FanDuel MLB Daily Lineups: May 10th Main Late Swap

We’re finally back with another FanDuel MLB Daily Lineups post. This is a fantasy baseball column focused on helping you build a DFS MLB optimal lineup for each slate. This post is focused on the Main slate for May 10th 2019.

Unfortunately my FanDuel MLB posts have been dormant for the last couple of weeks, thanks to many difficult days, lately, with the ‘day job’, and managing that along with family. But, I was able to carve out some time on Friday morning to take a look at the Main Slate and post my thoughts.

Let’s go get that Friday night Cash!

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: Scattered showers and thunderstorms are dancing through the Mid-Atlantic and north east on Friday night. Unfortunately, that makes games in Baltimore, New York, and Boston risky plays tonight. So keep that in mind when considering playing the Orioles, Angels, Marlins, Mets, Mariners, and Red Sox.

With weather-related considerations addressed, let’s get to the top pitching options…

FanDuel MLB: Top Pitching Main Slate

The cool thing about this slate is that we have so many great pitching options, you can develop several different combinations of lineups and likely still have a chance to cash in tonight. However, that also presents a significant challenge.

In my opinion, there’s no obvious must-play and counter obvious fade play. Instead, you have a long list of solid plays for top pitching, along with several great pitchers to target for offensive stacks on Friday night.

Obviously Justin Verlander ($11,300) is one of the top pitching plays for Friday. Not only is Verlander the most talented starting pitcher on the mound tonight, he’s also facing a Rangers offense with a 24.7% K-rate this season, 11th worst in baseball, in Houston.

But, I suspect Verlander’s ownership will be surprisingly low on Friday. That’s because you have several other great plays from guys like Luis Castillo ($10,500), Domingo German ($9,700), and Jake Odorizzi ($9,100).

Of those three, Castillo and Odorizzi stick out the most, given they’re each cheaper than Verlander but they also have better match-ups. Castillo faces a struggling Giants offense, and Odorizzi gets the Tigers 26.6% K-rate, the second worst in baseball right now. Jake, not from state farm, is going to be a high-ownership play on Friday.

If you want to fade Odorizzi, take your pick. But I’m going to snag a cheaper play, likely off everyone’s radar, so I can stack an exciting set of offensive picks. But also, and this is not a ‘get cute’ move, I think Frankie Montas ($8,500) is one of the more consistent hurlers starting on the mound Friday.

Montas isn’t just averaging around six strikeouts a game, he’s literally pitching four to six strikeouts every outing. Frankie also has a quality start in four of his seven starts and hasn’t given up more than three runs in any one start.

That’s impressive, considering he’s faced the Astros twice, a good Rangers offense, and the Red Sox in Boston. The Indians bats are gradually improving, but they’re still holding a 25.7% K-rate and have a substandard .284 wOBA.

Montas has been averaging over 32 FanDuel MLB points-per-game, and landed at or over that amount in four of his seven starts, due all to reading that magical six innings mark for the QS points.

I think Montas has another good shot at six innings in Oakland, so we could quietly earn 40+ points with this pick, while saving enough salary to go crazy with some big offensive plays. It’s a bit of a risk considering all of the 40 to 60 point potential picks on the board, but this is a good night to differentiate yourself from everyone else.

FanDuel MLB: Top Hitting Stacks Main Slate

He may have a 4.30 ERA and 1.32 WHIP this season, but I still think Eric Lauer is a good pitcher. I watched him pitching in Washington, D.C. recently, and he was consistently solid. Unfortunately for Lauer, and the Padres, they’re in Coors Field on Friday night.

Although, I find that fortunate for us. Look, we know everyone likes stacking Rockies and whomever else they’re playing when at Coors Field. So, ownership of the Rockies, and Padres, will be high on Friday.

But, the Rockies just had a big runs night (piling up 12 runs in a 23 total runs game). That could draw in a lot of players to stack the Rockies. However, the Cardinals also had 17 last night against the Pirates. And the Angels piled up 13 against the Tigers.

Not to mention, there seems to be general sense of exhaustion using the Rockies stack within the DFS MLB community. So, I think we should pounce on Friday night!

Keep in mind, Lauer is a lefty, so you should focus on the right side of the Rockies lineup. That means, you get to focus on guys like Ian Desmond ($3,400), Trevor Story ($4,600), and Nolan Arenado ($4,800).

While we think the Rockies won’t have a super-high ownership right on Friday, it’ll still be among the list of high ownership offenses. So, our next step is to try to differentiate the lineup a little more.

But also, I need some more value to afford those Rockies bats. Fortunately, Michael A. Taylor ($2,100) is a very cheap under-the-radar bat that’s starting to heat up as he continues to play in the Nationals lineup due to injuries in the outfield. He’s a streaky player, and right now Taylor seems to be ramping toward a hot streak.

From there, I’m looking at grabbing some leftie Diamondback bats like Jarrod Dyson ($2,900) against right-hander Julio Teheran and switch-hitting, or lefty, Athletics bats against Indians starter Chase Anderson. Each team should be lower-owned and there is plenty of value with Dyson and A’s bats like Matt Olson ($3,000).

FanDuel MLB: Summary and Example Lineups for May 10th 2019

I could pay up for a top pitcher on Friday, in fact I may still create some other lineups with Castillo or Odorizzi at pitcher. But, for my bigger GPP and Cash plays, I’m looking to play more of a contrarian role and snag Frankie Montas instead.

Now flush with cash, I’m looking to really load up with top offensive bats and I’m biting the bullet and snagging the always popular Rockies bats in Coors Field. Story and Arenado are exciting to have in our lineup, and I think Desmond stays hot on Friday.

To differentiate, and afford those Rockies bats, I’m going to use Michael A. Taylor as a value play in the outfield, and then focus on the correct side of the plate from the Diamondbacks and A’s. Especially for GPP tournaments, this type of lineup should allow us to differentiate in what looks like a crowded DFS MLB slate.

With that summary in mind, here’s a look at a sample lineups for the Main FanDuel MLB slate for Friday, May 10th 2019:

Main

P               Frankie Montas ($8,500)

C/1B        Matt Olson ($3,000)

2B             Jurickson Profar ($2,900)

3B             Nolan Arenado ($4,800)

SS             Nick Ahmed ($2,800)

OF             Jarrod Dyson ($2,900)

OF             Ian Desmond ($3,400)

OF             Michael A. Taylor ($2,100)

UTIL          Trevor Story ($4,600)

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 MLB lineups.  We are not telling you, or selling you, to use this lineup.

Best of luck in your FanDuel MLB contests and stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all your DFS news and analysis across MLB, NFL, PGA, and NASCAR this summer!