Wednesday, May 12, has six teams in action early, along with a 10-game main slate. Tonight most teams are rolling with decent pitchers, which will make tournaments fun. 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, Wednesday, May 12th
Yahoo Stack of the Day: Philadelphia Phillies vs. LHP Jon Lester — 4.8 implied runs
This is the 17th MLB season for Jon Lester. While he tends to not implode and generally outperforms his peripherals, this is an interesting matchup for the Phillies, particularly on Yahoo. Last night, J.T. Realmuto left the game in the seventh inning after taking a foul tip off the inside of his left knee, making it unlikely that he plays today. That will take one of the featured hitters out of the Philadelphia lineup, which also should serve to suppress the interest of most gamers.
The initial targets should be batters swinging the stick from the right side of the plate, as Lester is allowing a 1.52 HR/9 over his last 855 opposite-handed matchups. Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura and Alec Bohm, who likely will be betting cleanup, are the priority MLB DFS picks. Rhys Hoskins has been having trouble connecting this season, but when he does it is with power, as evidenced by his eight home runs.
Bryce Harper knocked one out of his old stomping grounds last night. Over his last two-plus seasons, he has crushed fellow lefties to the tune of a .393 wOBA and a .275 ISO; these power numbers are surpassed only by Hoskins.
Finally, for differentiation in the event this stack does pick up popularity, Scott Kingery will likely be working out of the eight hole, and since he has been disappointing compared to his prospect billing, gamers have forgotten that he excels against southpaws. Using him as part of a wrap-around stack is a solid strategy for tournaments.
Early Slate
Cleveland Indians vs. RHP Zach Davies — 4.6 implied runs
Despite rolling up seven shutout innings in his last start, journeyman Zach Davies still has a 6.30 ERA and an unsightly 1.83 base runners allowed per inning. With a meager 12.8% strikeout rate this season that is actually surpassed by his 13% walk rate, crooked numbers are going to be in his future for a while. Over the last few years, Davies e has relied on a hefty 50% ground-ball rate, which allows him to eat innings. However, keep in mind that he will be facing a designated hitter instead of a pitcher, with this game being played in an American League park.
The trio to target should be Eddie Rosario, Franmil Reyes and switch-hitting Jose Ramirez. This matchup is particularly well suited for Reyes given his propensity to strike out nearly one-third of the time. Over their last 650plate appearances against right-handed hurlers, this crew has all posted at least a .340 wOBA and a .240 ISO.
Though a full stack is not totally inspiring, the candidates to make that happen would be Jake Bauers or Josh Naylor. This duo is at risk of being pinch-hit for if a fellow lefty comes in from the bullpen. While Chicago southpaws Brad Wieck and Rex Brothers each threw 16 pitches yesterday, that was their first action in four days. The Cubs have a pair of fresh arms in lefties Andrew Chafin and Justin Steele, so it makes sense they will employ at least one or two from this quartet of relievers at some point in this game.
Late Slate
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Miami Marlins — TBD implied runs
The Marlins have not announced a starter yet after pushing back Trevor Rogers for an extra day of rest. This may be a bullpen game, or they could always bring up someone from their alternate training site. They currently have six active relievers who have not pitched in at least two days, though none of them generally go more than 20 pitches per appearance.
Regardless of who is on the mound, there is the bonus of the Chase Field roof slated to be open tonight in the 95-degree weather. This will limit the impact of the humidor and favor the hitters in this game. While Arizona does not have many recognizable names on their roster, they are a veteran group of hitters that are by no means easy outs. Last night, Christian Walker, who is arguably their best bat, tweaked his oblique that already sidelined him for a couple weeks earlier this season. That should secure veterans Asdrubal Cabrera, David Peralta and Eduardo Escobar spots in the heart of the order. This trio has above-average pop and is in play on both the main and late slate. Carson Kelly is a solid hitter, but he has the salary of an All-Star on DraftKings and Yahoo where catchers are required.
Depending on if the Marlins send out a lefty or a righty, the batting order slots for lefties Pavin Smith, Josh VanMeter and Tim Locastro could be impacted. These hitters are best suited for late-slate differentiation only.
Final Thoughts for the Wednesday, May 12th MLB DFS Slate
While there is a doubleheader in Coors Field, it is in the middle of the afternoon, so most sites are skipping it. With regards to weather, the only precipitation spots are Boston and Atlanta, with neither being particularly worrisome. 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.
