MLB DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups & Stacks Today: April 24th, 2026

Published: Apr 24, 2026

Winning at MLB DFS is a process of finding the correct environment, identifying the right pitcher, and rostering the hitters in the spots where ownership and matchup quality diverge. A great DFS slate has a mix of high-ceiling pitching anchors, clear offensive environments, and a few players the field is sleeping on despite legitimate reasons to be there. The game is about maximizing the combination of production and differentiation. Today's slate has two pitching anchors that most people are going to look at and a handful of stack opportunities where the opposing pitching creates real exploitability. For the most up-to-date MLB DFS projections, lineup optimizer, ownership projections, and daily MLB DFS lineups, visit FantasyAlarm.com.

⚡ THE SLATE DASHBOARD

Slate: DraftKings and FanDuel Main | 7:05 PM ET lock (DK) and 6:40 PM ET lock (FD)
Weather: DET @ CIN: Yellow/Orange - Chance for delay/postponement. BOS @ BAL: Yellow - Chance for delay.
Game Totals: PHI/ATL 9.5 (4.35/5.15) • WSH/CWS 9.0 (4.35/4.65) • NYY/HOU 9.0 (4.9/4.1) • CHC/LAD 9.0 (4.0/5.0) • BOS/BAL 8.5 (4.15/4.35) • ATH/TEX 8.5 (3.95/4.55)
Top Strikeout Upside: Peralta (6.5 K) • Skenes (6.5 K) • Woodruff (6.0 K) • Eovaldi (5.5 K) • McCullers (5.5 K)

💎 PITCHING COACH

Top Tier

Paul Skenes (PIT | vs MIL | DK $10,000 / FD $10,600)

Analysis: A cheap salary and elite matchup for Peralta is going to prevent Skenes from being the chalk pitcher tonight. Since his rough Opening Day start, Skenes has been the same elite pitcher that took home the NL Cy Young last season. Milwaukee isn't the best matchup, but they are missing two of their best hitters in Yelich and Chourio.

Freddy Peralta (NYM | vs COL | DK $8,800 / FD $8,600)

Analysis: Peralta gets a dream matchup against the Rockies in Citi Field. On the road this season, Colorado has posted just a .300 wOBA and struck out at a 27.7% clip. Peralta's raw strikeouts are down slightly, but everything under the hood looks fine. His swinging-strike rate is nearly identical to last season, and his CSW rate is actually slightly better.

Brandon Woodruff (MIL | vs PIT | DK $9,300 / FD $9,100)

Analysis: A matchup against the Pirates for Woodruff sounds great, in theory, but there are some concerns to discuss. Pittsburgh has been above average against righties (103 wRC+) while only striking out 22.7% of the time. Woodruff saw a drop in velocity last season, but it did not seem to impact his strikeout ability. The diminished velocity has remained this season, but the strikeouts have also declined significantly. He has a 21.3% strikeout rate compared to 32.3% last year, and while the gap isn't that wide in the underlying data, it is still a bit concerning.

Value Plays

Drew Rasmussen (TB | vs MIN | DK $8,300 / FD $8,500)

Analysis: Rasmussen has been outstanding for the Rays this season, with a sparkling 2.75 ERA through four starts. The bump in strikeouts (27.0% vs 21.7% LY) has come from better command rather than improved whiffs, which means it may not be a sustainable jump. However, he's still an elite tournament pivot against the Twins today. Minnesota has been an average offense (101 wRC+) against RHP, but they have also struck out at the 2nd-highest rate (25.2%). Rasmussen has plenty of upside at his mid-range price.

Yusei Kikuchi (LAA | vs KC | DK $6,400 / FD $7,700)

Analysis: Kikuchi has some ugly surface stats through five starts, including a 5.63 ERA. However, he has pitched much better than that (3.93 SIERA, 3.85 xFIP). His BABIP and strand rate are both significantly worse than his career norms and should regress. His strikeout rate and whiffs are both up from last year, although he is still walking too many batters. His matchup against the Royals looks great on paper, as they have struggled to a 67 wRC+ and 24.8% strikeout rate against lefties this season.

💎 HITTING COACH

Elite Bats

Jose Ramirez (3B, CLE | DK $6,300 / FD $3,700)

Analysis: Ramirez has walked more than he's struck out this year, and he's already belted six homers and stolen 11 bases. He remains an elite fantasy option in any matchup, but he gets an especially juicy one today. Max Scherzer has completely lost his ability to limit lefty power as his skills have declined in the latter stages of his career. So far this season, he's only struck out 11.1% of lefties while allowing a .179 ISO/.251 xISO.

Munetaka Murakami (1B, CWS | DK $5,400 / FD $3,800)

Analysis: Murakami has been exactly as advertised since coming over from Japan, with huge home run power and also plenty of strikeouts. He had homered in five straight games before registering just a single in his last game. He'll face a lefty opener in his first plate appearance, but he does already have three homers off lefties this season. After that, it should be two chances at the low-strikeout, power-prone Miles Mikolas.

Max Muncy (3B, LAD | DK $4,600)

Analysis: Muncy is tied for third in baseball with a 170 wRC+, as he is off to a scorching hot start this season. He's cranked eight homers and hits in the middle of the best order in baseball. Today's matchup against Jameson Taillon sets up perfectly for Muncy. Taillon struggles to limit fly-balls and power, and he has allowed a .317 ISO to lefties this season.

Value Bats

Michael Busch (1B, CHC | DK $3,900):

Josh Naylor (OF, COL | DK $3,500):

Jazz Chisholm (2B, NYY | DK $3,900 / FD $2,700):

Everson Pereira (OF, CWS | DK $3,400 / FD $3,300):

🏗️ THE STACKING BLUEPRINT

Primary Stack: Los Angeles Dodgers | Targets: Ohtani, Tucker, Muncy, Freeman, Pages, Hernandez, Smith | Opponent: CHC / Jameson Taillon (RHP) | LAD implied

Why: The Dodgers are the best offense in baseball, facing a flyball pitcher who has had home run issues of varying degrees throughout his career. This season, it has become a significant problem with 2.38 HR/9 and a 12.9% barrel rate allowed. No team is better equipped to make Taillon pay for any mistakes.

Primary Stack: New York Yankees | Targets: Judge, Rice, Stanton, Bellinger, Chisholm, Grisham | Opponent: HOU / Lance McCullers (RHP) | NYY implied

Why: The elite Yankees offense gets a matchup against Lance McCullers, who owns an ERA north of 6.00 since last season. He has been a bit unlucky this season and does have some ability to miss bats, but he also struggles with control and hard contact.

Primary Stack: Washington Nationals | Targets: Wood, Abrams, Lile, Garcia, Nunez | Opponent: CWS / Erick Fedde (RHP) | WSH implied

Why: The Nationals have been an above-average offense against righties this season, and surprisingly, they have been even better against lefties. This evening, they will face a lefty opener and presumably Erick Fedde as the bulk reliever. Fedde has allowed a 10.0% barrel rate and nearly 42% hard contact this season.

Contrarian Stack: Chicago White Sox | Targets: Murakami, Montgomery, Vargas, Benintendi, Pereira, Antonacci | Opponent: WAS / Miles Mikolas (RHP) | CWS implied

Why: The White Sox struggle with strikeouts, but their matchup against Miles Mikolas should help mitigate those issues today. Mikolas has struck out just 15.3% of batters this season, while allowing 45.2% hard hits and 11.0% barrels. Those gaudy power prevention numbers have predictably led to 2.75 HR/9 allowed.

Contrarian Stack: Seattle Mariners | Targets: Raleigh, Rodriguez, Naylor, Arozarena, Crawford, Canzone | Opponent: CWS / Erick Fedde (RHP) | WSH implied

Why: The Mariners are attractively priced for their matchup with Andre Pallante. He is a groundball pitcher who struggles to miss bats and has issues limiting hard contact at times. He's been extremely lucky this season with a .250 BABIP and 74.5% strand rate. There is likely some big-time regression headed his way soon.

📈 THE LEVERAGE REPORT (GAME THEORY)

The "Chalk" (Popular)	The "Pivot" (Low Owned)	The Winning Logic
Peralta (highly owned, elite matchup)	Skenes (lower ownership with incredible upside)	Peralta undoubtedly has the best matchup on the board, but Skenes can match him in upside by being more efficient.
Dodgers stack vs Taillon (flyball righty vs most powerful team in MLB)	Chicago White Sox vs Mikolas (powerful lineup that struggles with strikeouts gets perfect matchup)	LAD will be popular against Taillon, but it's a massive slate, and there are plenty of pivots. I especially like White Sox power bats against the low strikeouts of Mikolas.
Woodruff (moderately owned)	Kikuchi (lower owned with similar upside and cheaper salary)	Carroll Woodruff gets PIT (103 wRC+, 22.7% K vs RHP) while Kikuchi gets the KC (67 wRC+, 24.8% K vs LHP). Small sample caveats apply, but Kikuchi is in a sneaky good spot against a Royals offense that has struggled against lefties. His cheaper salary allowed you to build in more upside with bats, also.