Monday has four early games and then a solid seven-game featured slate with a 7:20 p.m. ET first pitch on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo. Before you build lineups, several Stokastic tools can help identify daily MLB DFS Top Stacks, key pitchers and MLB DFS picks. Let’s dig into the player projections and popularity for DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo lineups, including Luis Castillo, the Seattle Mariners offense and more.
MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers and Top Stacks
MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers
Main Slate Primary Pitching Target: RHP Luis Castillo vs. Oakland Athletics — 2.9 implied runs
First Pitch: 9:40 p.m. ET
- DFS Salary: DraftKings $9,200 | FanDuel $10,500 | Yahoo $49
The West Coast nightcap brings the top-rated pitcher of the day in a tremendous matchup against an anemic Oakland offense. Tonight marks the 21st regular season start as a Mariner for RHP Luis Castillo, who was brought over last summer in a deal with the Cincinnati Reds. The 30-year-old right-hander has been a steady presence among the young and talented arms in the Seattle rotation. Across 117 innings, Castillo has recorded 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.25 ERA. It is going to be a cool spring evening at T-Mobile Park, with game-time temperatures in the low-60s, which bodes well for pitching.
Outfielder Seth Brown (oblique) is expected to return to the lineup after wrapping up a three-game rehabilitation stint in the minors. While his return should help the Athletics offense, they are still a bottom-5 squad in most standard and advanced hitting metrics. Enjoy!
Main Slate Secondary Pitching Target: RHP Cristian Javier at Milwaukee Brewers — 4.1 implied runs
First Pitch: 7:40 p.m. ET
- DFS Salary: DraftKings $10,000 | FanDuel $10,800 | Yahoo $53
On the featured slate, things are a little tricky after Castillo. RHP Corbin Burnes is the best pitcher in the player pool. However, the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner has a tough matchup against the Houston Astros. RHP Brady Singer is facing the Detroit Tigers, and while that is the best matchup most days, Singer has been dreadful, with a 7.09 ERA this season. He may be turning things around, having allowed just three earned runs over his last two appearances, but that is far from comforting.
RHP Cristian Javier is a strong pitching option, though tonight there is no salary discount on any of the DFS sites. Since converting to a full-time starter, Javier has been able to maintain a rate of 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings while also limiting power. The Milwaukee offense has plenty of pop, particularly with Rowdy Tellez and Willy Adames in the heart of the order, but the Brew Crew has plenty of strikeouts as well. For those building more than five lineups, definitely have Singer on the short list, though for conservative gamers, Javier and Castillo are the safer selections.
Early Slate Pitching Target: RHP Dane Dunning at Pittsburgh Pirates — 4.3 implied runs
First Pitch: 6:35 p.m. ET
- DFS Salary: DraftKings $6,500 | FanDuel $8,600 | Yahoo $33
Clearly RHPs Zack Wheeler and Chris Bassitt are the SP1 options for the early tournaments, but do not overlook RHP Dane Dunning as a key SP2 on DraftKings and Yahoo. The 28-year-old spent the first month of the season working as a long reliever out of the bullpen, but he is fully stretched out after three May starts, culminating in a 92-pitch effort last Tuesday.
Over the last two seasons, primarily as a starter, Dunning tallied 271.0 innings while averaging 8.3 strikeouts and 1.1 home runs per nine innings. Those are solid ratios, and with his 53.6% ground ball rate, Dunning usually does not spontaneously combust on the mound. The projected Pittsburgh lineup has been a bottom-5 offense against right-handed hurlers over the last season and change.
MLB DFS Picks: Top Stacks
Main Slate Primary Target: Seattle Mariners vs. LHP Kyle Muller — 5.3 implied runs
First Pitch: 9:40 p.m. ET
In three starts last year and through nine this season, LHP Kyle Muller has been an unmitigated disaster. The Stokastic Top Stacks Tool is recognizing this spot as well and has identified the Mariners as one of the best value options on the board.
Muller found success at the Triple-A level, but he has not been able to convert that over to The Show. He has a 7.79 ERA in his last 54.1 innings, which, while unlucky compared to his 5.74 FIP and 5.21 xFIP, is not much better than his 7.57 xERA. The 1.49 home runs per nine innings are not great, but when paired with 4.8 walks per nine innings, they are a DFS delight.
Teoscar Hernandez has a .394 ISO in his last 139 plate appearances against opposite-handed pitchers, and he is very much live as a home run option tonight. Super sophomore Julio Rodriguez is a star in the making and the most recognizable name in the Seattle lineup after being named the American League Rookie of the Year. Eugenio Suarez does not make a lot of contact, but when he does the ball goes a long way and a multi-hit game is in the cards.
A.J. Pollock and Tom Murphy have struggled this season, but this duo has a solid track record against southpaws, and they are at a near-minimum salary across the various DFS sites. Finally, veteran Ty France and late-bloomer Jarred Kelenic can be used across full stacks for maximum synergy.
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Main Slate Secondary Target: Atlanta Braves vs. RHP Gavin Stone — 5.1 implied runs
First Pitch: 7:20 p.m. ET
Yes, definitely load up on the bats from the Coors Field Extravaganza, where the projected total is cresting just over a dozen runs. Now that we have the obvious out of the way, let’s see what other offenses are interesting tonight.
RHP Gavin Stone is being recalled from the minors, with both Dustin May and Julio Urias now on the injured list. Stone was a fifth-round selection in the 2020 MLB Draft and is considered a top-5 Dodger prospect while also gracing a few of the MiLB top 100 lists. Fellow RHP Bobby Miller, who is the second-ranked prospect in the Los Angeles farm system, is also expected to be called up to take a turn in the rotation this week.
Stone had a rough debut three weeks ago, getting rocked for five runs in a matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 24-year-old had only one strikeout while allowing 10 baserunners in four innings of work. After that outing, he had two additional starts in Triple-A, with 14 strikeouts in 11 innings. Clearly he has nothing left to prove in the minors, but making the leap to the big leagues is not an easy hurdle to clear.
The Atlanta offense has had some uneven performances, but this is an All-Star-laden lineup that also has plated at least six runs eight times this month in 18 tilts. Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley and catcher Sean Murphy are as good a top 4 as any other quartet in the league.
The lineup then continues with Ozzie Albies and veteran outfielders Marcell Ozuna and Eddie Rosario who bring a nice righty-lefty combination in the batting order. But wait, there’s more … just to underscore the ridiculous nature of this group of hitters, Michael Harris II is batting ninth while projecting to have a long career in the league as a leadoff man once he puts it all together. Dang, it must be fun to be an Atlanta fan.
Early Slate Target: Philadelphia Phillies vs. LHP Tommy Henry — 5.1 implied runs
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
Last year LHP Tommy Henry had a rough rookie campaign, allowing 10 home runs in just 47 innings. Though he has not been as dreadful this season, he also has been lucky, as his extra-base hits have increased from 3.44 per nine innings to 4.0 this season. So far in The Show, Henry has faced 320 batters and is constantly on the edge of danger, with a 40.9% fly ball rate and a .210 ISO to hitters swinging the stick from either side of the plate.
Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are the pair to build around for DFS and in the home run market. Bryce Harper is not at his MVP form after elbow surgery this offseason, but he does have seven extra-base hits, including two round-trippers in his 62 at-bats. He tends to be overinflated by sportsbooks, as causals love to select him as their home run option day in and day out.
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Trea Turner has not had the season most were projecting, but it is still early; he does post positive fantasy results most days, and he has hits in 16 of his last 18 starts. Youngsters Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott can be used to round out full stacks, and veteran Nick Castellanos is always an option from the cleanup slot.
Final Thoughts for Monday, May 22 | MLB DFS Picks
Outside of roving showers in the Atlanta area, there are no precipitation concerns for Monday’s slate.
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