Following an exhilarating Opening Day slate that saw every team in action, Friday's MLB DFS player pool will be significantly smaller. There are only five games on the docket, making MLB DFS strategy a trickier task to tackle. However, quality MLB DFS advice can get you headed in the right direction, including suggestions on who to select from powerful teams like the Padres and Dodgers. They are both heavy favorites in the MLB odds at Caesars Sportsbook, so their stars will be popular choices in MLB DFS lineups.
Another game that is loaded with star power features the Astros vs. White Sox at 7:10 p.m. ET. Houston, the defending champion, was held to just two runs on four hits in a loss to Chicago on Opening Day, failing to offer many quality MLB DFS picks. Before submitting any MLB DFS picks for Friday, 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 almost $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.
Now, with the 2023 MLB season underway, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for Friday, March 31. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Friday
One of McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Friday is Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts at $4,800 on DraftKings and $3,200 on FanDuel. San Diego came up short against Colorado on Thursday, but Bogaerts was outstanding in his debut with the Padres. He went 3 of 4 with two doubles and a run, finishing with three of the team's seven hits.
Bogaerts had 52 doubles in 2019 and averaged 36 between 2021 and 2022, so he has a knack for two-baggers. The 30-year-old was unavailable near the end of spring training due to left wrist soreness, but he returned to the lineup on Sunday and appeared healthy on Thursday. Bogaerts has destroyed left-handed pitchers throughout his career, hitting .311 with 41 home runs and 171 RBI, making this a favorable matchup against Kyle Freeland.
McClure is stacking Bogaerts with third baseman Manny Machado at $5,400 on DraftKings and $3,900 on FanDuel. He hit nearly .300 with 32 home runs and 37 doubles last season, driving in 102 runs. Machado went 1 of 3 at the plate on Opening Day, giving him a .333 average heading into the second game of the campaign.
He has faced Freeland throughout his career, hitting .316 with five walks across 38 at-bats. Machado has also excelled against left-handed pitching, posting a .282 average with 73 homers and 186 RBI in nearly 1,500 at-bats. San Diego's lineup will be motivated to make amends for its Opening Day loss, giving Machado some extra value in MLB DFS contests.
How to set your MLB DFS lineups for March 31, 2023
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Friday. 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 Friday? 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.
