MLB Lineup Picks for 05/16/17

*James Leer & Luis Herasme*

DFS MLB Lineup Picks for 05/16/17

Welcome to Lineup Lab’s DFS MLB Lineup picks article, where we feature our top players for our MLB Lineup Optimizer on Fanduel and Draftkings. Put your favorite players from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the MLB Player Lab.

This season, new with our MLB Subscription Package we offer Daily Fantasy Graphs. We wanted to create a tool that gives users the ability to visualize data points for Hitters and Pitchers by showing DFS salaries/fantasy points over time. If any of you come from the world of Stocks or Equities Trading, you will immediately understand the usefulness of these charts. Just as price and volume are essential in understanding a stocks movement, points and salary are core for DFS.

**STARTING PITCHERS**

Zack Greinke vs New York Mets
Park – Chase Field

Greinke is coming off of a game in which he entered the eighth inning with a no-hit bid. In that game against the Pirates, Greinke struck out 11 and only walked one batter. He seems to have gotten his mojo back this season after being introduced to the warm, unpredictable climate of Arizona. Averaging over 55 Fanduel points over two games, you certainly can’t go wrong Greinke in this spot. Most of the Mets have a hard time hitting him, in over 221 plate appearances they are batting just a .263 AVG, with a .459 SLG. In 2017, he has racked up 58 K’s with an impressive xFIP of 2.26.

Eduardo Rodriguez vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Park – Busch Stadium

With all the studs on the mound today you might snub your nose at someone like Eduardo Rodriguez but hear me out… First of all, his price comes at a bit of discount comparatively speaking. He has a quality start in his of past four outings, including a six-inning one run game against the Brewers and he is striking out hitters at an amazing clip (10.8 K/9). The young southpaw has a 30.3% strikeout percentage, with a 2.80 ERA. With the Cardinals being in the lower-tier of most of the stats versus lefties (4th to last in total runs scored (24) and home runs (5)) things could get interesting on the mound for Rodriguez. Also, note that with all of the other big names out there today he will be fairly low-owned making him a great GPP play.

**OFFENSIVE BATTERS**

Here are a few of my favorite offensive hitters that I am going to build my lineups around. The players that I have the most exposure to will be in bold.

*CATCHERS*
Gary Sanchez – When Sanchez is on a slate he should always be considered. He has the upside for multiple HRs. Catcher may be a position where you would like to save some salary to afford some higher priced position players. Jason Hammel Struggles, and he’s a solid matchup for Sanchez who has hit safely in 6/7 games.

Salvador Perez – The iron man at the catching position has a matchup vs. Sabathia today.

*FIRST BASEMAN*
Paul Goldschmidt – No need to say anything else. Just like Freeman who crushes opposite handed pitching Goldy is destroying LHP with a .409/.538/.705.

Anthony Rizzo- Facing Arroyo, the Cubs stack will likely be a popular one today. He has more than two weeks without going yard, Rizzo could be due.

*SECOND BASEMAN*
Starlin Castro – If you have been keeping up Castro has been a consistent mention in these writeups, Castro is someone that I love. , I would put Castro in the majority of my lineups without much thought, he is swinging a hot bat all season long and is among the leaders in the MLB in total hits. Making him far too inexpensive on Draftkings.

Ian Happ – The number one overall Cubs prospect ONLY if he is hitting 2nd should you lock him up in your lineups. After only two games in the MLB he is showing great promise.

*THIRD BASEMAN*
MIGUEL SANO or NOLAN ARENADO — Pick your guy, Both are in great matchups, there is no wrong choice among the two as they are both the same price on Draftkings.

*SHORTSTOP*
Chris Owings – He might go overlooked, but he will be batting on the top of the lineup for the Arizona team who is without Pollock and possibly Peralta. The Diamondbacks are facing a middle-of-the-road LHP in Tommy Milone, Owings offers speed and major fantasy point upside, making him by far the strongest play at SS today.

Didi Gregorious- A contrarian play at SS with all of the big names ut there, Didi vs. Hammels is a solid matchup who can run into problems vs. Right-handed batters.

*OUTFIELD*
**Bryce Harper** vs. Chad Kuhl, no further explanation needed.

**Carlos Gonzalez** – Cargo is heating up, no home runs recently but he is hitting bullets across the field. It would not surprise me to see a multiple home run night out of him today.

Kyle Schwaber – He has struggled quite a bit at the plate this year. Nearly almost a week without a home run, batting lead off, facing Arroyo. Just like Rizzo, it will be any time now when we see the resurgence of Schwaber.

Charlie Blackmon facing Hughes who has a tendency to give up a lot of HRs. Not only does he have power but can also get you two stolen bases in any given game. Blackmon is a could easily be one of the higher scoring outfielders on today’s slate.

Kris Davis – At $3,600 on Draftkings you would think Davis is facing Kershaw, but no, he is facing a struggling Mariners pitcher who is all over the place with his command and lacks strikeout pitches. Davis hits the ball with hard consistency as we saw last night vs. Gallardo.