DraftKings gives you two pitcher slots, creating a perfect chance to make a bold move in a crowded player pool. Most players go for the safest, most popular pitchers, hoping their batters steal the show. Sure, it sounds smart, but it also makes it harder for your lineup to shine and crack the top 5 in a large-field GPP. That’s why we need some sneaky MLB DFS pivots.
In this breakdown, we’re on the hunt for pitchers who can deliver a massive ROI and remain under the radar. Using Stokastic’s Top Pitchers Tool, we can spot the chalk picks and identify those projected for high leverage in contests. The magic lies in finding pitchers with high leverage but low ownership to unlock your lineup’s true potential.
So let’s dive into today’s top pitchers that hit these sweet spots and uncover the best MLB DFS pivots.
Best MLB DFS Pivots Today: Luis Castillo and More (May 28)
Cole Ragans ($10,200)
Ragans is currently projected for 8.6% ownership in a matchup versus the Twins tonight. The Royals southpaw is coming off his best start this season, going six innings and allowing zero runs on one hit while striking out 12 Tigers. Ragans will hope to carry this momentum into a start against a Twins offense that has a 21.7% strikeout rate, along with a .277 wOBA in the last 14 days, fourth lowest in the league. According to Stokastic’s Top Pitchers Tool, he is the second-highest-leveraged pitcher at 7.2% and has a 15.8% chance of finishing as a top-2 pitcher, fourth-highest on the slate.
We can use Ragans as a pivot off of Zack Wheeler and Freddy Peralta, both projecting for over 20% ownership while being the only other two pitchers priced above $10,000. With Ragans offering us incredible leverage, it’s hard not to get around 10% to 15% of him on tonight’s massive slate.
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Luis Castillo ($9,200)
This isn’t so much a low-owned play, but I am very comfortable being overweight to Castillo’s projected 14% ownership against the Astros. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if that projection were to drop as we get closer to lock. Either way, I like getting to Castillo after two bad starts against the Yankees and Orioles, failing to score more than 10 DraftKings points in either contest.
Castillo is back at home tonight, where he has been elite this season, having a 28.8% strikeout rate, a 1.08 WHIP and a 3.16 xFIP, all numbers being drastically better than his away splits. It is also worth mentioning that T-Mobile Park has been the most pitcher-friendly park this season, having a park factor of 88 according to Baseball Savant. Castillo has a 15.6% chance at a top-2 finish while offering 1.6% leverage in Stokastic’s Top Pitchers Tool. With people maybe being scared off by Castillo’s past two starts, I will be looking to make a stand with him as one of the best options for tonight.
If you need some more tips on how to manage your bankroll, Steve Buzzard has a great guide here on the biggest bankroll mistakes DFS players make and how you can avoid them! Check it out HERE.
