X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Main Slate - DraftKings, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (5/31/23): Today's Top MLB DFS Lineups

Yordan Alvarez - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, MLB Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

The top main-slate daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on May 31, 2023. Kevin Hickey's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.

Happy Wednesday, RotoBallers! I'm excited to be covering another fun DFS slate. The MLB season has been good to me in the early going, so I'm looking forward to sifting through another crop of games. Let's break down my favorite plays from today's main slate!

With games scattered throughout the day, we're down to a six-game DraftKings main slate and a seven-game FanDuel main slate, which includes the Padres versus Marlins game. Today's matchups feature no excess of top-line pitching options, opening up plenty of opportunities to get creative with your lineup builds. I'll point out the standout plays.

This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/31/2023 and the main slate locking at 7:07 pm ET. 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. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. Now that we got all that out of the way, it's onto the picks!

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Hunter Brown, HOU vs. MIN ($10,000 DK, $10,500 FD)

Wednesday's main slate is very shallow on pitching options. Among the selections, Hunter Brown gives me the most confidence. The rookie sports a strong 3.12 ERA through 10 starts, and the underlying numbers suggest his success is deserved. Brown carries a respectable 3.09 xFIP, .306 xwOBA, and .369 xSLG, amounting to a 3.80 xERA.

Altogether, this makes his price tag seem a bit too high today, but there's ceiling potential. Brown's best attribute is his 28.1% strikeout rate. That is particularly advantageous in this matchup.

Minnesota's offense is decent. They score 4.5 runs per game, carrying a middling .736 OPS against right-handed pitching, alongside a .182 ISO and 106 wRC+. The Twins are capable of going off, but on this slate, the risk is worthwhile. Minnesota strikes out at a 26.2% rate against right-handed pitchers, the second-highest mark in the majors. Mix that strikeout vulnerability with a pitcher generating above-average strikeout output, and the path to success is paved.

I won't go as far as to claim that Brown is safe in this spot, but he is the first pitcher I'd want to roster today. The pitching options are thin on this slate, and this is the closest we get to a pitcher with a floor.

Clarke Schmidt, NYY vs. SEA ($7,700 DK, $7,700 FD)

I'm just as surprised to see Clarke Schmidt's name here as you are. We prefaced that there's no great pitching on this slate, so it's time to get creative with our SP2. Schmidt sports a weak 5.58 ERA and 4.25 FIP through 11 appearances. The advanced numbers suggest some positive regression is due, translating to a 4.93 xERA and 3.96 xFIP, but I'll understand if those numbers are still failing to reassure. The real opportunity with Schmidt is found in his strong 25.3% strikeout rate. It's not a lot, but it's something tangible to grasp onto.

The Mariners' offense is solid enough, scoring 4.5 runs per game on the season. They carry a below-average .704 OPS against right-handed pitching, including a .155 ISO and 102 wRC+. The best part is that Seattle strikes out at a gratuitous 25.1% rate, the fourth-highest in the majors. Featuring Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic, they're far from a deadbeat offense. However, Seattle's relative struggle with right-handed pitching is enough to make Schmidt an appealing play today.

Schmidt is far from a roster lock, though it's worth noting that he's been pitching better of late. He's surrendered two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five outings, scoring at least 13 DK points in all but one of those appearances. The lack of pitching options combined with affordable pricing and strikeout upside is enough for me to take a chance on Schmidt today.

Also consider: George Kirby, James Paxton, Blake Snell (FD only)

Want more MLB DFS tools and content? Our MLB Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Discord Chatrooms, where members can chat with our MLB analysts. Check out this recent big win from RotoBaller's Jon Anderson on DraftKings - join in on the winning!

 

DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Pete Alonso – 1B, NYM vs. Aaron Nola ($5,700 DK, $4,000 FD)

Alonso leads the majors with 20 home runs this season, so this isn't exactly a creative suggestion. He sports a phenomenal .627 xSLG, alongside a similarly impressive .422 xwOBA, 90.9 mph average exit velocity, and 18.7% barrel rate. Of his many long balls, 14 have come against right-handed pitching, including a .546 slugging percentage and .319 ISO.

Aaron Nola has a reputation for being a stud, but that hasn't been the case in 2023. He carries a weak .433 xSLG, 24.2% whiff rate, and a 9% barrel rate, contributing to a bloated 4.59 ERA. The struggles have been particularly bad against right-handed hitters, who are slugging .463 against Nola with nine home runs this season. Pete Alonso has 43 career at-bats opposite Nola, resulting in five home runs and a whopping 1.159 OPS.

Spencer Steer – 1B/3B, CIN vs. James Paxton ($3,800 DK, $3,200 FD)

We're catching Steer on something of a heater. He's hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, posting seven multi-hit performances and two home runs in that span. Altogether, Steer's slash line is up to .288/.353/.485 with seven home runs, a pair of triples, and 14 doubles. He's excelling against pitchers of all handedness, but for what it's worth, Steer is slugging .538 alongside a .250 ISO against southpaws this season.

James Paxton has hardly pitched at all since 2020 due to injury, but the power problem that existed then has already reared its head. Through three starts this season, Paxton owns a 5.55 xERA, including a .505 xSLG, 91.7 mph average exit velocity, and 11.4% barrel rate. It's a small sample size, but he's yet to make it through an outing without allowing at least one long ball, and Steer is as capable as any Reds bat to take advantage.

Elehuris Montero – 3B, COL vs. Tommy Henry ($2,500 DK, $2,200 FD)

Navigating into the punt-price territory, Elehuris Montero is worth a look. He was recently recalled from the minors in the absence of Charlie Blackmon. Montero has been tearing up Triple-A this season, posting a .383/.435/.765 slash line with an astonishing 13 home runs over 28 games. He struggled to produce in the big leagues earlier this season, but I'm more than willing to roll with Montero's momentum at this price.

Tommy Henry is hardly a pitcher to avoid in this spot. He carries a .438 xSLG, .336 xwOBA, and a 9.1% barrel rate. He's been tagged harder by left-handed pitchers during his short MLB career, but righties have found success as well. There's nothing about Henry's profile that deters me from wanting to take a chance on a near-minimum-price Montero.

 

DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Yordan Alvarez– OF, HOU vs. Louie Varland ($6,000 DK, $4,400 FD)

Alvarez is enjoying a predictably dominant campaign. He brings a .284/.397/.598 slash line, including 14 home runs and a 171 wRC+. Alvarez ranks in the 95th percentile or better with each of his .615 xSLG, .430 xwOBA, 54.8% hard-hit rate, and 19.8% barrel rate. We could continue fawning over his many impressive metrics, but you get the point.

Louie Varland has some prospect hype, but that has not translated into success at the major-league level. He sports a 5.16 xERA alongside similarly ugly numbers, like a .351 xwOBA, .270 xBA, .513 xSLG, 43.6% hard-hit rate, and a 12.9% barrel rate. The Astros, in general, look fantastic today, and Alvarez is the preferred bat to roster if you can manage the price.

Jarred Kelenic – OF, SEA vs. Clarke Schmidt ($4,900 DK, $3,400 FD)

If you don't end up rostering Clarke Schmidt, then it's not a bad idea to target a left-handed bat against him. Lefties are slugging .616 against Schmidt, including a .441 wOBA and five home runs. I'm not backtracking on my SP2 recommendation, but Schmidt has a very obvious vulnerability here.

2023 has been a breakout campaign for Jarred Kelenic. He's slashing .283/.340/.524 for the season with 10 home runs, 14 doubles, and a triple. The success includes very encouraging underlying metrics, such as a .492 xSLG, .350 xwOBA, .272 xBA, 91.6 mph average exit velocity, and a 49.2% hard-hit rate. I'll be rolling out Clarke Schmidt, but Kelenic looks great here.

Brandon Marsh – OF, PHI vs. Carlos Carrasco ($2,800 DK, $2,800 FD)

Marsh has cooled off since the torrid April he posted, but fortunately, so has his price. He still carries a strong .857 OPS overall, with five home runs, eight doubles, and four triples. That includes an impressive 92.8 mph average exit velocity and a 48.5% hard-hit rate. Marsh doesn't represent the most lethal bat in the Phillies' lineup, though he is the best bang-for-buck value.

Carlos Carrasco is having a brutal season. He owns a 5.73 xERA, consisting of a .486 xSLG, .367 xwOBA, 89.8 mph average exit velocity, and a 10.8% barrel rate. Remarkably, Carrasco's strikeout rate has dropped to an ineffective 13.3% rate, down from 23.6% in 2022 and a 26.9% career average. He's not missing bats or barrels, and he doesn't induce weak contact. Targeting Carrasco is a good idea these days.

 

DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks

Astros vs. Louie Varland

Louie Varland's struggles were highlighted above. He brings a 5.16 xERA, made up of an awful .513 xSLG, 12.9% barrel rate, .351 xwOBA, .270 xBA, 90.5 mph average exit velocity, and a 43.6% hard-hit rate. Varland was a somewhat heralded prospect, so better days are likely ahead. But for now, he's a pitcher who has yet to figure out major-league hitting. He struggles against right-handed and left-handed hitters, so nobody in the Houston lineup is out of bounds here.

The Astros score a middling 4.5 runs per game for the campaign, but their early-season struggles deceive the talent level. Jose Altuve is finally back in the lineup, while Yordan Alvarez is red-hot, and Kyle Tucker, Jeremy Pena, and Alex Bregman are always capable of slate-breaking performances. It's a batting order that is loaded with firepower, and they should tee off on Louie Varland today.

Favorite Plays: Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Jeremy Pena

Boston Red Sox vs. Luke Weaver

Luke Weaver is having a tough season, carrying a 5.45 ERA and 5.29 FIP through seven starts. While some of his advanced stats suggest he is due for some positive regression, the results fall in line with Weaver's career 4.84 ERA. He gets hit hard, and that's nothing new. Weaver sports a 44% hard-hit rate, 90.2 mph average exit velocity, .455 xSLG, and 12.9% barrel rate. I don't like his chances in this matchup.

The Red Sox have ranked among the league's hottest offenses this season. They score 5.2 runs per game, including a .757 OPS against right-handed pitching with a .172 ISO. Boston's bats offer a nice pricing range, encompassing premium roster spots like Rafael Devers and Masataka Yoshida to midrange and cheaper options like Justin Turner or Triston Casas.

Favorite Plays: Rafael Devers, Alex Verdugo, Masataka Yoshida, Justin Turner, Jarren Duran

Also Consider: Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



MLB DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Moises Ballesteros

Now The Triple-A Batting Average Leader
Yordan Alvarez

Exits Monday's Win Early
Raisel Iglesias

Notches Fifth Save Monday
JP Sears

Fans Seven In Monday's Win
Josh Hader

Earns Eighth Save Of Season Monday
Jose Altuve

Hits Two-Run Homer Monday
Los Angeles Chargers

Tre Harris Expected To Fill X Role For Chargers
Charlie Condon

Visiting A Hand Specialist On Monday
Bailey Ober

Extends Quality-Start Stretch To Four In Monday's Win
Los Angeles Chargers

Quentin Johnston Needs To Earn His Spot In Training Camp
Noelvi Marte

Stays Hot With RBI Triple Monday
Los Angeles Chargers

Hassan Haskins The Leader For No. 3 RB Job
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Plan For 1-2 Punch At RB With Omarion Hampton, Najee Harris
Zebby Matthews

Strikes Out Five In Latest Start At Triple-A
New England Patriots

Patriots View TreVeyon Henderson As A Three-Down Back
Cleveland Browns

Browns View Quinshon Judkins As A Potential Bell-Cow Back
Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Plan To Develop Jalen Milroe As A QB
Bubba Chandler

Tosses Five Shutout Innings In Latest Start
Jordan Lawlar

Surging At Triple-A
Tennessee Titans

Titans Unlikely To Pick Up Treylon Burks' Fifth-Year Option
Cleveland Browns

Browns Apply Unrestricted Free-Agent Tender To Elijah Moore
Cleveland Browns

Browns Agree To One-Year Deal With Diontae Johnson
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Could Reunite With Amari Cooper
Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers Sign Robert Woods To One-Year Deal
Nick Maton

Outrighted To Triple-A
Josh Rojas

To Begin Rehab Assignment On Tuesday
Tyler Gilbert

To Serve As Opener On Tuesday
Ryan Weathers

Tosses Three Shutout Innings In First Rehab Start
Keider Montero

Sent Back To Minors
Steven Matz

To Start On Wednesday Against Reds
Kris Bryant

To Have "Follow-Up Scans"
Gary Sánchez

Orioles Place Gary Sanchez On Injured List
Tomoyuki Sugano

Records Career-High Eight Strikeouts
Jimmy Butler III

Officially Active For Game 4
Isaiah Stewart

Uncertain For Game 5
Michael Porter Jr.

Expected To Play In Game 5
Russell Westbrook

Questionable For Tuesday Night
Jaylen Brown

Back On The Injury Report
Jrue Holiday

Out Again On Tuesday Night
Bennedict Mathurin

Questionable For Game 5
Damian Lillard

May Not Play Next Season
Johnathan Kovacevic

To Remain Out Tuesday
Brenden Dillon

Unavailable Tuesday
Luke Hughes

Not Ready To Return For Game 5
Darius Garland

Remains Out On Monday
Ross Colton

Remains Out On Monday
Oskar Bäck

Oskar Back Returns To Stars Lineup Monday
Miro Heiskanen

To Miss Game 5
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go For Game 4
Cleveland Browns

Browns Decline Kenny Pickett's Fifth-Year Option
New York Giants

Giants Won't Pick Up Evan Neal's Fifth-Year Option
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Ikem Ekwonu
Philadelphia Eagles

Dallas Goedert Could Remain An Eagle
Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Could Still Add Wide Receiver Help Prior To 2025 Season
Cleveland Browns

Shedeur Sanders Struggled During Pre-Draft Process
Buffalo Bills

Elijah Moore Visiting With Bills
Jacksonville Jaguars

Emmanuel Ogbah Signs With Jaguars
New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr Undergoes MRI Exam
William Byron

Ends With A Strong Top-Five Finish At Talladega
Ryan Blaney

Bad Luck Continues With Talladega Crash
Kyle Larson

Has A Career-Best Performance At Talladega
Ian Machado Garry

Gets Back On Track With UFC Kansas City Win
Brad Keselowski

Talladega Run Ends Early After Crashing
Carlos Prates

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Zhang Mingyang

Still Undefeated In The UFC
Anthony Smith

Retires After UFC Kansas City Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous Decision Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous-Decision Loss
David Onama

Extends Win Streak At UFC Kansas City
Michel Pereira

Drops Decision At UFC Kansas City
Abus Magomedov

Extends His Win Streak
Nicolas Dalby

Gets Finished For The First Time
Randy Brown

Gets Back In The Win Column
Ikram Aliskerov

Gets First-Round TKO Finish At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Gets TKO'd At UFC Kansas City
Ivan Demidov

Has Historic Outing In Game 4
Timo Meier

Records Two Points Sunday
Andrei Svechnikov

Nets Hat Trick In Game 4 Win
Leon Draisaitl

Caps Off Four-Point Effort With First Postseason Overtime Goal
Connor Hellebuyck

Gets Pulled Again
Alexandre Carrier

Fails To Finish Game 4
Tyler Tucker

Makes Early Exit Sunday
Chase Elliott

Recovers from Speeding Penalty to Finish Fifth
Joey Logano

Finishes Last at Talladega After Disqualification for Missing Spoiler Brace
Ryan Preece

Loses Talladega Race First in Photo Finish Then in Post-Race Inspection
NASCAR

Poor Toyota Strategy Arguably Cost Bubba Wallace Winning Chances at Talladega
Christopher Bell

Unhurt After Hard Contact with Inside Retaining Wall
Jaylen Brown

Available For Game 4
Darius Garland

Questionable For Game 4
Jaden Ivey

Making Progress
Frederik Andersen

Exits Game 4 With Injury
Jake Neighbours

Shines On Sunday With Three Points
Jordan Binnington

Makes 30 Saves In Game 4 Victory
Patrik Laine

Not Expected To Play In Game 4
Sam Montembeault

Labeled Day-To-Day
Aliaksei Protas

Considered A Game-Time Decision Sunday
Logan Thompson

A Game-Time Call Sunday
Chase Elliott

Is One OF The Top Overall DFS Picks Of The Week
Joey Logano

Could Joey Logano Finish A Race With A Top Finish At Talladega?
NASCAR

DFS Players Should Like Bubba Wallace For Talladega This Week
Christopher Bell

Should DFS Players Roster Christopher Bell At Talladega?
Austin Cindric

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering For Talladega DFS Lineups?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Is A Solid, Safe, DFS Choice For Talladega Lineups
Austin Dillon

Is Austin Dillon A Viable DFS Play At Talladega This Week?
Josh Berry

Qualifies Too High At Talladega To Be Worth Rostering In DFS
Michael McDowell

Should DFS Players Take A Shot On Michael McDowell At Talladega?
Noah Gragson

Could Be A Sneaky DFS Play For Talladega
Denny Hamlin

Probably Qualified Too Well for DFS Consideration
Kyle Larson

Increasingly Undervalued Due to His Crashing, but Still a Great DFS Option
Jimmy Butler III

Ruled Out On Saturday
Isaiah Stewart

Questionable For Sunday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 4
Jrue Holiday

Won't Play On Sunday
Mitchell Robinson

Questionable For Game 4 Versus Detroit
Michael Porter Jr.

Available On Saturday Night
Russell Westbrook

Won't Suit Up For Game 4
Darius Garland

Won't Suit Up For Game 3
Darius Garland

Unavailable For Pregame Warmup
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF