Daily Fantasy MLB Pitchers for FanDuel and DraftKings - 5/6/17

Here's where you can find some recommendations for tournament pitchers to target for FanDuel and DraftKings. Find our main set of cash game picks here.

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Pitchers

Lance McCullers FD 8500 DK 11400
Opponent - LAA (Ramirez) Park - @LAA
FD - 32.37 DK - 21.33
With news coming late last night that Clayton Kershaw would be starting a day ahead of schedule for the Dodgers, that narrowed down our cash game options to one. For tonight's mains slate, Kershaw is the play in cash. In tournaments though, if you want to shake things up, Lance McCullers is a great place to start, particularly on FanDuel where that 8.5K price tag just screams upside. The 23 year old right hander will take the hill tonight against the Angels. The Angels have not been the potent powerhouse we would expect with names like Trout, Calhoun and Pujols. They're rocking one of the worst team wOBAs in baseball, at .296 which dips to .293 against right handed arms. They only have 28 combined home runs, though 24 of them have come against right handed pitchers. McCullers, who is 2-1 through six starts will bring his 11.72 K/9 to the mound. McCullers is having a better season than his 4.08 ERA would suggest. If we look deeper we see a 2.75 SIERA and a 1.3 WHIP. The wind will be blowing out to right center at a relatively strong 12mph but that's not too concerning given the matchup.

Vincent Velasquez FD 7400 DK 8100
Opponent - WSH (Turner) Park - @PHI
FD - 29.13 DK - 19.39
This one's a little riskier but could pay off at the end of the night. Vince Velasquez and the Phillies host the Nationals in Citizens Bank Park tonight for game two of the series. The Nationals easily won last night, teeing off on Rookie Nick Pivetta with even Stephen Strasburg getting in on the long ball action, and the Phillies pitching staff as a whole has allowed more home runs than any team in baseball this season. Velasquez will have a hard road ahead of him tonight, but it will get that much easier if Bryce Harper is kept out of the lineup again with a groin strain. Washington sports the best team wOBA in baseball (.369) and have 46 total home runs. Velasquez has struggled with his command early on, walking over 5 batters per 9, but the career 9.97 k/9 pitcher is not far off this season with 8.89 per. If Harper plays, I may not take the risk, but remove him from the lineup and we have a solid separation play with decent K/9 upside despite plenty of risk.

Brett Anderson FD 7200 DK 6900
Opponent - NYY (Montgomery) Park - @CHC
FD - 25.66 DK - 16.86
This may be the riskiest play but also is an excellent value play for a second pitcher on DraftKings, while loading up on Coors bats or locking in Kershaw as your SP1. Brett Anderson and the Cubs will face off with the Yankees tonight in Wrigley. In his favor is the wind blowing in from left field at 14mph, against a Yankees team with only 10 of their 45 total home runs coming off of southpaws. He'll be opposed by Jordan Montgomery, who could struggle against the Cubs high powered offense which could place Anderson in line for a W. Working against the former Dodger are the fact that the Yankees only K 21.4% of the time and walk at a ridiculous 10.8 percentage, while Anderson is only fanning 6.23, while allowing nearly 5 free passes per 9. I wouldn't lock him in as my only pitcher on FanDuel even with the price, but as a value option second pitcher on DraftKings, Anderson is definitely worth a shot.