Free MLB DFS Picks at Draft Kings for MLB Opening Day (2023) – Top Stacks and Best Arms
The 2023 MLB season is finally here, as Draft Kings offers a jam-packed 11-game main slate for Opening Day.
You can try literally everything for game one, as none of the 2023 data has been established, and we really don’t know what to make of certain squads.
Heck, as I write this, we don’t even have official starting lineups yet! That said, we should be able to form loose opinions on what we like or don’t like.
The Atlanta Braves are the chalky stack on this slate, while wind and matchup make the Minnesota Twins pretty appealing. You can also freely target the potent offenses like the New York Yankees.
As for pitching, the pricing is super suppressed, so studs like Gerrit Cole, Corbin Burnes, Shane McClanahan, Blake Snell, and Max Scherzer will split a lot of the ownership.
Of course, to take down a tourney, you need to think a bit outside the box. Definitely mix in the aforementioned options, but consider the following pitchers and stacks when finalizing your daily fantasy baseball picks on Opening Day.
Top MLB DFS Stacks for Opening Day
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- San Francisco Giants
- Kansas City Royals
- Baltimore Orioles
It pains me to stack these teams, but there is incentive to rolling with any of them. First, the Pirates are undeniably bad, but they also get a huge park upgrade and face a familiar foe in the Reds.
Cincy does have a strikeout demon in Hunter Greene (30.9% K rate!) toeing the rubber, but he also gives up loads of hard contact and fly balls. Obviously you can use him against the Pirates, but this park and his pitching style could lead to disaster.
It’s somewhat similar for the Giants vs. Gerrit Cole. The Yanks ace could easily rack up 12+ whiffs and dominate here, but he’s also prone to the long ball.
The Giants also obviously get a huge park upgrade.
San Francisco has the worse matchup, but they’re the scarier offense when comparing them to Pittsburgh.
We get a little less vomit-inducing with the Royals, who could be a fun leverage stack against a potentially popular Twins stack. Minnesota is very much in play against the strikeout-immune Zack Greinke, but if they’re popular, zig where others zag.
KC is at home, and the winds are blowing out at 20 MPH. Facing Pablo Lopez isn’t exactly ideal, but the wind, leverage, and overall upside is appealing here.
Lastly, I am very curious to see if the O’s end up being chalky.
They’re easily one of the top stacks thanks to a good amount of power in a great park against a “meh” arm in Corey Kluber. The problem? Their prices are severely inflated because of it.
Boston could be more popular, and if you’re spending cash, it’s likely you just eat the chalky and stack Atlanta. It may pay to be bold and use Baltimore sticks instead, though.
Daily Fantasy Baseball Pitchers for 3/30/23
- Shane McClanahan – Rays ($7.7k)
- Blake Snell – Padres ($7.9k)
- Max Scherzer – Marlins ($9.4k)
- Max Fried – Braves ($8.1k)
I am highlighting my top MLB DFS picks when it comes to pitchers. That doesn’t guarantee they all wreck, and it certainly doesn’t mean other pitchers aren’t good plays.
However, if some of the other stud aces are garnering a lot of ownership, I’ll gladly fade them and just use McClanahan and Snell at similar ownership (or hopefully even less).
Both of these guys rack up strikeouts, have very good matchups, are at home, and are operating in pitcher-friendly parks. They’re also favored to win.
If that doesn’t make them the total package, I’m not sure what will.
Max Max is getting long in the tooth, is on the road, and does like to give up the long ball, but he’s still facing a very familiar Marlins team.
Pricing isn’t a huge concern on this slate, so I have zero issue making him my favorite pricey arm on this slate.
Max Fried is not a big strikeout guy, but he has everything going for him today, making him one of my favorite daily fantasy baseball picks to build around.
Fried is on the road, but he faces a toothless Nats offense and he’s a big favorite to win. He also will be unowned and still has a solid fantasy point projection.
Other MLB DFS Picks for 2023 Opening Day
- William Contreras, C, Brewers ($3.6k)
- Joey Gallo, 1B, Twins ($3.1k)
- Nick Gordon, 2B, Twins ($2.9k)
- Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox ($5.9k)
- Willy Adames, SS, Brewers ($5.1k)
- Juan Soto, OF, Padres ($5.3k)
If you needed some one-off MLB DFS picks for Opening Day, I’ve got you covered. I also really like Milwaukee at Wrigley Field, as the wind is blowing out at about 10 MPH.
Marcus Stroman is a groundball pitcher, but that park and the wind could give you something to think about. Contreras and Adames are fine one-off options, but a full stack is in play, too.
Gallo and Gordon are two solid Twins one-offs. Stacking Twins isn’t getting creative on this slate, but I’ll mention 2B is a war zone. I hate the position on this slate.
Devers is always worth a look and he’s at home against the beatable Kyle Gibson. You can stack the Red Sox like any other day, but he’s a great one-off, too.
I’ll cap things off with Soto, who feels discounted when compared to other mashers. His game is also the last of the night after San Diego vs. Colorado got pushed back due to weather.
Soto doesn’t need a big sell, and the Padres in general look good, per usual.
I’m not as into the stack as I’d be if they were at full strength, but ending the night with a potentially overlooked Soto could be fun.
That does it for my 2023 Opening Day MLB DFS picks. Hopefully I help you win some cash. If so, hit me up on Twitter and give me a tip of the cap, or comment below. Good luck!
Writer at Daily Fantasy Fade
DFS Keanu has been covering fantasy sports, DFS, and props for the better part of a decade, all while fighting The Matrix and a litany of assassins.
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