MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers and Top Stacks | May 31
MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers
Cease is in the midst of another strong season, with the now 29-year-old having finished in the top-five for the Cy Young Award in two of the last three years. May has been good to him and in his last four starts this month, he has 33 strikeouts in 25.1 innings. In his first appearance, in Pittsburgh, he logged four innings, with only three strikeouts with a trio of walks.
This is the perfect reminder, that the Pirates do a good job of limiting strikeouts, with Oneil Cruz (30.4%, 148 PAs) and Alexander Canario (31.1%, 74 PAs) striking out more than league average this season, based on the projected lineup for the Bucs. San Diego is -225 favorites to garner the victory tonight and of course Cease can make his own magic at the plate, but keep in mind it may be with a paucity of punchouts, which will impact his DFS value proposition.
Colorado continues to pace for the worst record in MLB history and the team’s “longest” winning streak this season is two games. In the last 12 tilts, the Rockies have scored five runs once, four runs twice, three runs once and had two or fewer in the other eight contests.
Senga has seen his workload increase from 77 pitches in his first two appearances to 101, 100 and 102 in his last three. Walks are an issue, with 17 this month in just 27 frames, but the 32-year-old should be able to push for a quality start and a handful of strikeouts, which is perfect on FanDuel, while being solid on DraftKings and Yahoo, where strikeouts are more important.
Strikeouts can be found in Kansas City, where LHP Tarik Skubal will be on the mound for the Detroit Tigers against the Royals.
The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner leads the league with a 1.97 FIP, 0.9 walks per nine innings and 12.1 strikeouts per nine.
He is at a significantly higher salary than Senga, which should help keep his popularity in check. Savvy gamers can find ways to roster both on DraftKings and Yahoo, though it will be at the expense of a couple bats. For those sing this strategy, look to Skubal’s teammates Colt Keith ($2,800) and Wenceel Perez ($2,600) on DraftKings, with Henry Davis ($7), Luis Campusano ($8) and Daylen Lile ($8) the Yahoo discount dandies.
MLB DFS Picks: Top Stacks
Main Slate Primary Target: New York Yankees
This is a 4:15 p.m. local start time, so keep in mind that temperatures will be in the low-80s, with 40%-to-50% humidity and a breeze out to right field in the 8-to-12 mph range. The Dodgers will be without Mookie Betts for a few days as he recovers from a fractured toe, though it is believed he can avoid the injured list. That means both Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim should be in the lineup, offering salary relief at the bottom of the order, while the likes of Max Muncy and Michael Conforto will rise higher in the order, with each holding the platoon-advantage over Warren.
Knack is not a bad pitcher, but he would most likely be a multi-inning reliever if the team was not missing Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and Gavin Stone. Even though he was a second-round selection in the 2020 MLB Draft, the now 27-year-old barely cracked the top-25 prospects in the Dodgers MiLB pipeline. He has below average ground balls, too many fly balls, plus a 54.9% hard hit rate across the last 440 batters he has faced, striking out 22.5%.
He mostly uses a low-90s fastball, with a changeup mixed int with the occasional slider and knuckle-curve to keep hitters somewhat off balance. This results in more pop-ups than average, which is the only real silver lining in his pitching profile.
Trent Grisham is having a tremendous season and he is actually outproducing Aaron Judge against right-handed hurlers, from a per plate appearance perspective. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is expected to be back tomorrow, making one more rehabilitation appearance today. Giancarlo Stanton is likely a couple weeks away, which means today we should see all three of Ben Rice, Austin Wells and Jasson Dominguez. Add in Cody Bellinger and even Anthony Volpe and we have a variety of ways to stack these sluggers.
Arizona also looks good tonight against erstwhile ace Michael Soroka, who has flashed a little upside this season, but the forever-prospect has never made good, despite ample opportunities with three teams. The Chase Field roof will be closed, but do not let that dissuade you from the Diamondbacks.
Early Slate Value Target: Tampa Bay Rays
Gordon made his debut this season, getting the callup from Triple-A after spending most of 2022 there and all of 2023. He profiles as a “crafty lefty” who is better suited as a situational reliever, with his very low-90s fastball. Ronel Blanco is undergoing elbow surgery, while Christian Javier and Luis Garcia are rehabilitating from their own elbow procedures, with each potentially returning to the mound after the All-Star Break. Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) and J.P. France (shoulder) are also out, which should keep Gordon in the rotation until the Mid-Summer Classic.
Jose Caballero led off Friday’s game with a home run against LHP Framber Valdez, so expect him back at the top of the order after that surprise. Danny Jansen is a strong catcher option on DraftKings and Yahoo, with Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero rounding out the core four. Switch-hitting rookie Jake Mangum is in play, depending on where he is in the order, though he has been more of a contact guy than a power hitter.
Jonathan Aranda is serviceable in lefty-lefty matchups, but at least he doesn’t carry the same pinch-hit risk that makes Curtis Mead and Christopher Morel less appealing. The Houston bullpen is fresh, after Valdez logged a complete game last night.
Today’s Top Sports Betting Picks
If you’re serious about making sharp MLB DFS picks, you already know that long-term success starts with using the right tools. The same approach applies to sports betting — and that’s where Portfolio EV shines.
Take Ivan Herrera over 0.5 home runs, for example. This is a +EV bet, meaning it has positive expected value based on the best odds available. But smart betting with Portfolio EV isn’t about chasing isolated plays; it’s about consistently firing off a high volume of +EV wagers. With the Mass Entry tool, you can scale your action and let the math compound your edge over time.
Just like one DFS lineup won’t guarantee a takedown, one bet won’t define your night — it’s the consistent process that leads to profit.
Portfolio EV is built for bettors who want to win over the long haul. By identifying market inefficiencies, the best available odds and stacking a portfolio of +EV bets, it sets you up for compounding returns over time. This isn’t about chasing hot streaks — it’s about trusting the numbers and executing a smart, consistent and scalable strategy to beat the books.
Herrera is one of the best young hitters in the game and he is going against LHP Patrick Corbin who has ceded 131 home runs over the last four-plus seasons. That is 23 more than Aaron Nola and 24 more than Jose Berrios, who have tallied 101.1 and 89 additional innings than the veteran southpaw in that timeframe.
