MLB

3 Daily Fantasy Baseball Players to Avoid on 5/8/19

Matt Kupferle  —  @MKupferle May 8th, 2019
Max Kepler has socked seven home runs this season, but he's in a tricky matchup tonight. Who else should we consider avoiding?

Baseball is here, and there are plenty of DFS contests to choose from on FanDuel's main slate. While we have plenty of pieces geared towards guys you should target in your DFS contests, it's also important to avoid sub-optimal options who are overpriced and/or in tough spots.

Let's check out three players to consider fading on FanDuel's main slate for May 8.

Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins

at Toronto Blue Jays
FanDuel Price: $3,600

Popping seven home runs to his name this season, Max Kepler of the Minnesota Twins could finally be breaking out, and he's been a big-time fantasy asset this year. Primarily hitting from the leadoff spot, the young slugger has certainly started strong.

He could meet his match in young hurler Trent Thornton of the Toronto Blue Jays, who's been pretty solid this season. While sample sizes this small are always a bit scary, he's actually been really good against opposite-handed hitters, limiting them to a 28.0% strikeout rate and 29.2% fly-ball rate in his debut year.

The Twins sport a solid 4.50 implied team total, so their ownership is likely, but it may be best to sit this one out with Kepler.

Nick Castellanos, Detroit Tigers

vs Los Angeles Angels
FanDuel Price: $3,600

After a night of tough at-bats against rookie Griffin Canning of the Los Angeles Angels, the Detroit Tigers could be locked into another tough matchup with Tyler Skaggs tonight.

Currently sporting a middling 4.06 runs tonight, Nick Castellanos and crew will face a hurler that's been picking up steam. Sporting a 22.9% strikeout rate on the season, Skaggs has done a nice job limiting opposite handed bats. He has limited them to a .305 wOBA this season, and in 2018, they recorded only a 33.1% fly-ball rate and .332 wOBA against righties.

Castellanos has been solid with a 10-game hitting streak, but he makes for a decent avoid tonight.

Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

vs Los Angeles Dodgers
FanDuel Price: $4,000

While his fastball velocity may still be down from his peak powers, Clayton Kershaw is reminding everyone why he is one of the best pitchers of this generation.

In 26 innings, the lefty ace owns a 27.8% strikeout rate, including a miniscule 5.2% walk rate and saucy 12.1% swinging-strike rate.

For Kershaw's career, he's been miserable to hit against for same-sided bats, as they own a .294 wOBA, .317 slugging percentage, and 35.0% strikeout rate.

Freeman's Braves have an implied team total of only 3.37 runs, but given his career .920 OPS at SunTrust Park and a declining Kershaw, some may try and sneak him into their lineups. Don't get cute, fade the third-most expensive first baseman on the day.


Matt Kupferle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Matt Kupferle also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username MKupferle. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.