Typically when a pitcher misses a start, he isn’t even considered for MLB DFS picks. Not so with Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who was hit in his pitching elbow Monday and scratched from his pitching start — but pounded a two-run homer as the Angels designated hitter. Ohtani’s start was moved back to Wednesday, when he will both take the mound and the batter’s box against the Tampa Bay Rays. Ohtani has a 1-0 record, a 3.29 ERA and 23 strikeouts in three mound appearances, and is tied for second in the majors with nine home runs.
Ohtani is going for $4,500 on DraftKings and $4,000 on FanDuel, which means rostering him as part of your MLB DFS strategy would still allow for flexibility down the line. Is Ohtani worth the investment, and who else should you consider for MLB DFS lineups on Wednesday? Before finalizing any MLB DFS picks for Wednesday, be sure to check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure.
McClure is a daily Fantasy pro who has won almost $2 million in his career. And when it comes to daily Fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Recognized in the book “Fantasy Football (and Baseball) for Smart People: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Fortune” as a top MLB DFS player, McClure’s proprietary projection model simulates each game 10,000 times, taking factors such as matchups and recent results into account. This allows him to find the best values on every site.
On Tuesday, McClure had Royals catcher Salvador Perez as a core player on DraftKings. The result: Perez went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer to earn 19 points on DraftKings. Anybody who had him in their lineup was well on the way to a profitable day.
Now, with the 2021 MLB season rolling on Wednesday, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
McClure’s top MLB DFS picks for May 5, 2021
One of McClure’s top MLB DFS picks for Wednesday is Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. at $5,800 on DraftKings and $4,300 on FanDuel. Acuna leads Major League Baseball with 10 home runs, and is hitting .337 with 21 RBIs. That includes going 2-for-5 with a solo homer Tuesday against the Nationals.
Acuna is arguably the hottest hitter in baseball right now, ranking ninth in batting average and 15th in RBIs. He also has seven doubles, a triple and 27 runs scored — good for a 1.153 OPS. Acuna is on pace to hit 56 home runs, drive in 117 RBIs and score 151 runs, and McClure sees more high MLB DFS output coming against Washington right-hander Erick Fedde — a reliever making a spot start Wednesday night.
Part of McClure’s optimal MLB DFS strategy includes stacking Acuna with first baseman Freddie Freeman at $5,800 on DraftKings and $3,700 on FanDuel. Freeman is hitting .208 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs this season. He also has three doubles and has scored 15 runs so far in 29 games.
Freeman hasn’t had a hit since last Friday, but it is only a matter of time before both quality contact and power returns to the 31-year-old veteran. Freeman is on pace to smack 39 home runs and drive in 101 runs this season. McClure sees Wednesday’s matchup the Nationals as a great one for Freeman, who has hit all but one of his home runs, all three doubles and has piled up a .928 OPS against right-handers like Fedde this season.
How to set your MLB DFS lineups for May 5, 2021
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Wednesday. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value and he comes at a price that won’t break the bank. You can only see who it is here.
So what are the top MLB DFS picks for Wednesday? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure’s complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, and cash in big on MLB DFS.