Minnesota Twins Stack Leads 4 Friday DFS Picks That Could Anchor Your Fantasy Baseball Lineups (May 1, 2026)

If you’re looking for the best DFS and fantasy baseball advice ahead of Friday’s slate, here’s everything you should know. We recommend a lineup, a pitcher to start, and a hitter to anchor your lineup. Last but not least, we also recommend a pitcher to fade, even if his season-long numbers indicate otherwise.

Why Stacking the Minnesota Twins is a Smart Fantasy Baseball Strategy Friday

The Twins are far from being one of the most productive lineups in fantasy baseball so far this season. They rank 16th in OPS (.708) and 18th in slugging percentage (.381), but they’re also 9th in home runs (38) and 8th in runs scored (154). They can flat-out rake with a favorable matchup, and that’s exactly what might happen on Friday since several Minnesota hitters have a favorable matchup against Patrick Corbin and the Toronto Blue Jays.

There’s Josh Bell, who, even though he is hitting just .225 on the season with a career-worst .126 ISO, has a 1.169 OPS and 3 home runs across 18 at-bats against Corbin. There’s also Byron Buxton, who has an .830 OPS and 2 homers in 13 at-bats against the veteran. Ryan Jeffers possesses a .308 average and .896 OPS with 1 HR in 13 at-bats against Corbin.

With 3 sluggers having good results, this might be enough to consider the Twins, especially since Corbin enters Friday’s fantasy baseball slate with a 3.72 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a fastball that averages under 92 mph. Corbin hasn’t been bad by any means, but he’s the kind of pitcher the Twins can exploit with their power.

Why Ozzie Albies is a Top DFS Anchor for Friday

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Albies has been one of the hottest bats in the majors over the last two weeks. The Braves second baseman is riding an impressive 12-game hitting streak and has posted excellent numbers over that stretch, slashing .413/.451/.717 with a 1.168 OPS, 3 homers, 11 RBI, 10 runs scored, and a 3:4 K:BB. Albies has also gone yard in 2 of his last 3 games, and as if that wasn’t enough, he’s also had excellent results against Jose Quintana in the past.

Over 19 at-bats against the veteran, Albies has hit .474 with a 1.553 OPS and 3 dingers. Albies is far more than just a strong option for home-run prop bets, as he’s been so good over the last two weeks that he could easily anchor your entire fantasy baseball lineup, and he’d certainly do so a bit underpriced compared to his production.

Why Starting Will Warren is a Smart DFS Move

If you’re targeting Will Warren for your season-long leagues, there’s a chance he’s already taken, as his rostership is above 70% in most leagues. However, Warren is still an excellent play in DFS formats. Warren will be facing an Orioles lineup that’s coming off a doubleheader on Thursday, and the numbers are simply impossible to ignore.

It’s not that Warren has a 3-0 record with a 2.59 ERA and 1.15 WHIP while adding 37 strikeouts in 31.1 innings this season. It’s not that he’s been the anchor in a New York rotation that’s eagerly waiting for reinforcements to come off the IL.

It’s also the fact that Warren has given up 2 earned runs or fewer in each of his 6 outings this season, so he’s been remarkably consistent amid his success. Start him with confidence this Friday.

Why You Should Fade Jake Irvin in Friday’s DFS Slate

It’s never a good idea to target a pitcher who has underwhelming numbers against a particular team, and that’s exactly the case with Irvin and the Brewers. Irvin’s numbers this season haven’t been bad by any means, and while his 4.85 ERA through 29.2 innings is a bit inflated, he does have a strong 1.18 WHIP and 34:11 K:BB. However, the main issue is that Irvin has had problems against several Brewers hitters in the past.

When facing current Milwaukee hitters, Irvin has allowed a .317 average with a .960 OPS, 3 homers, 13 RBI, 20 hits (including 9 extra-base hits), and a subpar 8:9 K:BB across 63 at-bats. Needless to say, you would be wise to target other options ahead of Friday’s fantasy baseball slate if you need pitching help. Irvin has a woeful matchup in front of him.