DraftKings Early MLB Picks May 6: Is Sale better than Scherzer today?

What better way to cure Corona Hangover than nine early games on our Sunday? This is the main slate today with most of the action here. We have a few aces today after a Saturday that was pretty rough for pitching.

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Rain could play a part today late in both of the New York matinees. Rain is likely in the D.C. area as well, but they should be able to play around it. Morning rain in Chicago could delay the start of the Sox-Twins tilt, but skies will clear in the early afternoon.

Wind will be a factor as well. It is blowing in at 12 mph in New York, and blowing out to dead center at 15 mph in Atlanta. There will also be a pretty healthy wind blowing out to right in Chicago.

We will provide you with several options to build your lineup here. Want to spend all your money on pitchers and play bargain bats? We will highlight who is worth the money. Want to punt arms and pay up for the big boppers? We can help you with that as well, and everything in between!

These tips are based mostly on past performance. This is a nice tool for building a lineup, but should not be the only pieces of information you use. Stacking against a bad pitcher is always a good idea!

For you first time players, if you would like a free $20 in DraftKings dollars, use this link for the referral bonus with your first deposit of $5 or more! Then continue reading for tips on how to turn those DraftKings dollars into more!

Next: DraftKings Pitcher Plays

Top Tier:

Max Scherzer (13,400): The Phillies are hitting just .181 in 160 at bats against Scherzer with only one homer and nine runs. However, Scherzer has only struck out 43. A lot of his value comes from strikeouts, but he has not rung up Phillies at his normal overall rate. Still, I would rather bet on that trend changing that sit idly by while Scherzer racks up a dozen for my competitors.

Chris Sale ($12,600): The Rangers are hitting a horrid .135 against Sale in 52 at bats with only two runs and a staggering 25 strikeouts. Sale may be better than Scherzer tonight simple because of the watered down Rangers lineup that is striking out about once every two at bats.

Noah Syndergaard ($11,600): The Rockies have hit Thor pretty well, but this is still a team that doesn’t hit well on the road outside of Blackmon. There is a lot of potential for Syndergaard here. The Rockies didn’t even really get to struggling lefty Steven Matz last night. They did most of their damage against the bullpen.

Middle Tier:

Chris Archer ($8,400): Archer has held the Jays to a .236 average, but they do have six homers and 16 runs in 144 at bats. Archer’s 42 strikeouts are a solid total though, and with Archer taking the hill opposite Estrada, a win looks likely. The only question is how much damage will be done to Archer on the way to that win.

Mike Soroka ($7,500): Soroka looked very good in his big league debut, giving up one run in six innings with first strikeouts against the Mets. He will get his first look at SunTrust Park today, but the Giants don’t have much for left handed power, so I’m okay using him again. The Giants are a solid offense, but so are the Mets. Soroka couldn’t ask for much better as the first two teams he faces out of the gate.

Jake Junis ($7,300): Junis had some of the luster wear off after the White Sox torched him two turns ago. However, Junis has 52.4 DraftKings points in two games against the Tigers this season. He has absolutely dominated Detroit, giving up just two runs in 15 innings. Overall, the Tigers are hitting just .159 against Junis in 63 at bats with four runs and 11 strikeouts.

Mike Clevinger ($7,100): I’m really considering using Clevinger at this low of a price. The guy has a 2.82 ERA on the season! The knock on Clevinger is baserunners, which is a problem against a team like the Yankees. However, with Domingo German taking the hill in place of the injured Jordan Montgomery, Clevinger at least has a punchers chance at a win here.

Bargain Pitchers:

Kyle Gibson ($7,000): Take this from a Twins fan: you need a strong stomach to trust Gibson, even when the numbers seem right. The White Sox are only hitting .200 against Gibson in 65 at bats with just one homer, three runs, and a lofty 16 strikeouts. Oh, and he has James Shields opposing him. There is a lot to like about Gibson, I just don’t know if I can click that little DRAFT PLAYER button.

Chad Kuhl ($6,400): Kuhl isn’t one of those sexy names, but he has held the Brewers to just two runs in 65 at bats despite the .262 average. Now the bad part because, you know, all these bargain bin finds have a downside. Kuhl doesn’t notch a lot of strikeouts, and he has a terrible 7.04 ERA on the road.

Andrew Suarez ($5,500): Suarez has at least earned consideration here since he has topped 15 DraftKings points in both of his starts. One was against Arizona. The Braves present a tough matchup, but Suarez holds the platoon advantage over the lefty power in this lineup. It should also help neutralize SunTrust’s park lefty favoritism.

Top Tier:

I’m more of a fan of Cleveland lefties against German, but Edwin Encarnacion isn’t a bad play either. I definitely like Yonder Alonso here as well.

Nolan Arenado hit a homer last night. He is also the only current Rockie to take Thor out of the park. There is potential here.

Josh Donaldson is only 6-35(.171) in his career against Chris Archer, but he has six walks, two homers, six runs, and three RBI against him. Kendrys Morales looks like the better pick. Morales is 16-31(.516) with a walk, six doubles, three homers, six runs, and eight RBI against Archer. The other homer that Toronto has off of Archer is Russell Martin. The bad news is that he is just 3-25(.120) against Archer.

Middle Tier:

C.J. Cron is 2-5 with a homer and three RBI in his career against Marco Estrada. Wilson Ramos is 3-8 with a walk, a homer, and two RBI. If Ramos doesn’t start, Jesus Sucre has you covered. He has also hit a home run in two at bats against Estrada.

Jose Bautista is worth a look with another lefty taking the mound for the Giants. I can’t find fault with using Freddie Freeman either.

It’s time to stack Red Sox again against Doug Fister. Mitch Moreland hit a homer in his old stomping grounds last night. Don’t be shocked if he does it again. I like Rafael Devers here as well.

Brandon Belt is one of the few lefties with power in the San Francisco lineup. He is worth a look against the rookie Soroka.

Travis Shaw is 3-6 with a walk, two doubles, and three runs scored in his career against Chad Kuhl.

Jose Abreu is only 6-25(.240) against Kyle Gibson, but he has two walks two doubles, two runs, and two RBI in his career against him.

Matt Adams is 7-22(.318) with five walks, two doubles, a run, and four RBI in his career against Jake Arrieta. No current Nationals have taken Arrieta deep, but they do have ten runs in 85 at bats. Anthony Rendon is 4-11 with a walk, a double, a steal, a run, and a RBI off of Arrieta.

The Royals are absolutely destroying Matt Boyd so far. Boyd has surrendered 17 runs in just 98 at bats! This is one of the few times that I will advocate stacking Royals. Moose is 5-16 with a walk, a double, two runs, and a solo homer off of Boyd. If Cheslor Cuthbert is in there, he is 4-8 with two doubles, three runs, and two RBI off of Boyd already. Salvador Perez is 5-18 with two homers and five RBI in his career against Shields.

Bargain Shoppers:

A Twins stack could be in order again tonight. Logan Morrison is still in this tier despite his recent hot streak, but he is 7-22(.318) with three walks, two doubles, a homer, two runs and two RBI in his career against James Shields. Joe Mauer is 17-57(.298) with two walks, two doubles, a triple, a homer, six runs, and ten RBI against Shields.

Kyle Freeland has not pitched well on the road this year, so I’ll throw lefty killer Wilmer Flores at him. I still hate wasting 1B on Flores, but this is one place I would make an exception. I like the Toddfather here as well.

Top Tier:

Didi Gregorius should be well rested and ready to tee off on Clevinger today. He is worth a look if you are interested in trying to stack Yankees.

Francisco Lindor is expensive, but if I’m paying top dollar for a shortstop today, I will go Lindor over Didi simply based on matchup. Jason Kipnis is worth a look as well.

If you ignore Trea Turner today, you are leaving a lot of potential value out there. Turner is 1-2 with a walk, two runs, and four steals against Arrieta already. That’s right. Four steals in three at bats!

Brian Dozier has clobbered James Shields in his career. Dozier is 12-36 with six walks, five doubles, four homers, a steal, nine runs, and ten RBI off of him already. Using the red-hot Eduardo Escobar is not a bad idea either.

Middle Tier:

Whit Merrifield is 5-13 with a walk, two doubles, a triple, two runs, and four RBI in his career against Matthew Boyd. Alcides Escobar is worth a look as well. Escobar is 7-18(.389) with a walk, a double, a triple, two runs, and three RBI against Boyd.

Bargain Shoppers:

Brandon Crawford sure likes Atlanta. He has turned in two straight games of more than 20 DraftKings points there. And he is still very low priced.

Orlando Arcia comes cheap, and he is 5-10 with a walk, a double, and a RBI in his career against Chad Kuhl.

Jordy Mercer is a nice cheap option tonight. Mercer is 6-17(.353) with a double, a run, and two RBI so far against Chase Anderson.

I like both Joey Wendle and Daniel Robertson here against a struggling Marco Estrada.

Next: Top Outfield Plays

Top Tier:

Michael Brantley is seeing the ball well right now, and he gets to take a shot at a guy who has pitched out of the bullpen all year. I may pocked the $900 and take Brantley instead of Judge, though we all know Judge has a lot more upside.

Charlie Blackmon has four straight games of double digit points. I know he is facing Thor, but the price reflects that. However, Blackmon is only 1-5 against Thor with a double, a walk, and two runs. David Dahl may be the better play considering he is 2-3 in his career with a double and two runs against Syndergaard.

The Red Sox outfield is once again a stack hotbed. if we have Devers and Moreland already, my last two choices are Benintendi and Mookie Betts over Bogaerts. It’s tough to afford Sale if you do this, but there is enough good cheaper pitchers to pull this off.

I still like Ronald Acuna with another lefty on the mound. Nick Markakis is never a bad choice either, and he comes at a cheaper price.

Speaking of Aaron Judge, he has only faced Mike Clevinger once. It resulted in a three run homer.

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Middle Tier:

Chase Anderson has been flirting with disaster all year, so I feel more comfortable stacking against him for that inevitable blowup. It should come at home where he has a 5.28 ERA. Starling Marte is 10-19(.526) with two walks, two doubles, a homer, five steals, two runs, and two RBI against Anderson. Gregory Polanco is only 5-25 against Anderson, but he has two walks, a double, three homers, five runs, and four RBI off of him.

Yoenis Cespedes is reasonably priced and facing a middling lefty in Kyle Freeland. Freeland has pitched well lately, but he still has a ERA near 6 on the road.

Denard Span is erasing the memory of a disappointing 2017 with a 8.3 DraftKings points per game average over the first month of the season. He is definitely worth a look against Estrada.

Michael Taylor is 2-4 with a run and three steals in his career against Jake Arrieta. Bryce Harper could be worth a look too. Harper is 4-14 with six walks, a double, a steal, two runs, and a RBI in his career against Arrieta.

Bargain Shoppers:

Only two Phillies have hit Max Scherzer well, and they are definitely not the usual suspects. Odubel Herrera is 10-33(.303) with six walks, a double, a triple, four runs, two steals, and two RBI in his career against Scherzer. Nick Williams is 2-3 with a homer and three RBI off of Scherzer. These are great money saving options if you want to go cheap tonight.

Next: DraftKings Main Slate MLB Picks

Good luck out there, and check out our picks for FanDuel baseball, along with our PGA picks. Still in NBA mode? No worries, we have the NBA DFS covered for the playoffs as well!