MLB DFS: Top DraftKings and FanDuel daily Fantasy baseball picks, lineup advice for Thursday, May 19, 2022
Thu, May 19, 2022
MLB News (AP)
Starting pitching is always critical in MLB daily Fantasy but with options limited in Thursday's MLB DFS player pool because of it being a getaway day, it's going to be hard to avoid high ownership rates and take advantage of good matchups. Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen has been dealing this season with a 1.05 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 34.1 innings through six starts and he takes on a struggling Cubs offense on Thursday. But he'll be the most expensive starting pitching option and is likely to have the highest ownership rate as well.
Are you better off avoiding Gallen to differentiate your MLB DFS lineups and allow for reinvestment elsewhere or should you bite the bullet? Those are the sorts of questions that you have to ask yourself on lightly scheduled days and having a clear MLB DFS strategy could help you win big. Before you make your MLB DFS picks, be sure to'check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure.
McClure is a daily Fantasy pro who has won almost $2 million in his career. And when it comes to daily Fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Recognized in the book "Fantasy Football (and Baseball) for Smart People: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Fortune" as a top'MLB DFS'player, McClure's proprietary projection model simulates each game 10,000 times, taking factors such as matchups and recent results into account. This allows him to find the best values on every site.
On Wednesday, he highlighted Royals catcher MJ Melendez in his MLB DFS player pool on both FanDuel and DraftKings. The result: Melendez went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI to return 21 points on DraftKings and 28.4 points on FanDuel. Anybody that included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day. '
Now, as the 2022 MLB season continues, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for Thursday, May 19.'Head to SportsLine now to see them.'
One of McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Thursday is Diamondbacks 1B/OF Pavin Smith ($3,200 on DraftKings and $2,300 on FanDuel). The 26-year-old was a top 10 pick in the 2017 MLB Draft out of Virginia and finally made his big-league debut in 2020.'
Last season, he earned an everyday role with his ability to play all three outfield spots and first base but posted modest offensive numbers with a .732 OPS and 11 home runs to go along with 49 RBI. But he did close out with an OPS over .800 in two of the final three months of the season and had a .778 OPS against right-handed pitching. He'll take on Cubs righty Marcus Stroman on Thursday as he returns from nearly three weeks on the injured list.
Another part of McClure's optimal MLB DFS strategy includes rostering Astros third baseman Alex Bregman ($5,400 on DraftKings and $3,600 on FanDuel). The two-time AL All-Star is hitting just .230 on the season but a .235 BABIP that is more than 54 points below his career average points to better days ahead.
He's also been able to use a more patient plate approach to supplement his offensive numbers while he works through his issues. Bregman's 24 walks lead the American League and his 15.6 percent walk rate is the second-highest of his career. He has five homers and 22 RBI this season and he's been on base in three of his seven career plate appearances against Rangers starter Glenn Otto with a couple of RBI.
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Thursday. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value and he comes at a price that won't break the bank.'You can only see who it is here.
So what are the top MLB DFS picks for Thursday?'Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure's complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, and cash in big on MLB DFS.
