This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Looking to make the most out of your Memorial Day weekend? How about a little daily fantasy MLB? Saturday is heavy on the day games, so the evening slate features just six games. Hey, that still leaves you with some options to mull over. First pitch is at 7:15 p.m. EDT. Here are my recommendations.
Pitching
Joe Musgrove, SD vs. PIT ($9,900): At home in a pitcher-friendly ballpark against the team that ranks 29th in runs scored is a nice scenario for any pitcher. Musgrove, though, has been stellar so far. He has a 1.90 ERA, and facing a team like Pittsburgh at Petco that number might even drop more by the end of Saturday.
Michael Lorenzen, LAA vs. TOR ($8,300): Lorenzen's ERA is helped by the fact his last two starts have been against the Athletics, but a 3.05 ERA is still good. Plus, the former Red has a 2.38 ERA at home. The Blue Jays have an impressive lineup on paper, but in practice they rank 25th in runs.
Taijuan Walker, NYM vs. PHI ($7,600): At this salary, I think Walker is worth a shot even if the Phillies are in the top 10 in runs scored. Walker has a 2.70 ERA through six starts, and in four of those starts he hasn't allowed a run. He did have one bad start this year, and it was against the Phillies, but that was also on the road.
Top Targets
The bat of Freddie Freeman ($5,800) has played as well in L.A. as it did in Atlanta. He's slashed .310/.396/.484 and has a history of crushing righties. Since 2020 he has a .996 OPS versus right-handed hitters. Meanwhile, Merrill Kelly has a 10.50 ERA in his last three starts.
Now, Tim Anderson ($5,000) isn't going to keep hitting .363. That said, he has averaged .322 over the previous three seasons, so he's clearly an elite hitter. He also has five home runs and seven stolen bases. Keegan Thompson has mostly pitched out of the bullpen in his career, and this season, and he has a career 4.31 ERA as well.
Bargain Bats
Taylor Ward ($4,700) is just returning from an injury, but he was having a stellar season before that injury. He's slashed .354/.463/.681 with nine home runs. Since Yusei Kikuchi is a left-handed pitcher, I wanted to grab a right-handed bat. Kikuchi has a career 4.84 FIP, and this year his FIP is 4.35.
I was surprised to see Ty France ($4,000) available at this salary. That is, in a way, the definition of "bargain." France is hitting .341, and he's showing the most power of his career with a .511 slugging percentage and seven home runs. Urquidy, meanwhile, has allowed righties to hit .262 against him since 2020.
Stacks to Consider
Padres vs. JT Brubaker ($8,000): Manny Machado ($5,100), Ha-Seong Kim ($4,300), Eric Hosmer ($4,300)
Brubaker has a career 5.12 ERA, and a 5.74 ERA on the road. On top of that, he's allowed 1.64 home runs per nine innings during his time in MLB as well. Now, Petco isn't great for home runs, but the Padres could rough him up on the mound with their lineup.
Machado is an early favorite for the NL MVP, as he's posted a 1.021 OPS with eight home runs and seven stolen bases. Plus, Machado isn't held back by his home ballpark, as he has a .978 OPS at home since 2020. As a rookie, Kim had eight homers and six stolen bases, and this year he already has four home runs and three stolen bases. Hosmer is batting .331/.397/.459, and while he's slowed down after a hot start he has a five-game hitting streak.
Mets vs. Zach Eflin ($6,900): Pete Alonso ($5,200), Jeff McNeil ($5,000), Brandon Nimmo ($5,000)
Eflin has a 3.65 ERA, but he's also allowing fewer home runs than usual. He's given up 1.42 home runs per nine innings in his career, so his numbers could be getting worse soon. On top of that, since 2020 Eflin has a 5.59 ERA on the road and has allowed lefties to him .276 against him.
Alonso has 12 home runs, and he's hitting better than ever as he has a .283 average. He also has a career .541 slugging percentage. McNeil is a career .301 hitter and is hitting .319 this year. The lefty is also showing power against righties this year, with a .534 slugging percentage in those matchups. Nimmo is batting .293/.386/.452 this season and has a career .392 OBP. Plus, over the last 21 days he's hit .338.
