clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

FanDuel Daily Fantasy Baseball (DFS) picks for Monday, May 2

I give some thoughts in 500 words or less about today's game.

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Reminder: Always double check the lineup card before rosters lock to make sure that a player you've chosen to roster is playing that day, and check the weather to make sure your players won't get rained out of their game.

FanDuel has made some tweaks to their scoring criteria for 2016. Check that out here. FanDuel is also only available to play for money in specific states. See their website for more details to see if FanDuel is playable for cash in your home state.

Pitcher

Here's one top tier and one salary relief option I like today:

Avoid the narrative that you might hear in the mainstream on this one and just use the numbers: Johnny Cueto ($10,600) goes back to Great American Ballpark to take on a weak Reds team that has a bottom third strikeout rate vs RHP and the worst wRC+ vs RHP at 64. Cueto's ability to limit hard contact has helped him find success in Great American Ballpark's bandbox, and he has an above average K%, swinging strike%, BB% and ERA so far this year through 5 starts. He appears to be healthy after having a shaky second half last year. The Giants see Brandon Finnegan, who has an above average ERA but below average peripherals. The Reds also have had a terrible bullpen following up their starters. Cueto looks to be a good bet to pitch well and get the win, and is my safest pitching option today. This has nothing to do with an "emotional return" to Cincinnati, or other like narratives. Cueto's skill set is good and the Reds are bad.

Jose Berrios ($6,200) is a decent, although risky, salary relief play if a fantasy owner wants to load up on hitting and take a risk with pitching. He's one of the better pitching prospects in the game, and he had a 28% K% in Triple A before coming up to the big leagues. The Astros have the second highest K% in baseball vs RHP at 27%, so there is strikeout upside here. The risk is that they can showcase a potent offense at times; their team ISO vs RHP is 6th best at .179, and the top of their order features studs Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer. Dallas Keuchel also opposes Berrios, which will make getting him run support difficult.

Hitting

I'm sticking with the Giants for hitting; Giants hitters get a massive park upgrade in Cincinnati and face the aforementioned Finnegan, who despite a good ERA has below average peripherals on the back of a .195 BABIP, 12% walk rate and 19% strikeout rate. He has also been prone to giving up dingers in his MLB career, with 1.41 HR/9. Buster Posey ($3,400) is reasonably priced and has a 143 wRC+ and .196 ISO vs LHP since the start of 2014 and would be the best play from the Giants if he's in the lineup.

Follow on twitter at @TimFinn521