Welcome to Fantasy Alarm's MLB DFS picks and daily fantasy playbook for Monday, July 17th. 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 Nolan McLean, Blake Snell, Michael Wacha, and Shota Imanaga 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: 7-Games on DraftKings, 8-Games on FanDuel | Lock Time: 6:40 pm ET on FanDuel & 7:05 pm ET on DraftKings, Monday, July 17th, 2026

Vegas Totals: LAD/COL (highest-projected game), ATL/MIN (second-highest game total), ATH/KC & ARI/BOS (tied for third-highest game total)

Highest K-Projections: Blake Snell 6.5 O/U (-154), Cristopher Sanchez 6.5 O/U (-133), Nolan McLean 5.5 O/U (-153), Shota Imanaga 5.5 O/U (-124), Framber Valdez 5.5 O/U (+116)

MLB Weather Today, 8/17

Nothing of note.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

MLB DFS Top Pitchers

Cristopher Sanchez (PHI) (FanDuel)

Analysis: The Marlins struggle versus left-handed pitching. They have a 93 wRC+ and strike out 23.1% of the time against southpaws this season. Sanchez has been one of the league's best pitchers and is tied for the best K O/U of the day and is -140 to pick up a win.

Blake Snell (LAD)

Analysis: The Rockies have been dreadful against left-handed pitching this year ranking 29th in wRC+ and strike out 24.8% of the time. Snell was magnificent in his return from the IL and we know how good he can be, but it is worth mentioning this game is being played in Coors.

Michael Wacha (KC)

Analysis: The Athletics are having a tough time with injuries and Tyler Soderstrom being the latest player to hit the IL, meaning Kurtz, Soderstrom, and Langeliers are all on the IL. Since the break, the A's are 23rd in wRC+ (92) and they strike out 22.8% of the time against righties. I could get behind Wacha even at this weird elevated price tag.

MLB DFS Value Pitchers

Framber Valdez (DET)

Analysis: I know the Pirates had a decent series against left-handed pitching this past weekend, but they have overall bad numbers. Pittsburgh has the third-highest K-rate in the league along with a 90 wRC+ against lefties which is near the bottom of the league.

Martin Perez (ATL)

Analysis: The Twins have a bottom-10 offense against left-handed pitching and they have a sub-100 wRC+, which is worse than league average. Perez has put up 12+ DKP in three straight outings and four of his last five. He hasn't allowed an earned run in three straight and four of five.

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:

Cristopher Sanchez: 28% K% (10.5 K/9)

Nolan McLean: 28% K% (10.5 K/9)

Shota Imanaga: 23.5% K% (8.5 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

Shohei Ohtani (1B/OF, LAD) & Max Muncy (3B, LAD)

Analysis: The Dodgers have 6.7 implied runs tonight (yes I just did the 6,7) and that's over one run higher than everyone else. Sugano has allowed 1.9 HR/9 and 24 on the year. Dream matchup for the Dodgers to get right.

Bobby Witt (SS, KC) & Jac Caglianone (1B/OF, KC)

Analysis: The A's send Mason Barnett to the mound for today's game and he's given up boatloads of power. Both splits have a .500 SLG% or higher and has walked them at a high rate. More base runners the better as both Witt and Caglianone are elite run producers.

Matt Olson (1B, ATL)

Analysis: Lefties give Bailey Ober fits, especially power-hitting lefties. Olson's up to 36 bombs on the year and has a .307 ISO against righties. Lefties have a .235 ISO and .251 xISO against Bailey Ober this season.

Miguel Vargas (1B/3B, CWS)

Analysis: Shota Imanaga is a really good pitcher but he allows home runs. Righties have hit 18 bombs while lefties have posted 2.2 HR/9 to boot. Vargas has dominated left-handed pitching this year posting a .392 wOBA and .297 ISO.

Willson Contreras (1B, BOS)

Analysis: Mitch Bratt doesn't miss bats, walks a lot of batters, and has been horrible under the hood. He's allowed a 51% FB too. Contreras has a .276 ISO, .347 xISO, .410 wOBA, and .432 xwOBA against southpaws this year and is as live as anyone to homer over the green monster.

MLB DFS Value Hitters

Chase Meidroth (2B, CWS)

Analysis: The White Sox have hit Meidroth in the leadoff spot against lefty hurlers because his OPS is nearly 1.000. He has a .205 ISO and .413 wOBA against southpaws.

Caleb Durbin (3B, BOS) & Andruew Monasterio (SS, BOS)

Analysis: Both Durbin and Monasterio crush left-handed pitching. Monasterio has a .306 ISO and.408 wOBA against southpaws and has a history with hitting lefties. Durbin, despite an awful start to the year, has a .333 wOBA and .147 ISO vs. lefties.

Bryson Stott (2B/3B, PHI) (FanDuel)

Analysis: Stott has had a monster month of August slashing .360/.508/.500 with a .448 wOBA and .185 wOBA. Stott has also swiped five bases in the month, really showing off his value on FanDuel.

Salvador Perez (C/1B, KC)

Analysis: There's a big home run ceiling with Salvador Perez even if his season has not gone as expected. He's hit 12 HR vs. RHP and Barnett has been crushed by righties this year to the tune of a .289 ISO and .359 wOBA.

Hunter Feduccia (C, LAD)

Analysis: I'm 100000% in on punting a catcher in Coors Field with the price that Feduccia/Rortvedt are against Sugano. One of the easier plugs of the day.

MLB DFS Top Stacks

Primary Stack: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Tomoyuki Sugano (COL RHP)

Why: 6.7 implied runs. In Coors Field. Pitcher who allows a LOT of home runs (1.9 HR/9) and doesn't miss ANY bats (5.2 K/9). What more do you really want in an offense?

Targets: Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Hunter Feduccia, Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman, Andy Pages

Primary Stack: Boston Red Sox vs Mitch Bratt (ARI LHP)

Why: It feels like, when looking at Mitch Bratt's numbers, that he's getting away with murder. He doesn't miss bats (6.7 K/9) walks so many batters (5.1 BB/9) and is stranding 83% of base runners. The flyball rate is also over 50% and he doesn't get grounders. Fenway Park is a bad place for flyballers.

Targets: Willson Contreras, Andruw Monasterio, Caleb Durbin, Wilyer Abreu, Nick Sogard, Adley Rutschman

Primary Stack: Kansas City Royals vs Mason Barnett (ATH RHP)

Why: Lefties have a .270 ISO and righties are up at .286 against Mason Barnett this year who has had his fair share of control and power issues. After Barnett departs, the A's bullpen have a 5.7 ERA, worse in baseball by a very wide margin.

Targets: Jac Caglianone, Bobby Witt, Maikel Garcia, Salvador Perez, Carter Jensen, Michael Massey

“Contrarian” Stack: Atlanta Braves vs Bailey Ober (MIN RHP)

Why: The Braves have a bunch of lefties to throw at Bailey Ober and that's what we want against him. Lefty power hitters specifically as he's allowed .235 ISO, .251 xISO, and 1.88 HR/9 to them.

Targets: Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, Michael Harris, Ronald Acuna, Ozzie Albies, Dominic Smith, Mike Yastzemski

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters & Pitchers

The "Chalk" (Popular)

The "Pivot" (Low

Owned)

The Winning Logic
Imanaga (SP, chalk)Valdez (SP, lower owned)I think it's interesting to see Valdez's elite spot at lower owneship & Imanaga has a HR problem vs. a team hitting a LOT of HR vs. LHP.
Dodgers (Chalk)Red Sox (pivot stack)Mitch Bratt has awful peripheral stats and the Red Sox are getting no ownership. They have great numbers vs. LHP.
Jahmai Jones + Maikel Garcia (chalk)Contreras + Monasterio (lower owned)Love the low-owned Red Sox today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

  1. Blake Snell (SP1)
  2. Framber Valdez (SP2)
  3. Shohei Ohtani (Core Bat)
  4. Willson Contreras (Core Bat)
  5. Max Muncy (Core Bat) 
  6. Chase Meidroth (Core Value Bat)
  7. Caleb Durbin (Core Value Bat)

Player Pool

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Stacks

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