This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We're halfway through May, but barely through the MLB season. At this point, we can focus more on this year than on previous seasons. Those stats still matter, and I looked at them when setting my recommendations for your DFS lineups. The slate covers 10 games from the afternoon, so get your lineups in by 1:35 p.m. ET.
Pitching
Alek Manoah, TOR at TAM ($10,000): Manoah's rookie year was impressive with a 3.22 ERA. His sophomore campaign has been just as solid, and perhaps even more so. While he's not striking out as many batters, he's posted an 1.75 ERA through six starts. Tampa's offense has been above average, but Manoah's decidedly above average himself.
Brandon Woodruff, MIL at MIA ($9,600): Woodruff's 5.97 ERA is awful, but his 3.62 FIP is less concerning. He's still striking out a lot of batters with 11.62 per nine innings and last year compiled a 2.56 ERA, so I expect his numbers to improve. Meanwhile, the Marlins ranked 29th in runs scored in 2021.
Tyler Wells, BAL at DET ($7,600): Wells' first start of the season was rough, but he's produced a 2.42 ERA from his last five starts. The Tigers rank last in runs scored, and will really have to pick up the offense to get out of the cellar.
Top Targets
Mariners starter Robbie Ray won the Cy Young last year, but he's currently holding down a 4.22 ERA. He's still striking out plenty of batters - especially fellow lefties - but he's allowed 1.35 home runs per nine innings. Looking for a righty with homer potential? Pete Alonso ($4,300) is pretty much the perfect guy for that as he hit 53 home runs as a rookie and boasts a career .538 slugging percentage.
Brandon Drury's ($3,900) first season as a Red is going well. He's hitting .260, slugging .550, and has gone deep seven times. He's also gone .284 and slugged .511 against lefties since 2020. Jose Quintana is a southpaw, and one with a 4.42 ERA over the last six years.
Bargain Bats
Bo Bichette ($3,600) is starting to show signs of life to go with his three home runs and three stolen bases. He's a career .294 hitter who racked up 29 homers and 25 stolen bases in 2021. Corey Kluber managed a 3.83 ERA in 16 starts last season in his first year really getting to pitch since 2018, and it's at 4.77 this year.
In his first full campaign, Luis Urias ($3,000) hit 25 home runs and stole five bases. He's leading off this year with a .278 average and .409 OBP. Elieser Hernandez has posted a 5.86 FIP, which isn't surprising given his career 5.17 mark.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Patrick Corbin ($7,500): Yordan Alvarez ($4,100), Alex Bregman ($3,700), Chas McCormick ($2,500)
Corbin's time as a National has not gone swimmingly based on a 4.58 ERA in 82 starts and a 6.06 in 2022. A couple of the Astros' big bats are lefties and Jose Altuve is day-to-day, which played into my stack considerations.
Alvarez is a lefty, but he's produced an .867 OPS against lefties since 2020. And while the sample size is small, Corbin has let lefties hit .407 against him this season. Bregman's average and power have dipped a bit the last couple of years, but he's never had an OBP below .350 aside from his rookie campaign. He's also slugged .505 during his career and has five home runs in 2022. As a rookie in 2021, McCormick hit .257 with 14 homers and four stolen bases in 108 games. He's also registered a .783 OPS against lefties during his career.
Pirates vs. Hunter Greene ($6,200): Ke'Bryan Hayes ($2,900), Bryan Reynolds ($2,800), Daniel Vogelbach ($2,800)
Greene was an exciting prospect when he debuted. Theoretically, he still is with a dynamic fastball. But the numbers are atrocious with a 7.78 FIP while giving up a staggering 3.81 home runs per nine innings. Righties have also hit .305 against Greene. He'll probably turn it around someday, but for now he's one to be targeted - even when the Pirates are involved.
Hayes hasn't notched a home run, but has posted .312, a .411 OBP, and three stolen bases. Reynolds slashed .302/.390/.522 with 24 home runs last season and has four this season. Vogelbach can't hit his fellow lefties, but has recorded an .801 OPS against righties since 2020.
