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The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on May 25th, 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.
The pitching situation is an interesting one Wednesday, as there aren't any truly elite options on the hill. However, there are a couple of appealing second-tier options. Additionally, there are some big names that haven't quite lived up to their reputations yet this season and are therefore sporting salaries more modest than usual, but that are nevertheless in good matchups.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for Fanduel and DraftKings on 5/25/2022 that includes a FanDuel main slate locking at 12:35 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
Cristian Javier - P, HOU vs. CLE ($9,300 DK, $8,200 FD)
Javier is carrying a stellar 2.87 ERA and 1.02 WHIP but sports just a 2-2 record due to one tough-luck loss and a couple of no-decisions where he's pitched very well. The right-harder peripheral stats support his strong surface numbers; however, he boasts a .209 xBA, .304 xwOBA, and a career-best 31.5 percent strikeout rate. Javier has been virtually unhittable at home as well, posting a tiny 0.50 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 11.0 K/9, and 0.5 HR/9 across 18 innings at Minute Maid Park. Then, the Guardians started the season off hot on the road against righties but have come back down to earth a bit, posting just a .237 average and .313 wOBA in that split in May.
Julio Urias - P, LAD at WAS ($8,600 DK, $9,800 FD)
Urias uncharacteristically was knocked around by the Phillies two starts ago for eight runs (five earned), but he bounced back in his most recent start with five shutout innings against Philadelphia his last time out. That marked the first time in five starts Urias hadn't gone six innings, so he could well be back to his usual workload Wednesday. The Nationals make for an excellent matchup as well, considering their .206 average, .560 OPS, and .254 wOBA against southpaws at home. Urias also boasts a 2.63 ERA on the road this season, and a 16-4 mark, 2.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 0.9 HR/9 in that split since the start of the 2020 season.
Other options: Drew Rasmussen, TAM ($9,200 DK, $8,600 FD)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Freddie Freeman - 1B, LAD at Erick Fedde ($5,700 DK, $3,800 FD)
Freeman enters Wednesday's action sporting a .302/.392/.469 slash line and has tormented Fedde for a .333 average and .524 OBP across 21 career plate appearances. The lefty-swinging slugger boasts a .301 average, .844 OPS, and .365 wOBA against right-handed pitching as well, and Fedde has been tormented by left-handed hitters at home for a .324 average, .981 OPS, and .417 wOBA. Freeman also sports a 28.1 percent line-drive rate and 42.9 percent hard-contact rate against righties when traveling, furthering his chances of success against Fedde and a Nats bullpen that's allowed a .268 average to left-handed hitters at home in May.
Ian Happ - 2B, CHC at Luis Castillo ($4,500 DK, $3,300 FD)
Happ brings some nice pop and is coming into Wednesday's game with a .275 average and .806 OPS, along with a .350 average and 1.035 OPS across 20 career plate appearances versus Castillo. Meanwhile, Castillo is conceding a career-high 41.7 percent hard-hit rate per Statcast, along with a .333 average and .452 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Castillo has also given up an 8.11 FIP, 23.4 percent line-drive rate, and 43.5 percent hard-contact rate to lefty bats, and he's allowed massive .406 and .418 xwOBAs to left-handed hitters on his two most-often-thrown pitches to that handedness, the changeup, and sinker, respectively. Meanwhile, Happ has clobbered the changeup for a .333 and .427 wOBA.
Francisco Lindor - SS, NYM at Jakob Junis ($5,400 DK, $3,600 FD)
Lindor is coming off a massive six-RBI night on Tuesday, underscoring the type of ceiling he still possesses despite his overall underwhelming numbers for the season. The switch-hitting veteran draws a potentially fruitful matchup against Junis, who has several metrics that hint and impending regression. The right-hander is allowing the second-highest barrel rate of his career (10.1 percent) while also generating a .276 xBA, .343 xwOBA (compared to a .285 wOBA), and a 4.24 xERA that dwarfs his actual 2.70 figure. Junis has done well against left-handed hitters thus far this season, but his career-long sample reveals a .288 BAA, .346 wOBA, and 1.5 HR/9 against that handedness, as well as a .500 average with nine XBH (including five homers) in 37 career encounters with Lindor.
Anthony Rendon - 3B, LAA vs. Glenn Otto ($4,400 DK, $3,100 FD)
Rendon should be rested Wednesday after getting the day off Tuesday, and he's carrying a .361 average and .981 OPS with five XBH over his last 10 games. The veteran slugger has tormented right-handed pitching for a .370 average, .409 wOBA, 176 wRC+, and 33.3 percent line-drive rate in that sample, while Otto comes in having allowed a .301 xBA, .417 xwOBA, and 6.81 xERA for the season. He's been more effective overall on the road, but he's due for some regression in that split against right-handed hitters, considering his abysmal 3.0 K/BB and .235 BABIP in that split.
Other options: Jared Walsh - 1B, LAA vs. Glenn Otto ($3,800 DK, $3,400 FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Tyler Naquin - OF, CIN vs. Kyle Hendricks ($4,200 DK, $3,100 FD)
Naquin is now slashing .270/.319/.492 following a 3-for-5 night out of the leadoff spot Tuesday, and he gets an appealing matchup against Hendricks to follow it up Wednesday. The veteran right-hander has struggled on the road to the tune of a 5.24 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and .367 wOBA allowed. Hendricks has especially struggled in opposite-handed matchups overall, as evidenced by his .274 BAA, .392 wOBA, 6.73 FIP, and 24.2 percent line-drive rate allowed in that split. Naquin counters with a .364 wOBA and .236 ISO against right-handed pitching, and a .370 wOBA and .244 ISO overall in his hitter-friendly home park.
J.D. Martinez - OF, BOS at Lucas Giolito ($4,600 DK, $3,900 FD)
Martinez played a significant role in the Red Sox's 16-3 trouncing of the White Sox on Tuesday night, going 4-for-5 with an RBI single, a walk, and three runs to push his season slash line to a jaw-dropping .366/.408 /.597. Given those types of numbers, he's a downright bargain on both sites Friday, even against a quality arm like Giolito. The right-hander is striking out hitters at a career-best 34.6 percent clip, but he's also surrendering a career-high 11.1 percent barrel rate as well as the highest hard-hit rate (40.3 percent) since his rookie 2016 season. He's also yielded a .310 average, .359 wOBA, and 1.2 HR/9 to right-handed hitters at home, while Martinez was already sporting a .367 average, .473 wOBA, and .306 ISO against right-handed hitters on the road before Tuesday's outburst.
Aaron Judge - OF, vs. Tyler Wells ($6,200 DK, $4,600 FD)
Judge is coming off a rare 0-for-5 night Tuesday, but he still carries a .314 average and 1.078 OPS into Wednesday's action. The prodigious slugger had a .348 average, .496 wOBA, 1.166 OPS, and 239 wRC+ against right-handed pitching going into Tuesday, and 13 of his 17 homers versus the handedness as well. Wells has actually outperformed some of his surface numbers, but he's yielded a .344 average, .427 wOBA, and 7.19 FIP to right-handed hitters on the road. He's also giving up a .296 average, .380 wOBA, and 160 wRC+ on his most-often-thrown pitch, the four-seam fastball, which Judge just happens to crush for a .389 average, .548 wOBA, and 284 wRC+ this season.
Other options: Nick Castellanos- OF, at Charlie Morton ($3,800 DK, $3,300 FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Angels vs Glenn Otto, TEX, RHP
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