DraftKings Main MLB Picks May 5: Don’t overpay for Maeda

Happy Cinco de Mayo! The MLB heads south of the border to celebrate with the Dodgers and Padres once again in Monterrey. What can they possibly do to top a combined no hitter? We have ten games in the main DraftKings tournament. The earlier start time of the Jays and Rays will leave that one to showdown and pick em modes only.

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There only game with a chance of rain is once again in Mexico, but the rain is expected to subside even though the start could be delayed. The wind is also pretty calm tonight, but it is blowing out to left in New York and to right in Oakland.

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 head to head contest ticket, 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:

Kenta Maeda ($11,400): Maeda picked up 22.2 DraftKings points against the Padres a couple of weeks ago, but he didn’t pitch all that well. Maeda gave up four runs in 5.2 innings pitched, but he got the win and had a good strikeout total. His overall numbers against the Padres aren’t great, but he is practically guaranteed a win. Is that worth this price?

Charlie Morton ($10,900): Luckily I had enough big hitters to place last night even though I didn’t use Cole against Arizona. I’m not making that mistake again. Morton has held Arizona to a .208 average in 53 at bats with no homers, only two runs, and 12 strikeouts. Yeah, I know. Cole got 16 last night. There is huge potential here for Morton, even against this lineup.

Middle Tier:

Zack Greinke ($9,500): I think a lot of people are going to sleep on Greinke tonight after what the Dodger staff did to the Padres last night and Cole’s dominance of Arizona. The Astros are only hitting .237 against Greinke in 80 at bats with only two homers, seven runs, and 17 strikeouts. The unsightly 4.50 ERA keeps Greinke’s price low, but he has a stellar 1.93 ERA in three home starts.

Eduardo Rodriguez ($8,800): It has been a rough go for Eduardo so far in 2018, but he does carry a 3.55 road ERA compared to 5.93 at home. He gets a watered down version of the Rangers here, and has the platoon advantage over the main power threat, Joey Gallo. There is potential, and significant risk, here.

Tyler Mahle ($8,500): I actually think his opponent has better stuff, but the Miami offense has very little in the way of power. For that reason, it’s not a bad idea to ride Mahle’s hot streak. He has a sparkling 0.98 WHIP at home this year, but the long ball has been an issue. Luckily for him, his offense hits quite a few of them. I don’t expect a great game from Mahle, but he should be able to turn in a quality start and a win.

Trevor Cahill ($8,000): Cahill has turned in three good starts so far this year. It should be four against Baltimore. The O’s are only hitting .175 against Cahill in 63 at bats wit three homers, four runs, and a staggering 24 strikeouts We even saw Daniel Mengden pitch well against Baltimore last night. Cahill looks pretty safe.

Bargain Pitchers:

Chad Bettis ($7,700): Bettis is largely ignored because his overall numbers don’t usually jump off the page. However, Bettis has a 1.71 ERA in four road starts this year. Actually, he has been pretty good everywhere. I expect that to continue in New York tonight. The Mets are only hitting .226 against Bettis, but they do have six runs in only 31 at bats.

Kevin Gausman ($7,000): It has been a rough left coast trip for Baltimore pitching so far, but Gausman could be the stopper. The A’s are only hitting .129 against Gausman is 31 at bats with no homers, two runs, and eight strikeouts. It is a small sample size, but Gausman has turned in three straight starts allowing two runs or less. This should be number four.

Cole Hamels ($6,900): If you aren’t a believer in Eduardo Rodriguez, it makes sense to roll wtih Hamels. Hamels pitched well against Cleveland his last time out, so I don’t expect a poor outing here from Hamels even though he has struggled at home. I think Hamels is way to cheap for his skill set, even facing a juggernaut like the Red Sox.

Top Tier:

Nolan Arenado only has two hits in eight at bats against Steven Matz, but both of those hits are home runs and he has driven in six.

Despite Joey Votto not having the platoon advantage against Caleb Smith, he is still worth a look.

Middle Tier:

Hanley Ramirez is 19-68(.279) with six walks, 11 doubles, three homers, nine runs, and seven RBI in his career against Cole Hamels. That is a whole lot of extra base hits, and Hanley still isn’t priced in the upper tier.

Most of the Braves’ power is from the left side, but some call up named Jose Bautista made his 2018 debut last night and wasted no time getting his first hit last night. I like Bautista at a low price against Ty Blach. Freddie Freeman could be worth a look too, but I don’ care for the price.

Evan Longoria is 6-20 with a walk, two homers, and five RBI in his career against Brandon McCarthy. Nick Hundley is worth a look if he starts. Hundley is 6-16 with a walk, a homer, two runs, and three RBI against McCarthy.

Tyler Skaggs has pitched well lately, but the Mariners have hit him hard. Kyle Seager is 7-18(.389) with a walk and two solo homers in his career against Tyler Skaggs.

Bargain Shoppers:

Don’t look now, but LoMo is heating up, and he is facing another pitcher that he has hit hard. Yes, Hector Santiago is still left handed, but he may as well try righty against Morrison because he can’t get him out. Morrison is 2-5 against Santiago. Both hits are homers and he has driven in three. Of course, Joe Mauer is always in play. Mauer is 5-16 with four walks, two runs, and a RBI against Santiago.

Danny Valencia, Pedro Alvarez, and Chris Davis have all hit home runs against Trevor Cahill. The bad news? Alvarez is hitting .182 against Cahill and Davis is hitting .188. I would only trust Valencia, who is 3-6 with that solo homer.

Welington Castillo is 8-12 with a walk and three solo homers in his career against Lance Lynn. Matt Davidson and Jose Abreu are worth a look against the struggling Lynn if you are willing to pay a little extra.

Top Tier:

Jose Altuve is 9-21(.429) with a double, a triple, a homer, two steals, three runs, and four RBI in his career against Zack Greinke. I’m not in any hurry to stack against Greinke, but Altuve is a nice stand alone play if you have the money.

I’m a big fan of Ozzie Albies against Ty Blach here tonight as well. The Braves have established themselves as one of the better teams in the National League so far. Pretty much all of them are in play against Blach. His Opening Day duel with Kershaw seems like years ago.

Middle Tier:

Brian Dozier torches lefties, and he is 5-13 with a walk, three doubles, two steals, four runs, and a RBI against Hector Santiago. Gregorio Petit is also worth a look. He has little major league experience, but Petit has already homered against Santiago in his only time facing him.

Jean Segura is 4-5 with a walk, a double, and a run in his career against Tyler Skaggs already. Robinson Cano is 8-18(.444) with three doubles and four RBI against Skaggs so far.

Yoan Moncada left the game early again last night, so I’m expecting him to be out. That is going to create come value for Tim Anderson and Yolmer (don’t call me Carlos) Sanchez.

Bargain Shoppers:

Jameson Taillon started strong, but he has had three straight rough starts and his career numbers against Milwaukee aren’t very good. Be on the lookout for Hernan Perez. Perez is 5-13 with a walk, three homers, four runs, and seven RBI in his career against Taillon already. Orlando Arcia is 3-6 with two RBI, and is very cheap.

Brandon Crawford came up big last night, and has nice stats against Brandon McCarthy for tonight as well. Crawford is 7-17(.412) with a walk, two doubles, two triples, five runs, and two RBI in his career against McCarthy.

I like both Freddy Galvis and Carlos Asuaje as value picks tonight. Asuaje is 4-7 with a walk, a double, two runs, and three RBI in his career against Kenta Maeda. Galvis is 5-12 with a double, a homer, two steals, and three RBI against Maeda.

Next: Top Outfield Plays

Top Tier:

Last year, Charlie Blackmon had some of the most glaring home/road splits out there. His OPS was almost 300 points higher at home. This year, Blackmon has been a road warrior. He walloped his ninth road homer already last night, and is 5-8 with a walk, two doubles, two runs, and a steal against Steven Matz already. Fellow lefty David Dahl is 2-3 lifetime against Matz as well if you are looking for Rockies to play against Matz.

Mookie Betts only has one hit in three tries against Cole Hamels. Want to guess what it is? That’s right….a home run. Mookie has four homers in the last two days. Can he get another? J.D. Martinez is 4-12 with a walk, a double, a homer, and three RBI against Hamels in his career.

I’m a big fan of Ronald Acuna again tonight with another lefty on the mound. Actually, Acuna hsa had no issues hitting anyone in his first run through the league.

Mike Trout is 1-3 with a walk and a solo homer in his career against Marco Gonzales already.

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Middle Tier:

Christian Yelich is 2-3, but has no counting stats against Jameson Taillon. Yet. He should after tonight with the way Taillon is scuffling.

I am becoming a Caleb Smith fan. Once he limits the walks, he is going to be really good. He has some nasty pitches, and has turned in two really good starts in a row. However, I still don’t trust him in Cincinnati. The right handed power is in play against Smith, most notably Adam Duvall and Eugenio Suarez.

Starling Marte is about the only Pirate that has hit Jhoulys Chacin well. In all fairness, a large chunk of the team has never faced him. Marte is 3-7 with a double, a triple, and two runs against Chacin so far.

I’m not crazy about most of the White Sox lineup, but Daniel Palka is worth a look against the struggling Lance Lynn here.

Bargain Shoppers:

Manuel Margot is mired in an awful slump, but he is 4-10 with a double, a homer, two runs, and three RBI in his career against Kenta Maeda.

Once again, Matt Joyce is dirt cheap. Once again, he has good past stats against tonight’s opponent. Joyce is only 2-12 against Kevin Gausman, but he has two walks, a double, two runs, and three RBI.

Jay Bruce is 2-4 with a double, a homer, two runs, and two RBI in his career against Chad Bettis. If Juan Lagares is in the lineup, he is worth a look. Lagares is 2-3 with a double, a triple, and three RBI in his career against Bettis.

Guillermo Heredia is just $2,400, and he is 3-4 with three walks, two doubles, and a solo homer off of Tyler Skaggs. You have to play Heredia if he is in there. Yes, Nelson Cruz has hit a home run against Tyler Skaggs. Two of them even. The bad news? Those are the only two hits for Cruz against Skaggs in 17 tries.

Matt Kemp is cheap, and hit a three run homer in his only game against Bryan Mitchell. Chris Taylor hit leadoff last night, and did very well. His price is also very solid for someone leading off against the Padres and their batting practice pitching staff.

Next: DraftKings MLB Early Slate 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!