Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks Today for Saturday 5/17

by Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) Last Updated 2025-05-17 16:26:01 Premium Content Part of the product MLB DFS

Long-time grinder, Justin Van Zuiden (aka stlcardinals84), is here to cover the bases for the upcoming MLB DFS slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Whether you are looking for the top pitchers or the best stacks, Cards has you covered with an extensive deep dive into his favorite MLB DFS picks.

Happy Saturday, Grinders! As usual, we have a split slate Saturday on tap. Today’s split slate leans more toward the evening games, but we do have a 5-game early slate to go along with that 8-game evening docket. The slates align on both FD and DK for the second straight Saturday, and that has me rejoicing in the streets. (Well, really on my couch, but it’s a figure of speech).

There doesn’t appear to be much in the way of weather concerns today, so it should be all systems go for lineup building. Head on over to our MLB DFS optimizer page and let those lineups fly!

Let’s see what the start of the weekend has in store!

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Saturday Afternoon Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on FanDuel & DraftKings

ONE SEMI-ACE WITH A GOOD MATCHUP

I have a beef to pick with Mr. CheeseIsGood. There were somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,306 good pitchers on the mound Friday, give or take a few. My count may be off slightly. He was left dusting the likes of Logan Webb and Joe Ryan as leftovers because the pool was so deep. Meanwhile, I’m left with… Matthew Boyd? He’s the only good pitcher on this slate? Are we serious?

It is what it is. Here’s Matthew Boyd, the ace of this afternoon slate with a matchup against the White Sox. Boyd owns a respectable 2.78 ERA and 23.4% strikeout rate on the season, and the White Sox rank 26th in team wOBA, 24th in team ISO, and 28th in walk rate against LHP so far in 2025. They are middle of the pack in strikeout rate. When you see the data on the secondary pitchers, you will see that Boyd clearly has the best numbers of any pitcher going this afternoon.

Since he is facing the White Sox, this must surely be a lock button, right? Not so fast. The one caution I need to throw out there is that we have a 20 MPH wind blowing out to right field at Wrigley this afternoon. That wind at Wrigley can be the great equalizer. I will say that out to right is better for Boyd than yesterday’s wind blowing out to left, since Boyd is a LHP who will be more susceptible to pull power from the right side of the plate (which would be to left field). I’m also not sure the White Sox are capable of taking advantage given their lack of talent. Boyd still has a strikeout projection close to 6, and he’s my SP1 (reluctantly so). I’m more inclined to play him on DK where the salary is manageable; I’m less thrilled at his elevated tag on FD.

SECONDARY PITCHING OPTIONS