Friday, May 7, has an MLB appetizer with the Cubs hosting the Pirates. The main slate brings 14 games and a few weather spot to monitor. Julio Urias, Carlos Rodon and Jack Flaherty give gamers some aces to target. For batters in above-average situations, the Twins, Dodgers and Mariners stand out the most. Let’s get into the top MLB DFS picks for hitters and stacks for Yahoo, DraftKings and FanDuel.
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MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Hitters and Stacks, Friday, May 7th
Yahoo Stack of the Day: Minnesota Twins vs. LHP Tarik Skubal — 4.9 implied runs
There is a little rain in the forecast, though as long as it stays on track, things should be good around first pitch. Monitor the situation in the event of any changes. Tarik Skubal has been struggling, as is often the case with southpaws first coming up to The Show. Though he has made six starts, Skubal has pitched in the fifth inning only once this year despite averaging 75 pitches per appearance. Twice he has allowed three home run games, and he has had some issues with control, allowing 14 free passes in his 22 innings.
Byron Buxton is questionable after leaving last night’s game with a hip injury. Alex Kirilloff is on the injured list along with Luis Arraez, though Miguel Sano just returned from injury. This should provide an opportunity for journeyman outfield Kyle Garlick to hit in the middle of the order at just $7 on Yahoo. He has just 66 at-bats against lefties over the last three years in sporadic playing time, but he has found success and has a .246 ISO. The discount he provides will enable gamers to easily work in Nelson Cruz and his $20 salary.
The oft-injured Josh Donaldson is finally healthy, and in 2019 with Atlanta he had 37 home runs and 94 RBIs. Since the start of that season, in 203 plate appearances with the platoon advantage, he has rolled up a .218 ISO and an outstanding 20.2% walk rate. Mitch Garver will likely draw the leadoff slot if Buxton is unable to go, and he knocks out the catcher requirement with a power bat. Sano may go 1-for-5 with three strikeouts today, but that lone hit could easily leave the yard with a lefty on the mound.
Evening Slate
Seattle Mariners vs. RHP Michael Foltynewicz — 4.2 implied runs
When they are playing in T-Mobile Park, the Mariners have just a 78 wRC+ this season. This means they are scoring runs 22% less than the average team. While on the road, they jump to a 98 wRC+, which is essentially league average. Their home wRC+ will increase as the weather warms, but this drastic split has been in play for nearly the entire two decades they have played there.
While the new stadium in Texas seems to be pitching friendly, there is a good chance the roof will be open given a first pitch temperature in the low-80s with a 10 to 12 mph breeze blowing out to left field. On the mound is Michael Foltynewicz, who is likely to get picked on every start he makes this season. While his strikeouts are just shy of one per inning this season, Foltynewicz has allowed eight home runs in just 27.1 innings.
Seattle is very concentrated with the players worth targeting, which are Mitch Haniger, Kyle Seager and Kyle Lewis. They should all be in the top four of the batting order, and all have posted .200-plus ISOs against right-handed pitching over the last two-plus seasons. Most gamers will stay away from the Mariners, even on the four-game evening slate. This trio makes for a fine contrarian option on all slates tonight.
Late Slate
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. RHP Griffin Canning — 4.2 implied runs
Over five starts this season, Griffin Canning has been uneven to say the least. Twice he has failed to make it out of the third inning, and he has allowed home runs in four starts. In his last outing he held the Mariners scoreless in Seattle across 5.1 innings, which just adds to the rollercoaster of game logs.
With this game being in an American League park, the Dodgers will be gifted the designated hitter instead of having their pitchers bat. Even with Cody Bellinger out with an injury, they have a veritable All-Star lineup. Yahoo and DraftKings did a great job with salaries. Though the key hitters are a little more expensive than usual on FanDuel, they are not going to break the bank.
Max Muncy is the top MLB DFS pick, followed closely by Corey Seager and Justin Turner. With the designated hitter slot, Will Smith should see action all weekend, which checks off the catcher requirement on DraftKings and FanDuel. Finally, Mookie Betts, Chris Taylor and A.J. Pollock are in the next tier. On the late slate, even Matt Beaty and Gavin Lux can be targeted. For the record, were there a lefty on the mound, Betts would swap spots in this ranking with Muncy.
Final Thoughts for the Friday, May 7th MLB DFS Slate
There are a couple of weather spots to monitor in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Baltimore and New York. 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.
