Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks Today for Saturday 5/23

by Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) Last Updated 2026-05-23 17:04:01 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, Justin has you covered with an extensive deep dive into his favorite MLB DFS picks today on May 23, 2026.

Happy Saturday, Grinders! Welcome to the start of a long holiday weekend! We have the usual Saturday with games spread out at different times, but both FD and DK are giving us a 7-game main slate that starts at 4:05 PM Eastern. We then have a smaller 5-game evening slate. I will cover both of those in the article today.

This is a day where we have to keep a very close eye on the weather. Things look extremely dicey in Baltimore and Philadelphia, where I would be shocked if they can play 9 clean innings given the current forecasts. I am going to write the article assuming these games play, but be very prepared to pivot. Atlanta is another spot we need to watch. All 3 of those locations are hosting games on the main 4 PM slate. It’s going to be an interesting day!

Let’s dig in and see what the start of a long weekend has in store for MLB DFS picks!

Saturday Afternoon Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel

TOP TIER ACES

• Zack Wheeler vs. Guardians (WEATHER PENDING)
• George Kirby at Royals
• Freddy Peralta at Marlins

We kick off this Saturday with a relatively underwhelming slate for pitching, especially given that weather looks like it might be a major problem in Philadelphia. If we lose Zack Wheeler, this slate becomes a lot less appealing for pitching options. For now, I’ll hold out hope that things end up looking better later on. As such, we will begin with the usual look at the 2026 data:

Wheeler – 1.99 ERA, 3.02 xFIP, 25.0% K, 5.8% BB (32 innings)
Kirby – 3.45 ERA, 3.57 xFIP, 20.7% K, 6.4% BB
Peralta – 3.31 ERA, 3.99 xFIP, 23.2% K, 10.7% BB

Assuming the weather holds up, I’ll definitely opt for Zack Wheeler as my SP1. The velocity has risen back to its usual levels, and he got a lot more swing and miss in his last start. He’s as matchup-proof as they come, and Cristopher Sanchez mowed down the Guardians last night. Even though Cleveland will send a lot of lefties up there, this is not a dangerous lineup. I have my doubts as to whether this game will play because of the potential rain all day, but if they announce that they are starting the game on time, I feel confident that they would play through the rain. Keep an eye on the forecast as first pitch gets closer.

From there, it’s a close call between George Kirby and Freddy Peralta as to who would be the best pivot. Kirby seems to be your safer option with a limited strikeout ceiling, while Peralta has more upside but shaky command. They have similar matchups, with Kirby drawing a Kansas City offense that ranks 19th in team wOBA against RHP this year and Peralta drawing a Miami offense that ranks 20th in the same department. I’ll give Peralta the slight edge for ceiling purposes, but this is largely splitting hairs.

The excitement for pitching this afternoon takes a real hit if Wheeler ends up not being a viable option.

SECONDARY ARMS

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