When baseball decided to create a bevy of rule changes entering the 2023 MLB season, it was done to add more excitement to the sport. One change was increasing the size of the bases from 15 inches to 18 inches, and some teams are taking advantage of that in the 2023 MLB season. One is the New York Mets, who have successfully stolen their last 34 steal attempts. For the past few seasons, MLB DFS players probably haven't considered speed much when building lineups. But with speed back in the game, this is an aspect that should be considered when making MLB DFS picks.
Oakland's Esteury Ruiz leads baseball with 40 stolen bases midway through the year, while Jon Berti led baseball with just 41 stolen bases last year. Which players should your target for MLB DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings that can contribute stolen bases as well as other counting stats? Before submitting any MLB DFS picks for Thursday, be sure to check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure.
McClure is a daily Fantasy pro who has won more than $2 million in his career. And when it comes to daily Fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Recognized in the book "Fantasy Football (and Baseball) for Smart People: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Fortune" as a top MLB DFS player, McClure's proprietary projection model simulates each game 10,000 times, taking factors such as matchups and recent results into account. This allows him to find the best values on every site.
On Wednesday, McClure highlighted Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez as one of his top DFS picks. The result: Ramirez went 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored and five RBI, including a grand slam, returning 40 points on DraftKings and 57.1 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
Now, with the 2023 MLB season in full swing, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for Thursday, June 29. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Thursday
One of McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Thursday is Dodgers OF/SS/2B Mookie Betts ($6,300 on DraftKings and $4,400 on FanDuel). He reached base safely in four of five plate appearances, including blasting a three-run home run on Wednesday. It was his third home run in the last five games, and he's tied for sixth in baseball with 20 long balls.
Betts' versatility sets him apart from other top hitters in the league. He's primarily been an outfielder throughout his 10-year career but he's playing more infield this season with 16 games at second base and 11 at shortstop. Those options increase his daily Fantasy baseball appeal as an opportunity to add a powerful bat in the middle infield. The six-time All-Star is always a safe option to insert into MLB DFS lineups but Thursday at Coors Field offers a juicy matchup against Rockies starter Chase Anderson, who has allowed 16 runs over his last two starts.
McClure's MLB DFS strategy includes rostering Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman ($2,500 on DraftKings and $2,800 on FanDuel). Tauchman has reached base safely in 13 of his last 14 games, and the left-hander is hitting .282 with an OPS of .793 against right-handers as Phillies RHP Taijuan Walker is slated to take the mound on Thursday.
The six-year outfielder is having one of the best seasons of his career with a batting average of .275 and on-base percentage of .387. It's his highest on-base percentage of his career and best batting average since 2019. Although he likely won't produce much in the power department (two home runs and a slugging percentage of .373), Tauchman can get on base. With his cheaper price tag, the 32-year-old can outperform his cost and allow daily Fantasy baseball players to surround him with higher-priced players. See who else to pick right here.
How to set your MLB DFS lineups for June 29, 2023
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Thursday. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value and he comes at a price that won't break the bank. You can only see who it is here.
So what are the top MLB DFS picks for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure's complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, and cash in big on MLB DFS.
