MLB DFS MAINSLATE BREAKDOWN 6/3/2022

Photo Credited : Sporting News

Friday baseball is my favorite baseball, especially when it comes to DFS. Often, you have loaded slates, with tons of games and tons of great pitching options. Tonight is no different, with 12 total games available to pick from.

Weather looks pretty solid overall tonight, with most games within the 70-80 degree cooler range. Rain is only really possible in the Colorado game, but even still, that game is looking very light if anything.

DISCLAIMER - Keep in mind, these articles and any associated videos are published early, so that you have a chance to review and set lineups. Actual lineups likely are not out yet, so please please make sure you check lineups before lock. Also, please ensure you check weather and potential delays.

PITCHERS

Gerritt Cole - $10,900 - v. DET - 8 O/U
- We finally have what is looking to be a dry game in New York. In that game we have by far the clear elite ace pithcer in Gerritt Cole on the mound for the Yankees. At home vs. the Tigers? Sign us up. The Yankees are heavy favorites so a win should be easy to predict, the Tigers are projected only 2.84 runs and Cole leads the slate with a strikeout projection of 8.5. As if you don't need anything more, the Tigers have been absolutely horrible against right handed pitching this year. They are ranked dead last in WRC+, 2nd to last in wOBA and dead last in ISO. Meaning they not only aren't hitting right handers but when they do they aren't showing any power. They are also striking out the 6th most in MLB. Anything can happen but an elite pitcher like Cole should be able to have his way with this Tigers team, espeically at home.
Shane Bieber - $9,800 - @ BAL - 8 O/U
- The Baltimore Orioles aren't quite as bad as the Detroit Tigers when facing right handed pitching, but they are bottom half of the league. Meanwhile, Bieber has shown he is one of the best young pitchers in the game and arguably can be one of the top aces in baseball. Bieber is coming off 3 straight great starts, pitching 21 total innings, allowing no more than 2 earned runs in any given game and striking out 22 over that game span. This guy has the ability to put up some really crooked numbers in terms of pitching and the downside really isn't there. His K% this season sits at 23% which based on his career should slowly increase here as the season goes on (career 30% K). I think it is a great matchup, for an excellent pitcher, coming in under $10k in salary. Look to fire up Bieber tonight.
Corbin Burnes
Shane McClanahan.
Zach Eflin

BATTERS

Matt Olson - $4,700 - @ COL - v. Kuhl (R - COL)
- My favorite bat on the night, Olson seems a bit underpriced considering he is a power bat, playing in Colorado, for a team projected over 6 runs, hitting in the middle of the order and surrounded by an elite lineup. By the way, Chad Kuhl is not a very good pitcher, allowing a career .360 wBOA, 5.01 xFIP and 1.51 HR/9 to left handed bats. Kuhl also doesn't strike either side of the plate out very much and allows a 40% fly ball rate to left handers. Keep in mind, Kuhl pitched the majority of his career in Pittsburgh, a very pitcher friendly park. Matt Olson on the otherhand possesses a career 139 WRC+, .371 wOBA and .265 ISO vs. right handers. I just have a great feeling about him tonight and love the lower (Coors Field) price tag.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - $4,300 - v. MIN - v. Gonzalez (R - MIN)
- Vlad Jr. has been nothing short of streaky so far this year, with streaks of some crazy performance followed by long stretches of a whole lot of nothing. Over the last 2-3 series, his bat has been performing fairly well and his is coming off a solid series against the White Sox. The good news is that his salary has come down a bit from it's high of $6,100 this year and is now at a point where I think we can justify taking a chance on the slugger. His numbers vs. right handers are suprisingly much better than you'd imagine, where he has a season 134 WRC+, .358 wOBA and .213 ISO. That's encouraging, especially in a matchup v. Chi Chi Gonzalez who is making his first start of the year for the Twins. Breaking down Chi Chi's numbers and focusing on away starts to remove his previous Coors Field disadvantages, he has a career .332 wOBA, 5.15 xFIP and incredibly low 14.7% strikeout rate v. right handers. The numbers aren't good and should be an ideal spot for a player of Vlad Jr. capability.
Oscar Gonzalez - $2,000 - @ BAL - v. Zimmerman (L - BAL)
- Given this slate is pretty large, I wanted to ensure I threw in a value play. As I write this article, it is very early in the morning, so lineups are not out but Oscar Gonzalez has been getting a bit of run, particularly against left handed pitching, in the middle of the Guardians order over the last couple of weeks. If that is again the case today, he is the bare minimum $2,000 salary and something I believe that can help out any DFS lineup tonight. Daily Fantasy Nerd shows him (if starting) as the best value on the slate and in fact, one of the highest values I've seen in some time for MLB. Fire him up as an incredible value tonight should he find his way into the lineup.
Bryce Harper
Jose Ramirez
Michael Brantley
Yordan Alvarez
Kyle Garlick

STACKS

*Atlanta Braves - 6.24 Runs Projected - @ Kuhl (R - COL) *
- It's hard to not play this team again tonight. We did it last night, they put up a 13 runs and now are in arguably a better spot v. Chad Kuhl. Ownership will remain high but hopefully not as dreadful as last night. Plus, if you look back, even on a short / small slate, bats such as Travis d'Arnaud were about 18% owned, which isn't that bad given the field. So you can get creative and explore other parts of the lineup to achieve lower ownership yet still capitalize on the environment. Just be careful with the weather - if it starts to look bleak, I likely will stay away and let others eat up the ownership with that type of weather risk.
Toronto Blue Jays - 5.48 Runs Projected - v. Gonzalez (R - MIN)
- The second highest run projected team on the slate, the Blue Jays are in a great spot tonight at home v Chi Chi Gonzalez. I may have just wanted to type up Chi Chi again but there is some legit merit to sticking with the Blue Jays tonight. Gonzalez is making his first start of the season and prior to the Twins had a pretty rough last few years in Colorado. Even if you exclude games in Coors Field, Chi Chi just does not have good metrics to suggest he can keep a lineup like the Blue Jays at bay. More importantly, Toronto has great bats throughout the lineup and come in at a cheaper price tag than a lot of the other high end teams on the night.
LA Dodgers
New York Mets
Pittsburgh Pirates