Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks Today for Sunday 5/4

by Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) Last Updated 2025-05-04 16:56:26 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 Sunday, Grinders! The first Sunday of May brings us a healthy 11-game main slate, and for what feels like the first time all season, the main slates align on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Woo hoo! That is a cause for celebration.

What is not a cause for celebration is the weather. This has been a weekend where Chief Meteorologist Kevin Roth has earned his paycheck, with weather issues all over the country for the last few days. This will be a day where it is imperative to check for updates using our MLB weather page to make sure you are all set before rosters lock. As with yesterday, I am going to write this article assuming every game plays, as Roth does not have any of the games with a “RED” designation. However, that certainly does not mean that all these games will actually end up playing. It is going to be a busy day.

Assuming the weather doesn’t rain on the parade, this looks to be a very fun slate, so let’s dive in!

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Sunday Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on FanDuel & DraftKings

TOP TIER PITCHING

Garrett Crochet vs. Twins
Jacob deGrom vs. Mariners
Freddy Peralta vs. Cubs
Shota Imanaga vs. Brewers

This is a pretty diverse group of top arms, and it is part of what makes this slate interesting. As usual, let’s start with a look at the 2025 data:

Crochet – 2.05 ERA, 3.24 xFIP, 28.6% K, 10.3% BB
deGrom – 2.73 ERA, 3.51 xFIP, 25.6% K, 5.4% BB
Peralta – 2.52 ERA, 3.93 xFIP, 25.6% K, 8.8% BB
Imanaga – 2.77 ERA, 4.68 xFIP, 18.9% K, 8.2% BB

It’s a close call between Crochet and deGrom at the top, but I will give the edge to deGrom. He’s notably cheaper than Crochet on both FD and DK, and the signs from his last start were very encouraging, as deGrom got his fastball over 99 MPH at times, and he was super efficient with just 68 pitches in 6 innings. That should have him rested and ready to go for today’s start. While Seattle has strong splits against RHP so far in 2025, deGrom can dominate any lineup when he is on his game. As long as he is healthy, he is a bargain at his current salaries. In addition, Crochet has been much more erratic with his command this year and has racked up higher pitch counts early in starts.

To be clear, both Crochet and deGrom are fantastic options, and they are my favorites if you are looking to pick out multiple top-end pitchers. However, deGrom is my preferred play if you are looking to choose between them.

I have less interest in Peralta and Imanaga. Peralta has to face off against a relentless Cubs offense that has been absolutely raking to start the season. I see no reason to pay a premium for Peralta against said offense when we have Crochet and deGrom at similar salary levels. It’s just not worth the risk unless you are building a large number of multi-entry GPP lineups. Even then, I would be hard pressed to get talked into Peralta. Imanaga has a better matchup on the other side of this game against the Brewers, but he does not have strong advanced metrics, with a mediocre K/BB ratio and a 4.68 xFIP this season.

If you are looking for an ace today, just stick with deGrom (#1) and/or Crochet (#2).

SECONDARY PITCHING OPTIONS

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