Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: Best MLB Position Player Picks for May 31 – Bleacher Report

It’s the final day of May, which means that nest egg for summer trips is finally coming to fruition. There’s no better way to keep building that up than finishing off the month by playing daily fantasy baseball on DraftKings.

Before the massive slate of 15 games gets underway this afternoon, here’s a look at the best MLB position player picks for May 31.

Catcher: Brian McCann, New York Yankees ($4,100)

No catcher in MLB is raking like Brian McCann. Since his seven-game hitting streak started, owners have also seen his salary shoot back up above the $4,000 mark, and rightfully so.

His recent four-game home run streak was even more impressive, especially considering the fact that it’s rare for a Yankee catcher. River Avenue Blues’ Katie Sharp noted:

Brian McCann is first Yankee catcher to HR in 4 straight games since Mike Stanley in 1993

— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) May 30, 2015

McCann is crushing at the plate and also has a great matchup on Sunday. Already working on a big weekend in Oakland, he’ll continue that as a left-handed batter against a right-hander in Jesse Chavez.

First Baseman: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers ($4,600)

An MVP candidate barely inside the top 10 among first baseman salaries? Yeah, there’s no reason not to target Miguel Cabrera on Sunday. 

The Detroit Tigers slugger hasn’t put up over 10 fantasy points per game or hit four homers over his last four games, but Miggy is still mashing.

He is boasting an OPS over 1.000, and his patience has led to seven walks over the last 10 games. Tack on the fact that he has over three more fantasy points per game on the road, and Cabrera is a perfect fit for any lineup in Los Angeles.

Second Baseman: Dee Gordon, Miami Marlins ($4,400)

No, he’s not playing in the spacious Marlins Park this weekend, but Dee Gordon has still shown off his speed on the road. Over the first four games of Miami’s road trip, Gordon stole three bases and averaged 9.75 fantasy points.

With a .333 batting average against Bartolo Colon over his first nine at-bats with a .633 OPS, look for Gordon to continue that trend in New York. He might not hit his first home run of the year—he doesn’t have much power. But Gordon is a great fit for any lineup thanks to what he offers in every other department.

Third Baseman: Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs ($4,700)

Every analyst, scout and general manager expected Kris Bryant to be a star. They likely didn’t see it coming this soon, but the former University of San Diego star hasn’t wasted any time breaking out.

In daily fantasy, his arrival couldn’t have made a bigger boom. He has three homers over his last 10 games and averaged over 10 fantasy points in that stretch. The hits have been moonshots, not just any run-of-the-mill homer. ESPN Stats & Info detailed Bryant’s recent 463-foot homer:

Kris Bryant’s 463 foot home run was the longest of his brief MLB career

pic.twitter.com/xdiTR2sdhb

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 27, 2015

Playing the final game of a series against the Kansas City Royals at Wrigley Field, don’t expect anything less than Bryant’s best. The rookie sensation will put up big fantasy points again to cap off his huge week.

Outfielder: Justin Upton, San Diego Padres ($4,600)

The San Diego Padres haven’t gotten off to the start they envisioned, but fans can’t place the blame on Justin Upton. A slugger with the Diamondbacks and Braves, Upton has continued his power-hitting ways with the Padres thus far.

Over his last 10 games, Upton’s actually gotten the job done with timely hitting. He has two homers, but he also boasts 10 RBI, a .408 OBP and two stolen bases. While Pittsburgh’s Jeff Locke has been great recently, Upton has the power against left-handed pitching to put up huge points for DraftKings owners.

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