Most Mondays only have games at night, but that's not the case here. The reason is that it's Memorial Day, which means we have 13 games spread throughout the day. There's actually no more than two games starting at the same time, so it should be a fun day for any baseball fan. With that in mind, we'll look at the five-game main slate starting at 4:40 p.m. EDT. Let's celebrate this Memorial Day with some DFS picks!
Try our DraftKings MLB Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
Pitching
Trey Yesavage, TOR vs. MIA ($9,500)
We weren't so sure how Yesavage would look after missing so much time, but he's been special since his reinstatement from the IL. This playoff hero has a 1.07 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 10.3 K/9 rate through five starts this season. That's the ace we saw throughout Toronto's postseason run last year, accruing a 3.58 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 12.7 K/9 rate. A matchup with Miami doesn't special, but the Marlins have one of the worst lineups in baseball and rank 27th in xwOBA. We also don't mind that Yasavage is a -170 favorite!
Emmet Sheehan, LAD vs. COL ($9,300)
Sheehan's 4.93 ERA might scare some DFS managers away, but this is a prime spot to use him. This righty has been much better than that ERA would indicate, providing a 3.37 xFIP. That's more in line with what we saw from Sheehan last season, sporting a 2.82 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 rate. Those numbers should be easy to duplicate here because the Rockies rank 27th in K rate and 28th in xwOBA while posting even worse averages on the road. All of that has Sheehan entering this sensational matchup as a -300 favorite!
Top Targets
Nick Kurtz, ATH ($5,600) vs. Luis Castillo
It's funny that people were worried about Kurtz after the opening week because he's been one of the best hitters in MLB since then. This slugger has a 46-game on-base streak while providing a .481 OBP and 1.075 OPS across his last 34 fixtures. His numbers against righties are even more ridiculous, registering a .453 OBP and 1.123 OPS against them since his call-up. That makes him a worthy option against any righty, but Castillo has been horrid this year. The Mariners righty has a 6.41 ERA and 1.55 WHIP so far this season.
Randy Arozarena, SEA ($5,000) vs. Aaron Civale
Not enough people are talking about how amazing Arozarena has been this year. This former All-Star is on pace for about 20 homers and 45 steals while hitting nearly .300. A ton of that production has come recently, with Arozarena amassing a .476 OBP and 1.045 OPS across his last 15 fixtures. Arozarena has always been susceptible to those sorts of runs, and we certainly won't fade him against Civale in Sacramento. That's one of the best hitter's parks in the sport, with Civale collecting an ugly 1.65 WHIP at home this season. We don't mind a Seattle stack since they're projected to score five runs, with Julio Rodriguez ($4,800), Josh Naylor ($4,500) and Luke Raley ($4,300) looking like good options.
Bargain Bats
Joc Pederson, TEX ($3,200) vs. Tatsuya Imai
Pederson has always been a DFS asset whenever he matches up with a weak righty. That's just what we have here, with Imai amassing an 8.31 ERA and 1.79 WHIP this season. Those are some of the worst marks in baseball, but it's no surprise since Houston is dead-last in ERA and WHIP. Pederson always hits in the heart of the Rangers lineup against righties, posting a .344 OBP and .822 OPS against them throughout his career. He's also been playing much better over recent weeks, tallying a .478 OBP and 1.006 OPS across his last 15 outings. Brandon Nimmo ($4,400) and Jake Burger ($3,600) are good pairings with Pederson.
Jesus Sanchez, TOR ($3,000) vs. Janson Junk
Sanchez was one of Toronto's big offseason acquisitions, and he continues to provide exactly what they need. The Blue Jays were in need of a southpaw slugger, and Sanchez is just that. He has a .305 AVG and .825 OPS against right-handers this year. He's also got a hit in 11 of his last 13 outings while generating a .441 AVG and 1.150 OPS in that span. Junk is an appropriate name for the way this righty has been pitching recently, providing a 10.26 ERA and 1.80 WHIP across his last three starts. Daulton Varsho ($3,700) has a .916 OPS over his last 14 fixtures and also has the platoon advantage against Junk if you want to stack these two.
Stacks to Consider
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies (Tanner Gordon): Shohei Ohtani ($6,500), Kyle Tucker ($4,800), Freddie Freeman ($4,600), Will Smith ($3,800)
There weren't many great stacks on this short slate, but there's no safer pick than the Dodgers against the Rockies. Colorado ranks last in wOBA and 28th in xwOBA. They were also last in ERA and WHIP last season, while the Dodgers had the highest-scoring lineup in baseball. That's why they're projected to score five runs in this game, and they're one of the only teams that could reach double figures. Gordon is not someone we're worried about either, accumulating a 6.96 career ERA and 1.55 WHIP.
Shohei has struggled as a hitter this season, but his struggles are different than most. He led the league in DraftKings points last year and still has a .413 OBP and 1.072 OPS against righties over the last three years. Tucker has tallied a .387 OBP and .880 OPS against right-handers in that same span. Freeman is in the same boat as these other superstars, sporting a .384 OBP and .881 OPS against them in the same stretch. Smith is the one righty of the bunch, but he has a .874 career OPS against the Rockies.
