3.56 xFIP and a 30.6 percent strikeout rate while having arguably the best lineup in the league backing him. It also doesn’t get much better than his matchup against the Tigers, who have scored the second-fewest runs (139) in the league. The only downside is that his hefty price tag will handcuff you when selecting hitters for your entry.

Jalen Beeks vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings =$7,600

Ryne Stanek will serve as the opener for this game with Beeks expected to then cover the majority of the innings. Beeks has performed well in this role so far, recording a 1.17 WHIP and a 23.8 percent strikeout rate. The Marlins are off to a historically bad start, so this is a matchup to exploit. His price is especially appealing on FanDuel with the options that it can open up on the hitting side of things.

CATCHER

Brian McCann vs. Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $2,900
DraftKings = $4,000

It looks like a return to Atlanta was just what the doctor ordered for McCann. After struggling and battling injuries the last couple of years, he’s thrived this season with a .367 wOBA. He has as many walks (eight) as he does strikeouts while posting a career-high 40.7 percent hard-hit rate. Wacha has struggled with a 1.65 WHIP over seven starts, making McCann a prime target at his position.

Others to consider: Robinson Chirinos

FIRST BASE

Yuli Gurriel vs. Gregory Soto, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $4,000

The Astros are the top stack of the day. They’ve scored 19 runs across the first two games of their series with the Tigers and will be facing a pitcher in Soto who will be on three-days rest after making his first start above Double-A. That outing did not go well since he allowed seven runs over four innings to the Twins. Gurriel is one of the more cost-effective options on the Astros and he’s 17-for-45 (.378) with two home runs across his last 11 games.

Others to consider: Freddie Freeman and Ji-Man Choi

SECOND BASE

Rougned Odor vs. Jorge Lopez, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,700

Another popular stack should be the Rangers since Lopez has a career 1.54 WHIP. He’s already allowed 10 home runs across 43 innings, which makes Odor appealing with his power upside. Despite his horrible start, Odor might not be a crazy option if you’re looking to save some money at second base.

Others to consider: Brandon Lowe and Aledmys Diaz

THIRD BASE

Alex Bregman vs. Gregory Soto, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,300

Here we begin the run of expensive Astros hitters to target. Bregman has eight home runs across his last 12 games to raise his ISO to a career-high .299. He has almost as many walks (27) as he does strikeouts (29) and has a career 148 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers, so no need to overthink this one.

Others to consider: Yandy Diaz and Mike Moustakas

SHORTSTOP

Carlos Correa vs. Gregory Soto, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,800

Correa has been hot for an even longer stretch, hitting 30-for-96 (.313) with eight home runs and seven doubles across his last 24 games. With so many potent hitters around him, Correa has also been able to rack up 27 RBI and 22 runs scored, putting him on pace for career-bests in both categories.

Others to consider: Jean Segura and Willy Adames

OUTFIELD

George Springer vs. Gregory Soto, Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $5,800

The Astros insane stats continue with Springer, who is 21-for-43 (.488) with seven home runs across his last 11 games. His price tags on both sites make it difficult to fit him into your budget, but his upside is off the charts with his career .394 wOBA versus lefties.

Shin-soo Choo vs. Jorge Lopez, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,700

Lopez has allowed a .365 wOBA to left-handed hitters for his career, which could prove troublesome against the Rangers left-handed heavy lineup. Choo might not carry the same power upside that some of his teammates do, but he gets on base a ton, so look for him to provide a productive stat line.

Nomar Mazara vs. Jorge Lopez, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,000

Mazara has been unlucky out of the gate with his .255 BABIP being one of the main culprits for his .235 average. His strikeout rate has gone down while his hard-hit rate has increased significantly, so he should turn things around sooner rather than later. With how poorly Lopez has pitched, this could be just what he needs to get back on track.

Others to consider: Austin Meadows and Avisail Garcia

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.