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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on May 4th, 2022. Juan Carlos Blanco's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
Welcome back to another edition of the FREE DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks. As customary, we have an all-day ledger on tap Wednesday, and although DraftKings does not have a full-day slate, FanDuel does. Consequently, today's article will feature picks on both sites for games throughout the day, as even on DK, the suggestions will prove viable for someone playing one of the site's split slates.
There some particularly appealing pitching matchups Wednesday, with three pitchers in situations that I especially like. There is also a solid selection of high-upside bats in favorable matchups, and the good news is not all of them require cap-busting levels of investment.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for Fanduel and DraftKings on 5/4/2022 that includes a FanDuel main slate locking at 12:40 pm ET. The lineup 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. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, find me on Twitter and ask away!
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Justin Verlander - P, HOU vs. SEA ($10,100 DK, $10,800 FD)
Verlander has put his Hall of Fame credentials on full display with his early-season performance, as he's easily shaken off having missed almost two full seasons by forging a 2-1 record, 1.73 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 29.8 percent strikeout rate across his first four starts. He's only allowed as much as three earned runs once, and he's facing an ice-cold Mariners squad Wednesday that will be without Mitch Haniger (IL-ankle). Current Seattle bats own a collective .124 average and .364 OPS across 53 career encounters. The Mariners have been shut out in each of the first two games of the series against the Astros as well, and they haven't scored more than three runs in any of the last four games overall.
Adam Wainwright - P, STL at KC ($8,500 DK, $8,500 FD)
It's a good day for graybeard pitchers Wednesday, with Wainwright also a viable option at his salaries. The ageless right-hander has pitched to some contact in a couple of starts this season, but he's also authored a pair of quality starts and owns a 12-5 record, 3.69 ERA and 1.21 WHIP across 117 innings on the road since the start of the 2020 season. Wainwright also has held current Royals bats to a .299 on-base percentage in 69 career encounters, and Kansas City comes in with a .212 average, .584 OPS and .267 wOBA against right-handed pitching at home, along with a -10.6 wRAA in that split. Wainwright's peripheral numbers such as average exit velocity, maximum exit velocity and hard-hit percentage allowed are all down over last season, so he certainly could be poised for a strong return Wednesday's matinee.
Other options: Madison Bumgarner, ARI at MIA ($6,300 DK, $7,900 FD)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Jose Abreu - 1B, CWS at Kyle Hendricks ($4,200 DK, $3,100 FD)
Abreu, like many of his White Sox teammates, is still struggling to play up to his usual standards this season, but he still carries as much upside as ever and is sporting some discounted salaries at the moment. He also draws a tantalizing matchup in the form Hendricks, who's pitched to a 1-2 record, 5.47 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 1.5 HR/9 across his first five starts. Hendricks, who also sports an even uglier 5.74 xERA, has yielded a .289 average and .362 wOBA to right-handed hitters, as well as a .591 average with doubles, a homer and only one strikeout in 25 career plate appearances. Abreu has also been a bit unlucky when putting the ball in play as evidenced by his .403 xwOBA, and he's sporting a .292 average and .397 wOBA against righties on the road thus far this season.
Gleyber Torres - 2B, NYY at Yusei Kikuchi ($3,600 DK, $2,500 FD)
Torres sports just a .225/.260/.423 slash line for the red-hot Yankees, but like Abreu, he's also had his share of misfortune when making contact. The talented infielder has just a 16.2 percent strikeout rate , .241 BABIP and an impressive .367 xwOBA, a combination of numbers that underscore that belief. Additionally, Torres is thriving against lefties early, posting a .286 average, .391 wOBA and .333 ISO against that handedness. Meanwhile, Kikuchi was blasted by the 11 right-handed hitters he faced in his one home start (.375 BAA, .622 wOBA), and he's given up a .441 wOBA to the 54 righty bats he's faced thus far. He's also had plenty of issues against Torres in his career, giving up a .462 average to him with just one strikeout in 13 career encounters.
Xander Bogaerts - SS, BOS vs. Reid Detmers ($4,900 DK, $3,600 FD)
Bogaerts has traditionally raked against left-handed pitching, so Wednesday's matchup against inexperienced southpaw Reid Detmers is certainly appetizing, especially when also factoring in how effective the shortstop has been early in this season. Bogaerts is slashing .356/.411/.483 going into Wednesday's action and owns a .333 average against lefties. He's produced a .309 average and .855 OPS in that split since the start of the 2020 season, while Detmers has yielded a .360 wOBA and 2.1 HR/9 to right-handed hitters to open 2022. Bogaerts has also been virtually unstoppable at Fenway as well, posting a .414 average and 1.069 OPS there going into Tuesday's action.
Nolan Arenado - 3B, STL at Kris Bubic ($6,100 DK, $3,800 FD)
Arenado has opened the season looking like the player he was in his Rockies heyday, slashing .354/.424/.671. The slugging third baseman could feat on Bubic, who's opened the season with an 0-2 record, 10.50 ERA and 2.08 WHIP across his first four starts. Bubic has also allowed a .392 wOBA to righty bats as well, while Arenado is belting left-handed pitching for a .521 wOBA in the early going this season. Arenado's success against southpaws isn't an outlier by any stretch, considering he owns a .317 average and .410 wOBA versus that handedness over the course of his career.
Other options: Ryan McMahon, 2B/3B, COL vs. Patrick Corbin ($4,400, $3,900 FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Christian Yelich - OF, MIL vs. Vladimir Gutierrez ($4,200 DK, $3,300 FD)
Yelich is in the midst of a third straight disappointing season, as he'll go into Wednesday with a .213/.316/.375 line. However, the lefty slugger can still break out in any given game and is facing a vulnerable opposite-handed pitcher in Gutierrez. The righty has opened the season with a 7.41 ERA and 1.94 WHIP, and his most recent outing was his poorest. Gutierrez gave up six earned runs over four innings to the Padres, and he's given up a .303 average and .477 wOBA to the first 45 left-handed hitters he's faced this season while also giving up a 2.0 HR/9 and 7.43 xFIP in that split. Yelich hasn't hit his stride versus right-handed pitching yet, but at his reduced salaries and considering Reds relievers have conceded a .336 wOBA to lefty bats as well, he's certainly in play.
Randal Grichuk - OF, COL vs. Patrick Corbin ($5,100 DK, $3,800 FD)
Rolling out a right-handed slugger against Corbin is never a bad idea, especially when that hitter is running as hot as Grichuk is to start the season. The former Cardinal and Blue Jay has posted an absurd .579 average and .612 wOBA against left-handed pitching over a small sample of 20 plate appearances this season, and he owns a .297 average and .855 OPS versus that handedness since the start of the 2020 season. Meanwhile, Corbin is already giving up a .304 average, .375 wOBA, 26.0 percent line-drive rate and 40.0 percent hard-contact rate to right-handed hitters, and although he's uncharacteristically given up just one home run thus far, that could easily change when facing Grichuk at Coors Field on Wednesday.
Robbie Grossman - OF, DET vs. Jose Quintana ($3,400 DK, $2,600 FD)
The switch-hitting Grossman has opened the season with a .316 average and .455 wOBA against left-handed pitching, and he's sporting a .265 average and .828 OPS in that split since the start of the 2020 season. Meanwhile, Quintana has started the season with a solid 3.32 ERA over his first 19 innings, but his 4.65 xERA hints at the fact there could be some regression coming. Quintana is also allowing a .321 wOBA to right-handed hitters thus far, and Grossman is boasting an elevated 32.4 percent line-drive rate to open the season that gives him a chance to keep thriving in a favorable matchup.
Other options: David Peralta, ARI at Elieser Hernandez ($3,300 DK, $2,400 FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Vladimir Gutierrez, CIN, RHP
Colorado Rockies vs. Patrick Corbin, WAS, LHP
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