Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: MLB DraftKings Ideal Lineup Picks for May 14 – Bleacher Report
In looking for potential DraftKings fantasy studs for Thursday, May 14, we have to focus on the Texas Rangers’ visit to Kauffman Stadium to take on the Kansas City Royals. Unfortunately for the Rangers, most of the players who appear to be primed for big days are Royals.
Let’s start with Kendrys Morales ($4,100).
The Royals’ designated hitter—whom you can play as a first baseman—is currently on an eight-game hitting streak. On the season, Morales is hitting .297 with four home runs. He hasn’t homered since May 6, when the hit streak began, but Thursday might be the day he goes yard again.
Morales and the Royals are facing the struggling Ross Detwiler—he of the 7.22 ERA. The Rangers left-hander has had some major issues this season, and the Royals are the last team a scuffling pitcher wants to see. They’re the No. 1 scoring and hitting team in the majors, and Morales is just one of the Royals I’ve pegged to shine on Thursday.
Take a look at the rest of the lineup:
Position | Player | Opponent | Salary |
P | Michael Wacha | Cleveland | $9,000 |
P | Vance Worley | Philadelphia | $6,600 |
C | Salvador Perez | Texas | $3,900 |
1B | Kendrys Morales | Texas | $4,100 |
2B | Addison Russell | New York Mets | $3,600 |
3B | Mike Moustakas | Texas | $4,200 |
SS | Danny Santana | Detroit | $3,900 |
OF | Andrew McCutchen | Philadelphia | $5,200 |
OF | Yoenis Cespedes | Minnesota | $4,500 |
OF | Lorenzo Cain | Texas | $4,400 |
Salaries per DraftKings
Salvador Perez vs. Texas Rangers ($3,900)
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Catcher is one of the hardest positions to fill in a DraftKings lineup, but Salvador Perez has been as consistent as they come. He’s hitting .283 with four home runs this season. He should be happy to see Detwiler on the mound. Perez has hit .310 with two home runs and eight RBI against lefties this season.
There’s slim pickings for backstops in the early games, but Perez is the best bet, and his $3,900 salary makes it easy to fill out the rest of your lineup.
Vance Worley at Philadelphia Phillies ($6,600)
Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
Everyone loves a bargain pitching draft pick in a DraftKings lineup. Vance Worley might be the guy on Thursday. He and the Pittsburgh Pirates face the offensively challenged Philadelphia Phillies. The struggle has been real for Philadelphia at the plate this season.
In 35 games, the Phillies have scored just 99 runs, which is dead last in the majors. Worley has had some good and bad outings, but he has had success against the current members of this year’s Phillies. Through 19 at-bats, the Phillies who have faced Worley are hitting just .158 against him.
Expect Worley to lower that 4.63 ERA and put in about seven strong innings of work for your fantasy team.
Andrew McCutchen at Philadelphia Phillies ($4,500)
Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Through most of the season, Andrew McCutchen hasn’t looked like himself, but that’s slowly starting to change. While he’s still only hitting .231 on the season, he’s beginning to break out of his slump.
McCutchen has three hits in his last seven at-bats, with a home run and four RBI. On Thursday, he’ll face Phillies starter Aaron Harang. In the past, Cutch has had great success against Harang. In 20 career at-bats, Cutch is hitting .300 with a home run and two RBI.
I like him to continue his success against Harang and to keep his batting average on the rise.
Yoenis Cespedes vs. Minnesota Twins ($4,500)
Ed Zurga/Getty Images
In his career, Yoenis Cespedes has done a number on Minnesota Twins pitching. He’s hitting .354 against the team’s current staff, and that includes a .500 batting average in eight at-bats against Thursday’s starter Mike Pelfrey.
Cespedes hasn’t homered since April 27—which was against the Twins—and he’s definitely due to leave the yard again soon. When you factor in his success against the Twins and Pelfrey, and his homer drought, Thursday’s game seems like a good day to draft Cespedes.
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