MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/21/2019

Tuesday will be a busy night in baseball with 14 games making up the main slate in DFS. Whether you like to pay up for pitchers or hitters, there are plenty of viable options to pursue either strategy. Let’s break down some of the players with the most favorable matchups to consider. 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

Caleb Smith vs. Detroit Tigers
Stadium – Comerica Park
FanDuel = $10,100
DratfKings = $10,400

As bad of a matchup as this is between two of the worst teams in the league, it’s exciting whenever Smith takes the mound. He’s been one of the more dominant forces in the league out of the gate, recording a 2.94 xFIP, 0.92 WHIP and a 35.2 percent strikeout rate. The Tigers have scored the second-fewest runs (149) and hit the second-fewest home runs (36) in baseball, so this is a matchup to exploit.

Julio Teheran vs. San Francisco Giants
Stadium – Oracle Park
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $8,500

Speaking of matchups to exploit, the Giants have scored the fifth-fewest runs (176) and hit for the fourth-lowest OPS (.655). That brings Teheran into play if you’re looking for a more cost-effective option at pitcher. He’s only allowed one run across his last 17 innings and has recorded a career-high 23.9 percent strikeout rate through his first 10 starts.

CATCHER

Isiah Kiner-Falefa vs. Tommy Millone, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $2,300
DraftKings = $3,800

This is a tough assignment for Millone, who has been struggling at Triple-A with a 5.65 xFIP. The good news is that the Rangers have a lot of left-handed hitters, but Millone will have to face them in their hitter-friendly home park. Kiner-Falefa is a cheap right-handed bat to consider who has a career .341 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.

Others to consider: Gary Sanchez

FIRST BASE

Kendrys Morales vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,600

Although Morales did record an RBI in the Yankees 10-run outburst Monday, he went 0-for-5 at the plate. He has driven in at least one run in three straight games as he’s found himself hitting in the middle of the lineup since joining the team. He has another favorable matchup against Hess, who has allowed a staggering 14 home runs across 40.1 innings. At this cheap, Morales might be worth the risk in tournament play.

Others to consider: Daniel Vogelbach and Yuli Gurriel

SECOND BASE

D.J. LeMahieu vs. Davis Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,600

Not only does Hess allow a ton of home runs, but he only has a 17.1 percent strikeout rate for his career. That could make LeMahieu a tough out, especially since he himself only has a 15.1 percent strikeout rate for his career. LeMahieu has proven to be a key addition for the Yankees due to all of their injuries and has been especially hot of late, hitting 29-for-81 (.358) with two home runs and four doubles across his last 20 games.

Others to consider: Aledmys Diaz and Nicky Lopez

THIRD BASE

Tommy La Stella vs. Michael Pineda, Minnesota Twins
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $4,400

La Stella is having a breakout campaign for the Angels, especially in the power department with his .271 ISO. Maybe just as impressive is that he’s doing that while only recording a 6.7 percent strikeout rate. The big difference has been him increasing his flyball rate by over 10 percentage points compared to last season. Pineda has allowed 13 home runs across 47 innings, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see La Stella go deep in this game.

Others to consider: Alex Bregman and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

SHORTSTOP

Gleyber Torres vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $5,100

Torres continued his hot hitting Monday by launching two home runs. He’s destroyed the Orioles this season, hitting 17-for-35 (.486) with eight home runs across nine games. With how many home runs Hess has allowed this season, Torres could be in line for another monster stat line. He won’t come cheap on DraftKings, but his price on FanDuel is very appealing.

Others to consider: Carlos Correa and Danny Santana

OUTFIELD

Hunter Pence vs. Tommy Millone, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Globe Life Park in Arlington
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $5,100

Pence looks to have rejuvenated his career with the Rangers, recording a .412 wOBA and a .337 ISO in the early going. He’s tearing the cover off the ball with a 58 percent hard-hit rate, which is a number he likely won’t be able to sustain over the course of the season. Still, with an underwhelming lefty on the mound at home, this is setting up nicely for him to be productive once again.

Aaron Hicks vs. David Hess, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $4,700

Hicks is only 3-for-19 since being activated from the IL, but getting his switching-hitting bat back in the lineup is huge for the Yankees. He hit righties particularly well last season, recording a 132 wRC+ against them compared to a 116 wRC+ versus lefties. He could have a low ownership percentage based on his initial struggles, which could be helpful when trying to differentiate yourself in tournament play while still pursuing a Yankees stack.

Jake Marisnick vs. Dylan Covey, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $2,200
DraftKings = $4,600

With George Springer battling a stiff back, Marisnick and Josh Reddick were both in the lineup Monday. Marisnick launched a home run and is off to an incredible start with a 145 wRC+. There should be plenty of regression in the cards based on his .396 BABIP and 32.6 percent strikeout rate, but facing the struggling Covey is a great matchup. His price is too high on DraftKings, but he’s a cheap option to target on FanDuel.

Others to consider: Max Kepler and Austin Riley

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.