FanDuel MLB Daily Lineups: Thursday May 24 Main

Welcome to the FanDuel MLB Daily Lineups column for Thursday, May 24th. This is the Main Slate edition. We’re a fantasy baseball column focused on helping you build a DFS MLB optimal lineup for each slate.

Here we go again! To recap our FanDuel MLB day from the Early Only slate column, there are only eight games on the MLB schedule today. So we only have16 teams to pick through for the FanDuel MLB All-Day slate. However, we’re only going to focus on the Early Only and Main slates in our TWO columns today.

This article focused on the MAIN slate only. Once again, we have only three games, or six teams, with another underwhelming (but better) list of starting pitchers. Unlikely the Early Only slate, the Main slate has some better starting pitcher options, which makes that pick easier. Also, our offensive stacks will be more obvious, but more chalky as well. For whatever reason, FanDuel MLB decided to fade two of the best MLB games of the day for their top two slates…odd.

Before we get there, a reminder to never take a DFS MLB optimal lineup as ‘bible’ for your personal lineup each day. Use the suggestions as guidance. Also, make sure you follow final lineup thoughts throughout the day on our twitter account @FantasyCPR or me @mattymcmatt17 look for late breaking lineup news.

Weather Note: Great news! There are currently no weather related threats creating PPD or cancellation concerns. So have at those lineups without worry about rain or thunderstorms on Thursday. With weather-related considerations addressed, let’s get to the top pitching options…

FanDuel MLB: Top Pitcher Main Slate

While we’re still somewhat underwhelmed by the list of pitching options for today’s Main FanDuel MLB slate, compared to the Early Only slate…this is considerably better. Rick Porcello ($9,300) facing Blake Snell ($8,100), alone, creates two better pitchers than anyone we considered for the Early Only.

But, because FanDuel MLB has been on a ‘roll’ lately, they oddly do not have Austin Bidens-Dirkx as a pitching option. So, we’re only down to five options. Of these five options, Steven Matz ($7,100) and Danny Duffy ($6,000) may appear to be value options. They’re not.

Matz has a decent 22.2% K-rate, but he’s giving up nearly 2.3 home runs per nine innings. There are several Brewers in the lineup tonight likely to take advantage of the long-ball on Matz. Meanwhile, Duffy is giving up 2.47 home runs per nine, has a 1.73 WHIP, the worst xFIP of any starting pitcher tonight, and is generally off to a horrendous 2018 campaign.

Zach Davies ($7,900) has some modestly decent advanced metrics this season, but he also has a lower 17.2% K-rate, one of the lowest starting on the mound tonight. So that brings us back to Porcello and Snell.

Between the two, Snell actually has the better strikeout rate, fanning over 26% of his batters. Compared to Porcello’s 24.4%, Blake may seem more attractive. However, we’re talking about a merely 2% K rate difference, when comparing pitchers who are facing the Red Sox and Rays offensive lineups. These two hitting teams clearly have different offensive production outcomes. Snell might be a great GPP option, but we’re going with Porcello for most of our plays today.

FanDuel MLB: Top Hitting Stacks Main Slate

Well, we’ve already mentioned some clear offensive stacking targets on the mound tonight. Both Matz and Duffy are giving up way too many home runs this season, and piling up several home runs throughout your DFS MLB optimal lineups is a clear way to win FanDuel MLB each night.

So our top two targets tonight will be the Brewers and Rangers offensive stacks. However, before you start flipping through each position and grabbing Brewers and Rangers likely to start tonight, consider where each batter is located around the plate.

For the Brewers, we have some lefty bats we’re going to fade tonight, and several right-handed bats we prefer against lefty Matz. For example, Jesus Aguilar ($3,200), if starting, is a better option at the 1B position. Jonathan Villar ($2,600) is a switch-hitter, and Lorezno Cain ($3,500) and Ryan Braun ($2,900) are both righties. Braun, by the way, should come off the DL tonight and be on the field.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($2,900) has been a hot bat for the Rangers over the last several weeks. While FanDuel doesn’t have a batting position designated, he’s a right-handed bat you can target against the Royals southpaw.

And switch-hitting Jurickson Profar ($3,600) is a productive offensive player right now, continuing to fly under the radar of many FanDuel MLB players because of his low average. Let’s go take a look a summary of our thoughts, another mini-stack to consider, and an example lineup for the Main slate on FanDuel MLB…

FanDuel MLB: Summary and Example Lineup

Before we jump into the summary, we also noticed the Mets could have some ideal match ups today against Zach Davies. While he’s been fairly decent on the mound this season, Davies sometimes struggles against lefty bats like Brandon Nimmo ($3,100). We can also consider a very productive Asdrubal Cabrera ($3,900), who hits from both sides of the plate.

So, with either Rick Procello or Blake Snell, you still have plenty of cash to take advantage of very good offensive stacking match ups tonight. Between the two pitchers, we’re mostly going with Porcello, but like Snell for GPP play. We’re starting our offensive stacks with the Brewers, followed by some Rangers, and we may mix in some Mets with the Rangers for two mini stacks.

With that summary in mind, here’s a look at a sample lineup for the MAIN FanDuel MLB slate on Thursday, May 24th:

FanDuel MLB Main Slate Sample Lineup:

P            Rick Porcello ($9,300)

C/1B     Jesus Aguilar ($3,200)

2B          Jonathan Villar ($2,600)

3B          Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($2,900)

SS          Jurickson Profar ($3,600)

OF          Lorenzo Cain ($3,500)

OF          Brandon Nimmo ($3,100)

OF          Ryan Braun ($2,900)

UTIL       Asdrubal Cabrera ($3,900)

Remaining Salary: $0

Note: This is a recommended lineup after discussing our top options for today. You should use this as a guide, and provide your own input when building FanDuel NHL lineups.  We are not telling you, or selling you, to use this lineup.

Next: MLB DFS Picks and Pivots

Best of luck in your FanDuel MLB contests and stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all your DFS news and analysis across MLB, NBA, NHL, and EPL this spring!