Welcome to Fantasy Alarm's MLB DFS picks and daily fantasy playbook for Friday, July 28th. Our MLB DFS projections combine advanced pitching metrics, platoon splits, strikeout prop data, and ownership positioning to identify the sharpest plays on every slate. Whether you are targeting DFS Projections, running lineups through our DFS Optimizer, tracking ownership trends, or checking confirmed lineups, Fantasy Alarm has the tools to sharpen your edge. 

Today's slates have multiple different directions with some ELITE pitchers in Dylan Cease, Cam Schlittler, Logan Henderson, and Hunter Brown all taking the mound. This MLB DFS playbook covers every key position on DraftKings and FanDuel with our best MLB DFS picks for today.

Slate: 12-Games | Lock Time: 7:10 pm ET, Friday, July 28th, 2026

Vegas Totals: BAL/ATH (highest-projected game), CWS/MIN & COL/ATL (tied for second-highest game total), TEX/MIL, PHI/LAA & ARI/SF (third-highest game total)

Highest K-Projections: Dylan Cease 7.5 O/U (-145), Cam Schlittler 7.5 O/U (+123), Logan Henderson 6.5 O/U (-111), Jacob Lopez 6.5 O/U (+111), Reid Detmers 6.5 O/U (+124)

MLB Weather Today, 8/28

Rockies vs Braves - There's a possible delay here, but it's not overly concerning for a PPD. 

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

MLB DFS Top Pitchers

Dylan Cease (TOR) 

Analysis: Since the All-Star break, the Mariners have a 101 wRC+ which is slightly above league average against righties, but there's not a lot going right for them lately. Cease is -145 on DK to strikeout more than 7.5 batters and has the third best win odds on the slate.

Cam Schlittler (NYY) 

Analysis: This is a tricky one because since the All-Star break, only the Padres are better against right-handed pitching than Boston is. The Red Sox have a robust 122 wRC+ and could be getting Roman Anthony back today. That said, Schlittler is one of the five-best pitchers in the game and has a 7.5 K O/U, tied with Dylan Cease for a slate high.

Logan Henderson (MIL)

Analysis: The Rangers strike out a lot against righties. Since the break, they have a 24.9% K-rate, which is the fifth-highest mark in all of baseball. They also have a 93 wRC+ over that same span. Henderson's completed six innings in four straight and has thrown 90+ pitches in three straight and four of five. Henderson has the third-highest K-rate on the slate and has the best win odds of the slate (+122).

MLB DFS Value Pitchers

Grant Holmes (ATL) 

Analysis: Holmes struggled against Arizona two starts ago but the three starts sandwiched around it were all shut outs and all quality starts. Now he draws a fantastic matchup against the Rockies who have a 90 wRC+ (25th) and has struck out 23.1% of the time, which is the 10th-highest matchup against righties.

Andrew Painter (PHI) 

Analysis: Since the All-Star game, the Angels offense has fallen off a cliff. They have a 78 wRC+ (30th) and a 26.6% K-rate (2nd) against right-handed pitching. Painter has changed his pitch mix and has a 3.62 ERA since the All-Star break while holding his opponents to a .192 AVG and .270 wOBA. He's also struck out 23.4% of his opponents, which is way way up from the first half of the year (17.7%).

Quinn Mathews (STL) 

Analysis: Since the All-Star break, the Pirates have a 60 wRC+ against lefties and that's with the second-most at-bats against lefties. They've also struck out at a 26.3% clip against southpaws, which is the third-highest mark. Mathews has had bad luck at the major league level allowing a .378 BABIP and 63.6% LOB and his 6.43 ERA compared to a 3.12 xERA. The walks have been a problem for Mathews but he's approached nearly 100 pitches in all three of his starts, so he's not limited at all.

Top Options For Strikeouts

K-prop lines and value ratings are incorporated below for DFS and prop context. These are the arms building the highest strikeout ceilings on the 9-game slate.

Our model identifies these arms as the highest-ceiling plays for Alt-K lines today:

Dylan Cease: 36.1% K% (13 K/9)

Cam Schlittler: 30.8% K% (11 K/9)

Logan Henderson: 29.9% K% (10.3 K/9)

Reid Detmers: 28.5% K% (10.4 K/9)

Christian Scott: 28.5% K% (11.2 K/9)

Jared Jones: 26.6% K% (10.2 K/9)

Best Odds For A Win

The following MLB DFS picks offer a combination of favorable win odds, sustainable ERA and xFIP metrics, and soft opponent matchups. Each carries K-prop lines worth noting alongside their DFS value at reduced ownership relative to the top tier.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Stacks & Hitters

MLB DFS Top Hitters

Junior Caminero (3B, TB) & Yandy Diaz (1B/3B, TB)

Analysis: Righty power have given Casey Mize fits this year allowing a .217 ISO, .210 xISO, .329 wOBA, and .333 xwOBA. Caminero has a .264 ISO and Diaz has a .362 wOBA against righties this year.

Pete Alonso (1B, BAL), Christian Encarnacion-Strand (3B, BAL) & Coby Mayo (3B, BAL)

Analysis: Both Mayo and Encarnacion-Strand have .400 ISO's against left-handed pitching and Pete Alonso has arguably been the best hitter on the planet over the last month. Plus matchup & best ballpark in the league for offense.

Matt Olson (1B, ATL) & Drake Baldwin (C, ATL)

Analysis: Tomoyuki Sugano serves it up. He serves up the home run with the best of them. Lefties on the year, have a .316 ISO, .289 xISO, .388 wOBA, and .411 xwOBA against Sugano. Baldwin has a .199 ISO vs. RHP this year and Olson's up at .295 ISO.

Zack Gelof (3B/OF, ATH) & Lawrence Butler (OF, ATH)

Analysis: Gelof has flashed a ton of power against right-handed pitching this year posting a .213 ISO with a .343 wOBA. Butler has hit .295 with six home runs in Aigust alone and is having his best month of the year by far. Already the most homers, runs, and RBI in any singular month and still has time to go.

Kody Clemens (2B/OF, MIN)

Analysis: Luis Castillo has struggled mightily against left-handed hitters. Clemens has a .231 ISO and .195 xISO against right-handed pitching, so what a perfect matchup. Lefties have a .226 ISO, .213 xISO, .364 wOBA, and .352 wOBA.

MLB DFS Value Hitters

Tristan Peters (OF, CWS)

Analysis: Will Tristan Peters homer for a sixth straight game? Hard to predict, but he's torching every pitcher right now. He faces off against a flyball pitcher that has allowed a .270 ISO and .352 wOBA. Peters himself has a .207 ISO and .374 wOBA vs. RHP.

Tommy White (1B/3B, ATH)

Analysis: Brandon Young has struggled more with righties, especially lately. Over the last 30 days, righties have a .391 ISO, .348 xISO, .549 wOBA, and .437 xwOBA. White has good numbers under the hood posting a .174 xISO and .331 xwOBA vs. RHP.

Christian Franklin (OF, BAL)

Analysis: The surface level numbers for Franklin aren't great, but the underlying metrics are. In just 20 plate appearances, he has a .125 ISO but .271 xISO, .312, and .361 xwOBA. Franklin has a good spot in a minor league stadium against a flyball pitcher.

Brooks Lee (3B, MIN) & Walker Jenkins (OF, MIN)

Analysis: This is Brooks Lee's better split as he's posted a .229 ISO and has belted 18 home runs off of righties and welcome to the Walker Jenkins show as the top-10 prospect makes his major league debut. Both are extremely cheap.

MLB DFS Top Stacks

Primary Stack: Baltimore Orioles vs Jacob Lopez (ATH LHP)

Targets: Pete Alonso, Coby Mayo, Christian Encarnacio-Strand, Jackson Holliday, Leody Taveras

Primary Stack: Atlanta Braves vs Tomoyuki Sugano (COL RHP)

Targets: Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson, Ronald Acuna, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris

Primary Stack: Minnesota Twins vs Luis Castillo (CWS RHP)

Targets: Kody Clemens, Brooks Lee, Luke Keaschall, Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper

“Contrarian” Stack: Chicago White Sox vs Dean Kremer (MIN RHP) 

Targets: Tristan Peters, Braden Montgomery, Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas, Andrew Benintendi

“Contrarian” Stack: Athletics vs Brandon Young (BAL RHP) 

Targets: Zack Gelof, Henry Bolte, Lawrence Butler, Jeff McNeil, Tommy White

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters & Pitchers

The "Chalk" (Popular)

The "Pivot" (Low

Owned)

Cease (SP, chalk value)Henderson (SP, lower owned)
Orioles (Chalk)Athletics (pivot stack)
Holliday + Franklin (chalk)Vargas + Peters (lower owned)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The foundation for every MLB DFS lineup you build today. These are the core MLB DFS picks by position across DraftKings and FanDuel.

  1. Dylan Cease (SP1)
  2. Andrew Painter (SP2)
  3. Pete Alonso (Core Bat)
  4. Drake Baldwin (Core Bat)
  5. Coby Mayo (Core Bat) 
  6. Tommy White (Core Value Bat)
  7. Tristan Peters (Core Value Bat)

Player Pool

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Stacks

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