Welcome to Fantasy Alarm's MLB DFS picks and daily fantasy playbook for Monday, May 18th. 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 9-game main slate has multiple different directions to go because we have a Coors Field slate but a bad Texas Rangers offense coming to town. We also have some elite pitching arms such as Bryan Woo, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Shota Imanaga. This MLB DFS playbook covers every key position on DraftKings and FanDuel with our best MLB DFS picks for today.

Slate: 9-Game Main  |  Lock Time: 7:05 PM ET, Monday May 18, 2026

Vegas Totals: MIL/CHC (highest-projected game), TEX/COL (second-highest), HOU/MIN (third-highest)

Highest K-Projections: Yoshinobu Yamamoto 6.5 O/U (-115), Bryan Woo 6.5 O/U (+114), MacKenzie Gore 5.5 O/U (-153) 

MLB Weather Today, 5/18

BOS vs. KC - Weather is fine early, but it's absolute trash in the second half of the year.

HOU vs. MIN - The weather late in this game looks really bad as this game might not finish.

MIL vs. CHC - We have massive winds blowing out at Wrigley Field, which is why this game is higher than any other implied total on the board. There's 15-20 MPH winds blowing out.

TEX vs. COL - It's cold and there's rain in the forecast. I really don't enjoy this weather.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

MLB DFS Top Pitchers

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD)

Analysis: It hasn't been the best season for Yoshinobu Yamamoto but he's still missing bats and getting deep into games. The Padres are 24th in OPS and wOBA and 22nd in wRC+ against right-handed pitching. The Padres also have a 22.9% K-rate vs. RHP. Solid option today.

Bryan Woo (SEA)

Analysis: It's not surprising to see Bryan Woo's strikeouts coming back because he generates a bunch of whiffs as his SwSt is at 11.2%. The White Sox offense has been slightly better than league average against righties but they've struck out 24% of the time.

Ryan Weathers (NYY)

Analysis: The Blue Jays don't strike out and Ryan Weathers has the highest K-rate of any pitcher on the board, so what gives today? Weathers has the best odds to pick up a win today and has nearly a 30% K-rate. The Blue Jays don't strike out a lot against lefties, but they are an 88 wRC+ team against them and have struggled throughout the year.

MLB DFS Value Pitchers

MacKenzie Gore (TEX)

Analysis: This is an interesting one because it's really bad hitting weather in Coors Field and Colorado's been one of the league's worst offenses against lefties. The Rockies have a 29.8% K-rate against lefties, which is the highest mark in baseball, and they're 28th in wRC+ as well. Gore is a solid option.

Seth Lugo (KC)

Analysis: This is a if the weather improves type of play. If it improves, Lugo has a matchup against the league's worst offense against right-handed pitching. Boston is 29th in wOBA and 30th in OPS and wRC+ against righties. Lugo's had some really bad batted ball luck this year allowing a .355 BABIP but again, this is ONLY a play if the weather improves.

J.T. Ginn (ATH)

Analysis: Ginn is clearly the value play of the day on the mound. Righties don't do really anything against him and the Angels are very righty heavy (.094 ISO, .099 xISO, .237 wOBA, .246 xwOBA for RHH vs. Ginn). Ginn gets an Angels offense ranking 26th, 28th in OPS, and 29th in wOBA.

Top Options For Strikeouts

The three top strikeout targets in today's MLB DFS projections each carry a K/9 above 10.9 and favorable opponent strikeout splits. 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 nine-game slate.

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

Ryan Weathers: 29.8% K% (10.8 K/9)

Shota Imanaga: 28% K% (9.8 K/9) 

MacKenzie Gore: 26% K% (9.9 K/9)

Brandon Sproat: 23.4% K% (9 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 carry 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

Aaron Judge (OF, NYY)

Analysis: Aaron Judge is really good, if you haven't heard. Judge has a .348 ISO, .357 xISO, .454 wOBA, and .481 xwOBA against left-handed pitching this year. The expected numbers for righty bats are way better than the actual numbers (.143 ISO, .198 xISO, .348 wOBA, .378 xwOBA).

Bobby Witt (SS, KC)

Analysis: If this game plays, Bobby Witt is going to dominate Sonny Gray. Gray has struggled against right-handed hitters as they've posted a .190 ISO, .200 xISO, .361 wOBA, and .378 xwOBA against him. Witt himself has a .174 ISO, .207 xISO, .370 wOBA, and .386 xwOBA vs. RHP.

Ian Happ & Michael Busch (OF/1B, CHC)

Analysis: There are 15-20 MPH winds at Wrigley Field today and the Brewers are sending Brandon Sproat to the mound. Lefties have killed Sproat this season allowing a 48% FB rate and .250 ISO, .198 xISO, .412 wOBA, and .366 xwOBA. Happ has a .235 ISO, .280 xISO, .391 wOBA, and .385 xwOBA while Busch sits at a .161 ISO, .189 xISO, .339 wOBA and xwOBA.

MLB DFS Value Hitters

Jake Burger (1B, TEX)

Analysis: I honestly don't love the Rangers today as much as the field does, but Burger profiles well and he's really cheap. Sub-4K and has massive power. He's homered twice in four games and has driven in 10 runs over his last five. Historically good versus lefties, this year hasn't been the same.

Casey Schmitt (1B/3B, SF)

Analysis: I like both righties and lefties here and I think the Giants are one of the more underrated stacks on the board. Righties have a .176 ISO and a .372 wOBA and he faces Casey Schmitt who has nuked righties at a .283 ISO, .256 xISO, .383 wOBA, .370 xwOBA. He's hit seven bombs vs. RHP, too.

Michael Conforto (OF, CHC)

Analysis: I'd expect Conforto to be in the lineup and he's been incredible. He has a .345 AVG and 1.1 OPS this season and hits righties at a great clip. I love the price for the wind game.

MLB DFS Top Stacks

Primary Stack: Chicago Cubs vs Brandon Sproat (MIL RHP)

Why: There are 15-20 MPH winds blowing out at Wrigley and that's the recipe for home runs. Anything up in the air will end up flying out of the park and that's why the Cubs have 5.9 implied runs, which leads the slate. Sproat struggles with both splits, but he's been worse against lefties. Lefties have a .250 ISO and .412 wOBA while righties have a .197 ISO and .349 wOBA against him. That puts everyone in play, but Ian Happ, Michael Busch, Alex Bregman, Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Moises Ballesteros stand out.

Primary Stack: New York Yankees vs Patrick Corbin (NYY LHP)

Why: Nothing says Patrick Corbin is a good pitcher and he has to navigate the Yankees lineup that ranks top-three in OPS, ISO, wRC+ against left-handers. Look at the expected numbers for both splits! (LHH - .040 ISO, .149 xISO, .334 wOBA, .395 xwOBA / RHH - .143 ISO, .198 xISO, .348 wOBA, .378 xwOBA). Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Amed Rosario, and Anthony Volpe are the primary targets from NYY today.

"Contrarian" Stack: Minnesota Twins vs Tatsuya Imai (HOU RHP)

Why: Look, the Twins are a tricky stack because they look really good but I'm not sure what the weather is going to bring this evening. If the weather holds up, Tatsuya Imai has not figured out major league hitters and how to get them out. He's allowed a .120 ISO, .248 xISO, .383 wOBA, and .470 xwOBA to lefties while righties have a .174 ISO and .409 wOBA. He's definitely had luck on his side against righties, but I'll play Byron Buxton if he's suiting up. I'd also throw in Kody Clemens, Trevor Larnach, Brooks Lee, and Josh Bell from the left side.

"Contrarian" Stack: San Francisco Giants vs Zac Gallen (ARI RHP)

Why: I think the Giants are one of the best stacks of the day and they're getting no ownership. Both righties and lefties have hit Gallen hard this year;

RHH - .306/.359/.482, .176 ISO, .372 wOBA

LHH - .278/.340/.444, .167 ISO, .243 xISO, .346 wOBA, .391 xwOBA

Casey Schmitt and Rafael Devers stand out, while Luis Arraez continues to rake, Willy Adames is coming off an elite series, and rounding out my stack with Jung Hoo Lee and Harrison Bader look good too.

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters & Pitchers

The "Chalk" (Popular)

The "Pivot" (Low

Owned)

The Winning Logic
Woo (SP, chalk)Gore (SP, similar tier)Elite pitching weather & an offense that can't hit lefties.
CHI + TEX as primary stacksSF + NYY as contrarian stacksNo guarantee Coors Field hits with the weather going on & if the wind dies down, maybe home runs don't fly.
Carter + Nimmo (chalk)Devers + Schmitt (lower owned)Great offensive ballpark in Arizona with a poor pitcher in Zac Gallen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

  1. Bryan Woo (SP1)
  2. J.T. Ginn (SP2)
  3. Bobby Witt (Core Bat)
  4. Ian Happ (Core Bat)
  5. Michael Busch (Core Bat)
  6. Jake Burger (Core Value Bat)
  7. Casey Schmitt (Core Value Bat)

Player Pool

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Stacks

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