There are 15 games on Wednesday, May 5, including a double-header and a small handful of afternoon games. For today’s slate, Yankees and Rockies bats are popping as some of the best MLB DFS picks based on the pitching matchups they will face. Let’s get into the top hitters and stacks for Yahoo, DraftKings and FanDuel.
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MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Hitters and Stacks, Wednesday, May 5th
Yahoo Stack of the Day: New York Yankees vs. RHP Luis H. Garcia — 4.9 implied runs
Today the Yankees will be squaring off against Luis H. Garcia. If that name seems a little familiar, it is because last season there were three players sharing that name. Luis V. Garcia made his MLB debut with the Nationals as an outfielder. Luis H. Garcia debuted as a pitcher for the Astros, and then there was veteran pitcher Luis A. Garcia who played for the Rangers. This one is Luis H. Garcia.
Garcia has above-average strikeout ability, but he profiles better as a multi-inning reliever or as an opener than as a starting pitcher. Projection systems give him high marks, with a range of 9.0 to 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Conversely, they have him ceding considerable power, with 1.3 to 1.7 home runs per nine innings.
Giancarlo Stanton is locked in right now, with multi-hit games in five of his last six appearances. Aaron Judge already has two multi-home run games, and he is looking as imposing as ever in the batter’s box now that he is finally healthy. Two-time batting champion D.J. LeMahieu is an absolute steal at just $13 on Yahoo, and gamers can easily work in a full pinstripe stack with the savings provided by Gleyber Torres ($10), Clint Frazier ($8) and Gary Sanchez ($7).
Early Slate
Colorado Rockies vs. RHP Logan Webb — 5.0 implied runs
On the two-game early slate, conventional wisdom will be to roll southpaws John Means and Yusei Kikuchi, who are squaring off in Seattle, and then load up on hitters in Coors Field. Do not be afraid to look at some one-off Orioles or Mariners for differentiation, even if that means taking a player or two against the preferred pitcher.
Logan Webb is actually well suited to pitch in Coors Field, with his heavy ground ball lean at 51.1% over his last 510 batters faced. Of course, he does have a 40.2% hard-contact rate, and while he may not allow an abundance of home runs, the spacious outfield in Denver is conducive to extra base hits.
Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story lead the way. The top choice today is C.J. Cron and his light-tower power batting cleanup. Finally, look to Raimel Tapia and Ryan McMahon swinging the stick from the left side of the plate. This is where the masses are likely to land as well, so again, differentiation from the other game is going to be key.
Late Slate
Oakland Athletics vs. LHP Robbie Ray — 4.2 implied runs
For the second straight day, the Blue Jays will be running out a southpaw against the Athletics. Yesterday Anthony Kay was chased after allowing four runs through four innings, but the bullpen held the line for the remainder of the game. On tap today is veteran Robbie Ray, who is well known in DFS circles for his strikeout ability and for the times he spontaneously combusts on the mound. Home runs are almost a given with Ray, as he has allowed them in three of his four starts. The wild card is the number of runners on base when those home runs occur. In his last two starts spanning 12.2 innings, Ray has allowed nary a walk. In his first two outings, he allowed an eye-popping nine in just 10 innings.
Since the beginning of 2019, Ray has an outstanding 29.8% strikeout rate, although he is allowing a .236 ISO to opposite-handed batsmen. For perspective, Mike Trout has tallied a .242 ISO against southpaws over the last two-plus seasons.
Because Ray tends to allow runs in bunches, the A’s are a viable full stack on all slates today. One-off hitters are also fine in the hopes they do a little home run hunting as well. The party starts with Matt Chapman, who has posted a .269 ISO in righty/lefty matchups over the last two-plus seasons. Ramon Laureano (.220 ISO) is not a household name, but he is currently second in MLB with eight steals. Mark Canha (.194 ISO) will be leading off and is all but assured of five at-bats. Sean Murphy (.224 ISO) will be either behind the dish or serving as the designated hitter; either way, he will be in the heart of the order. Finally, Stephen Piscotty (.196 ISO) is an excellent discount dandy near the minimum salary on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Final Thoughts for the Wednesday, May 5th MLB DFS Slate
Storms are working their way up the East Coast, and while Washington and Philadelphia will be clear by mid-afternoon, keep an eye on Boston and New York. It is going to be in the mid-40s in Minnesota with a chance of light rain, and while it will be miserable, the chance of a postponement is relatively low. As always, keep in mind that salaries and scoring formats differ across the various fantasy sites, and a home run play on Yahoo may be a below-average MLB DFS pick on DraftKings or FanDuel.
