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Happy Thursday, RotoBallers! Welcome to another strangely scheduled Thursday for the MLB season. We've got a split day with three early games, three evening games, and the finale of Houston-New York hanging out by itself in the late afternoon. Today's picks will focus on the late slate beginning at 7:40 p.m. EDT.
The game to start the slate is between two AL Central rivals in Cleveland and Chicago. St. Louis and Milwaukee also begin at the same time before Kansas City-Los Angeles ends the three-game slate. It looks like a reasonably dry day on the weather front, but some strong winds could blow out to right field in the Guardians-White Sox matchup.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/9/2024. The lineup picks will range from some elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is also essential. Follow me on X @EuanFPL for more DFS advice.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Sonny Gray at Brewers ($10.8K DraftKings; $11.6K FanDuel)
While Sonny Gray's price is high, it's hard to pass on a pitcher in this form. Gray twirled a 0.89 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and a 33.3 percent strikeout rate for the season, averaging 27.7 DraftKings PPG. In the previous three starts, he's gone at least six innings every time, racked up 27 strikeouts, and scored at least 29 DK points. Milwaukee is one of the better offenses against right-handed pitchers through the first six weeks, but fading Gray's current run seems too risky on a three-game slate.
Sonny Gray's 2024 ERA: 0.89 ☀️ pic.twitter.com/mLr9FwJti5
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 4, 2024
Ben Lively at White Sox ($7.6K DK; $10.0K FD)
After Sonny Gray, Cleveland's Ben Lively is the best pitcher out there. The 32-year-old has a great matchup with the White Sox and has pitched well to begin the 2024 campaign. In three of four starts, Lively made it through five innings and scored 18.9 DK points or more. The right-handed Guardian averages six strikeouts per outing and shouldn't face much competition from the White Sox. Chicago is in the bottom three in every major hitting category against right-handed hurlers.
Also consider: Reid Detmers vs. KC, Erick Fedde vs. CLE
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Brice Turang - 2B/SS, MIL vs. Sonny Gray ($4.8K DK; $3.1K FD)
It's hard to ignore Sonny Gray on the pitching side, and it's hard to pass on Brice Turang on the hitting side. After posting a .585 OP in his rookie year, Turang is much improved for his sophomore season. The middle infielder has a .826 OPS through 34 games, backed up by an increase in his walk rate and xwOBA and a 7.3 percent drop in his strikeout rate. The Brewers leadoff man isn't the cheapest player on the slate, but his 8.8 DK PPG season-long average is worth the investment.
In play, double(s)@BRiCEcTuRANG X @Wcontreras42 pic.twitter.com/XOV89jhe6O
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) May 8, 2024
Jose Ramirez - 3B, CLE at Erick Fedde ($6.0K DK; $3.9K FD)
While grabbing all the premium hitters in the game is challenging, a three-game slate could be perfect for a stars and scrubs approach to Thursday's contests. Jose Ramirez is the second-most-expensive hitter on DK but could see a lower-than-usual roster rate. On the year, the Guardian's third baseman has a disappointing .718 OPS, but 14 extra-base hits (seven home runs) and 30 RBI in 36 games deserve some love in our DFS lineups.
Bobby Witt Jr. - SS, KC at Reid Detmers ($6.3K DK; $4.3K FD)
The only hitter more expensive than Jose Ramirez on DK is Bobby Witt Jr. During the last 10 games, the Royals shortstop owns an eye-popping 1.129 OPS and averages 17.91 FanDuel PPG. Witt's season-long OPS sits at an incredible .965, but he's turned it on over the last week and a half. Hitting second for Kansas City means a low RBI total (20), but he's also scored 36 runs with 21 extra-base hits (five home runs) and 13 steals. His ability to score DFS points in multiple ways makes him a priority buy for today's slate.
Also consider: Josh Naylor, Nolan Schanuel, Andres Gimenez, Nolan Arenado, Willy Adames
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Brendan Donovan - OF/1B/2B/3B, STL at Tobias Myers ($4.2K DK; $2.9K FD)
Alec Burleson - 1B/OF, STL at Tobias Myers ($3.0K DK; $2.4K FD)
St. Louis doesn't have the high-powered offense that a lineup with Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt probably should, but it doesn't mean there's no value in the Cardinals dugout. Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson will see favorable spots in the lineup with right-handed Tobias Myers on the mound. Among outfield-eligible players on FanDuel this evening, Donovan and Burleson sit fifth and sixth for FD PPG over the last 10 games.
Jo Adell - OF, LAA vs. Michael Wacha ($3.5K DK; $2.7K FD)
While Donovan and Burleson are fifth and sixth in FD PPG over the last 10 games, Jo Adell is right behind them in seventh. Burleson is cheaper than Adell, but I'll take the savings on the Angels outfielder over Donovan on DraftKings. In 30 games, the former top prospect has a .817 OPS with 13 runs, 14 RBI, nine extra-base hits (five home runs), and seven stolen bases. His old warts still plague him (21 strikeouts), but we can work with a 23.3 percent strikeout rate. Especially on a three-game slate versus Michael Wacha's 5.50 ERA and 1.46 WHIP.
Jo Adell swats his 5th homer of the year! pic.twitter.com/1gTKm09FqZ
— MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2024
Also consider: Christian Yelich, Andrew Benintendi, Tommy Pham, Willie Calhoun, Estevan Florial
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
1. Kansas City Royals at Reid Detmers
- Favorite Plays: Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Michael Massey
2. Cleveland Guardians at Erick Fedde
- Favorite Plays: Jose Ramirez, Josh Naylor, Will Brennan
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