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Juan Carlos Blanco highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 5/28/21, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
Friday night's main slate brings us a healthy 12-game ledger on FanDuel, one that features a good number of very good-to-excellent pitchers, but some exploitable arms as well. There are also games at several venues ranked in the top half of baseball in ESPN's Park Factor rating , setting the stage for what could be some advantageous DFS scenarios.
Today's selections offer a balance between some hot hitters, a couple of big names that haven't yet come close to living up to their usual elevated standards, and some lower-salaried options that have been delivering nicely relative to the investment required to roster them.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 5/28/2021. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Gerrit Cole – at DET ($12,200)
As is often the case throughout a long season, sometimes the most obvious play is simply the way to go, especially when it comes to pitching. Cole is averaging 49.9 FD points for the season and already rang up 64 FD points on the Tigers in one prior meeting, racking up 12 strikeouts against Detroit over six innings. Cole’s long array of supporting metrics include a 1.81 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 34.5 percent strikeout rate, and although he hasn’t been quite as dominant on the road, his 0.77 WHIP and 13.2 K/9 across 26 away frames actually outpace his Yankee Stadium figures in those categories. The Tigers also make for excellent targets, considering their .224 average and .298 wOBA versus righties at home this season.
Potential Alternate Play
Hyun-Jin Ryu – at CLE ($9,600)
Ryu is by no means a shabby pivot if you can’t quite foot the bill for Cole. The veteran southpaw has been impressive in his own right this season, pitching to a 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 11.8 percent swinging-strike rate while amassing a 4-2 mark and five quality starts. Ryu is averaging a solid 35 FD points per game as well and gets the advantage of being out of his hitter-friendly home park, where he’ll face an Indians team that’s been among baseball’s worst versus left-handers, especially at home. Cleveland checks in with a 31.5 percent strikeout rate, .202 average, -8.5 wRAA and MLB-low .191 wOBA against southpaws at home in May and owns a .181 average against that handedness overall this season.
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Jose Abreu – 1B, vs. BAL ($3,900)
Abreu will cost you a pretty penny but is often worth it, especially when facing a right-hander who’s increasingly coming unraveled in Matt Harvey, and a shaky Orioles bullpen behind him. Harvey has pitched to a 15.19 ERA and 2.53 WHIP over the 10.2 innings covering his last three starts, and he’s allowed a bloated .362/.406/.483 slash line and .384 wOBA to right-handed hitters on the road. In turn, Abreu is doing some solid damage against righty arms, posting a .795 OPS and .345 wOBA versus that handedness, along with a 25.0 percent HR/FB rate and massive 44.6 percent hard-contact rate. Then, when Harvey exits, Abreu could be in just as good a shape, considering Orioles relievers have pitched to a 9.88 ERA, .879 OPS and .372 wOBA against the 65 right-handed hitters they’ve faced on the road the last two weeks.
Nick Solak – 2B, at SEA ($2,700)
Solak has been excellent against left-handed pitching all season, posting a .317 average, .895 OPS and .389 wOBA versus southpaws overall while striking out at an acceptable 19.7 percent clip when facing them. Solak also owns an outstanding 29.6 percent line-drive rate against that handedness on the road, while Mariners starter Justus Sheffield sports an elevated 5.30 xERA, 4.64 xFIP and 9.0 percent barrel rate allowed and has given up a .349 wOBA to right-handed hitters, along with a massive 30.8 percent line-drive rate when facing those bats in his home park. Solak comes in wielding a reasonably hot bat as well, having posted double-digit FD-point tallies in three of his last four games and having exceeded 20 FD points in two other contests in his last 11.
Anthony Rendon – 3B, at OAK ($3,300)
Rendon is undeniably underperforming thus far this season but naturally has the talent to break out of his slump. The slugger’s hard-contact rate is way down compared to his usual standards, but he does sport a solid 20.2 percent line-drive rate and is being victimized by a career-low .247 BABIP that’s inevitably going to rise. He’s always been a very good performer versus left-handed pitching as well despite struggling against that handedness over a small sample this season, with a ridiculous .087 BABIP in that split largely to blame for his struggles. Meanwhile, A’s starter Sean Manaea is giving up a .319 average, .812 OPS and .355 wOBA to right-handed hitters, and Oakland’s bullpen has yielded a 6.97 ERA, .370 average and .392 wOBA to the 52 right-handed hitters its relievers have faced at home the last two weeks.
Marcus Semien – SS, at CLE ($3,800)
Semien is enjoying an outstanding debut season with the Blue Jays, and his strong numbers aren’t simply a TD Ballpark mirage either. The veteran is actually slashing .297/.358/.532 with a .381 wOBA and .234 ISO on the road, and he’s tagged righties when traveling for a .972 OPS and massive .414 wOBA across 92 plate appearances. Friday, he’ll get a crack at a first-time MLB starter in Eli Morgan, who’s certainly an impressive prospect but who’s pitched to an elevated 5.15 xFIP over three starts at the Triple-A level this season while also generating a 5.3 BB/9 and 1.54 WHIP. Indians relievers could also play a prominent role in this game, and as such, it’s worth noting they’ve given up a .363 wOBA to righty bats at home the last two weeks and a still-elevated .339 wOBA when zooming out to a sample size of all of May.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Christian Yelich – at WSH ($3,800)
Much like Rendon, Yelich’s numbers thus far this season are nowhere near commensurate to his elite reputation, but also like the Angels slugger, there’s little doubt he has the ability to break out any time he’s got the bat in hand. Yelich actually hasn’t been in as deep a funk as Rendon, and he does have a solid .336 xwOBA and 47.1 percent hard-hit rate per Statcast. Yelich has also been a much better hitter when traveling so far this season, generating a .286 average, .852 OPS and .387 wOBA on the road. Nats starter Jon Lester has been extremely hittable in his last two starts after a very strong beginning to his career in Washington; addiitionally, although he’s been effective thus far this season in a small sample of same-handed matchups, Lester has hardly been dominant in those scenarios in the past, especially against Yelich, who’s tagged him for a .375 average across 25 career encounters.
Mitch Haniger – vs. TEX ($3,300)
Rangers starter Jordan Lyles is yet another starter who’s been regressing some of late, and his ERA and WHIP now sit at 5.94 and 1.54, respectively. Lyles has particularly struggled against right-handed hitters this season, allowing a .305 average and .369 wOBA to that handedness, along with a 2.2 HR/9. In turn, Haniger, who already has 13 round trippers on the campaign, has punished right-handed pitching for a .373 wOBA, .297 ISO and .893 OPS when facing them in his home park. Haniger’s 12.2 FD-point average for the season also makes him quite the value play at his current salary, enhancing his already strong case.
Andrew Benintendi – at MIN ($2,500)
Benintendi is another player who can offer a very strong fantasy-point-per-dollar return in his matchup against Twins starter Randy Dobnak, who’s allowed a .289 average and .409 wOBA to the first 42 left-handed hitters he’s faced this season, along with an eye-popping 4.3 HR/9. Benintendi has only left the yard four times so far, but he does have above-average power and is tormenting righties to the tune of a .313 average, along with a .493 wOBA and 1.193 OPS when facing that handedness on the road. Benintendi also owns an elevated 30.8 percent line-drive rate against righties in away contests and has been an excellent contact hitter overall, and the matchup continues to be favorable for him even when Dobrak exits – Twins relievers own a 5.40 ERA, 1.032 OPS and .414 wOBA against the 107 left-handed hitters they’ve faced at home in May.
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