MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 5/9/2019

We don’t have a lot of options to choose from in baseball Thursday with just five games making up the main evening slate in DFS. However, there’s still money to be won, so let’s dive into the viable options that do stand out. 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

Patrick Corbin vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $9,200

Corbin has had some strong seasons in the past, but nothing like last year. Not only did he record a 2.61 xFIP, but his strikeout rate skyrocketed to 30.8 percent. While he hasn’t been able to keep up with that pace after signing a big deal with the Nationals, he’s still shined with a 3.59 xFIP and a 27.8 percent strikeout rate. This isn’t the best of matchups, but his strikeout upside makes him one of the top pitching targets for a slate with so few quality options.

Wade Miley vs. Texas Rangers
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $6,800

Miley is the opposite in terms of strikeouts compared to Corbin, recording just a 14.8 percent strikeout rate last year. This season has been no different with his 13.9 percent strikeout rate through seven starts. On a positive note, he doesn’t walk many batters and generally has done a good job of limiting home runs throughout his career. The Rangers have a left-handed heavy lineup, making Miley stand out as one of the better cheap pitchers to target.

CATCHER

Gary Sanchez vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,300

With Sanchez, you’re paying a premium price for immense power. He’s only batting .247, but he’s been a monster with his .432 ISO. While he obviously can’t keep up that power pace, he does have a .276 ISO for his career. Leake has already allowed 11 home runs across 40.1 innings, so this is an opportunity to pounce on.

Others to consider: Robinson Chirinos

FIRST BASE

Edwin Encarnacion vs. J.A. Happ, New York Yankees
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $5,100

Speaking of hitters with tremendous power, Encarnacion has launched four homers over his last five games. He’s an extremely reliable source for production having hit at least 32 home runs in seven straight seasons. It’s hard to pass up on him when he’s locked in like this, especially with a left-handed pitcher on the mound. Encarnacion has a career .372 wOBA against lefties.

Others to consider: Luke Voit and Josh Bell

SECOND BASE

Adam Frazier vs. Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,400

Sanchez and Encarnacion are pricey, so let’s try to save a little money at second base. Wacha has been about as wild as it gets this year with his 14.8 percent walk rate one of the main reasons why he has a 1.63 WHIP. Frazier is a tough out with his career 14 percent strikeout rate, so look for him to find his way on base a time or two in this game.

Others to consider: D.J. LeMahieu and Brian Dozier

THIRD BASE

Howie Kendrick vs. Rich Hill, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,200
DraftKings = $3,900

With all of the injuries that the Nationals have suffered, Kendrick has become an important part of their lineup. He hasn’t let the team down, hitting 11-for-35 (.314) across his last 10 games. He has a robust 138 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers out of the gate, so he’s another cost-effective option with upside.

Others to consider: Anthony Rendon and Matt Carpenter

SHORTSTOP

Carlos Correa vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,200

After having his 16-game hitting streak snapped Tuesday, Correa bounced back to hit a home run Wednesday. He’s rebounded nicely from a disappointing campaign last year to record a .392 wOBA and a .289 ISO out of the gate. As tough as Minor has looked in the early going, Correa still has plenty of upside based on his career .368 wOBA versus lefties.

Others to consider: Gleyber Torres and Tim Beckham

OUTFIELD

Starling Marte vs. Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals
Stadium – Busch Stadium
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $4,200

The Pirates badly missed Marte when he was on the IL. He’s quickly making up for lost time, hitting 8-for-28 (.286) with a home run and three steals across his last six games. Don’t worry that he doesn’t have the platoon advantage against Wache. Marte actually has a higher career wOBA versus righties (.342) than he does lefties (.324).

Brett Gardner vs. Mike Leake, Seattle Mariners
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $4,400

Gardner has been one of the few players on the Yankees who has been able to stay healthy this year. His batting average checks in at just .218, but he’s been the victim of an unusually low .206 BABIP that is over 100 points lower than his career mark. He’s helped somewhat offset that with a .218 ISO and is a great option against the underwhelming Leake.

Jake Marisnick vs. Mike Minor, Texas Rangers
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $2,100
DraftKings =$3,500

If you need a really cheap outfielder to help balance out your budget, Marisnick might just be your man. With the lefty Minor on the mound, expect him to be in the lineup. While he has just a 71 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers for his career, he’s had more success against lefties with a 94 wRC+. That’s still not a mark to write home about, but it at least brings him into the DFS discussion at his price.

Others to consider: Mitch Haniger and Domingo Santana

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.