FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks for Thursday 5/9/24

11d

FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks for Thursday 5/9/24

Stacking is an integral part of daily fantasy baseball. Correlation drives upside, giving your lineups a slate-winning ceiling when your stacks explode.

This piece will do the digging and the dirty work each day to determine which stacks are worth rostering on FanDuel's main slate. While we want upside, we also need to factor in game theory, especially in a sport as random as baseball.

The MLB DFS heat map at numberFire is a quick way to get a feel for the overall slate and which offenses are in a good spot. You can also check out our daily fantasy baseball projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- to identify the slate's best bats.

Let's look at the top stacks for today's main slate.

MLB DFS Stacks

Kansas City Royals

Implied Total: 4.04 | Opposing Pitcher: Reid Detmers

After a formidable start to the season, Reid Detmers is showing signs of being a pitcher we can target in DFS again. Detmers has permitted four-plus earned runs and five-plus hits in each of his last three starts for the Los Angeles Angels.

On Thursday, Detmers is set to take on the Kansas City Royals, who have surprised many with a 22-16 record through their first 38 games. Even though the Royals have the fifth-worst wOBA (.280) and sixth-lowest ISO (.115) against southpaws, they do have the seventh-lowest strikeout rate (19.5%) in that split.

Meanwhile, Detmers is in the 43rd percentile in average exit velocity (89.0 MPH) and 24th percentile in barrel rate (9.4%). With Detmers having 15 batted-ball events in four consecutive starts -- and the Angels' bullpen owning the 12th-worst SIERA (3.85) and fourth-worst HR/9 (1.28) -- the Royals could do damage in Los Angeles in this matchup.

When stacking the Royals, we'll want to center our attention on Maikel Garcia ($3,100), Bobby Witt Jr. ($4,300), Vinnie Pasquantino ($2,900), and Salvador Perez ($3,500) at the top of the order. Pasquantino is a fantastic value option with 12-plus FanDuel points in five of his last seven games, and Detmers has reverse splits throughout his career.

Even though Detmers produces worse metrics versus lefties, other right-handed bats that are worth using in Kansas City's lineup are Nelson Velazquez ($2,700), Freddy Fermin ($2,500), and Hunter Renfroe ($2,500). Keep an eye out to see if the Royals elect to insert either Michael Massey ($2,800) or MJ Melendez ($2,600) into the lineup with left-handed hitters having more success against Detmers.

St. Louis Cardinals

Implied Total: 3.94 | Opposing Pitcher: Tobias Myers

It has been a forgettable start to the season for the St. Louis Cardinals, but they have a favorable matchup against Tobias Myers and the bullpen of the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. Myers has yet to pitch more than five innings in his first three starts while he has given up plenty of hard contact and four-plus earned runs in back-to-back starts.

Across his first three starts, Myers is in the 16th percentile in xERA (5.28), sixth percentile in whiff rate (17.1%), 32nd percentile in strikeout rate (20.0%), and sixth percentile in barrel rate (12.8%). To go along with his dismal 48.7% fly-ball rate, Myers has surrendered five home runs in three starts -- all by right-handed hitters.

Although the absence of Willson Contreras could loom large for the Cardinals, St. Louis will lean on Brendan Donovan ($2,900), Lars Nootbaar ($2,700), Paul Goldschmidt($3,000), and Nolan Arenado ($3,100) early in the lineup. Arenado is my favorite play of the bunch with Myers producing reverse splits and the fact the experienced third baseman is sporting a .357 wOBA and 134 wRC+ in same-handed matchups.

Masyn Winn ($2,800) and Ivan Herrera ($2,600) are the other right-handed bats who could be in the lineup and take advantage of Myers' woes against right-handed hitters. Alec Burleson ($2,500) and Dylan Carlson ($2,500) are low-salary options for those who are trying to use Sonny Gray ($11,600) at pitcher.

What also makes St. Louis an intriguing team to stack is Milwaukee's bullpen is currently recording the 13th-worst SIERA (3.77). 14th-worst WHIP (1.30), and fifth-worst HR/9 (1.14).

All customers get a 30% Profit Boost for any LIVE 3+ leg Same Game Parlay wager on any MLB game happening May 8th! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Want to play MLB DFS? Head over to FanDuel’s daily fantasy baseball lobby to see all the offerings for today’s slates.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.