Looking for a little extra spending cash for the coming weekend? Friday’s slate of games presents that opportunity for DraftKings daily fantasy owners with a wealth of big bats and consistent players to choose from.
Before the Friday games get underway, here’s a look at the best MLB position player picks for May 29.
First Baseman: Lucas Duda, New York Mets ($4,600)
Lucas Duda is absolutely crushing fools over his last six starts. But the Mets first baseman has mashed at home in four games during that stretch. In those four games, Duda has seven hits, five homers, eight RBI and nine runs.
“I’m getting a little more comfortable. Just trying to elevate a pitch and put a good swing on it,” Duda said, via Michael Baron of MLB.com. “I was looking for a fastball up and I was able to get it and put a pretty good swing on it.”
He’s seems pretty comfortable with some of the tape-measure shots he’s hit lately.
Don’t expect him to slow down against Dan Haren. While Haren has cruised at home in hitter-friendly Marlins Park, he’s struggled on the road with six homers allowed in four starts. He also has a 5.18 ERA on the road and will face a volatile New York lineup on Friday.
Second Baseman: Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins ($4,600)
The Minnesota Twins have been a truly surprising team this season, and Brian Dozier has been a huge part of that success. Dozier isn’t hitting a high average, but he still has a .364 OBP at home with an average of 9.2 fantasy points at Target Field.
His sample against Mark Buehrle is limited, but he has two hits with a double in three at-bats. As the leadoff man for the Twins, Dozier is getting several opportunities to thrive and will continue to do so for fantasy owners on Friday.
Third Baseman: Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals ($4,500)
I know what you’re thinking: “With Mike Bolsinger on the mound, why play a Cardinals batter?” Sure, Bolsinger has gotten off to a solid start, but he hasn’t faced a lineup like the one St. Louis presents. He’s also only faced one team on the road to this point.
Matt Carpenter has picked apart pitchers in myriad ways this year. Whether it’s through his power—26 extra-base hits and eight homers—or his methodical approach—21 walks and .389 OPS—Carpenter is a player every owner needs in his or her lineup. Even against Bolsinger, this lineup will get the job done.
Shortstop: Jhonny Peralta, St. Louis Cardinals ($4,100)
Keeping with the theme of Cardinals sluggers who should finally crack Mike Bolsinger, Jhonny Peralta is another position player to target. The veteran shortstop is enjoying a solid season and has shown plenty of pop in his bat recently.
During his six-game hitting streak, Peralta has one home run, four RBI, a walk and four runs. That all equates to an average of 9.3 fantasy points per game over that stretch. His strikeouts are lower and walks higher at home, making Peralta a consistent middle infielder to lock into a lineup.
Outfielder: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals ($5,200)
“I don’t always hit pop-ups. But when I do, they’re home runs.” These are the (fake) words of the most interesting batter in the world, Bryce Harper.
Yes, I’m aware he’s the second-highest salary player for Friday. Yes, I’m aware he’s playing on the road. But even at a high price, Harper is a can’t-miss player with the surge he’s been on in recent weeks.
There are several unreal stats for Harper recently, but here are some of the best from Aaron Gleeman of NBC Sports and Mark Zuckerman of CSN:
Simply put, Harper has been an animal over his last 19 games. With 13 homers over that stretch, no one is even close to the same realm as Harper in May. Going up against right-handed Anthony DeSclafani, Harper should continue his stretch of phenomenal play for owners as a No. 1 outfielder.
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