Looking for the best MLB DFS picks and lineup strategy for today’s DraftKings and FanDuel slate? The Fantasy Alarm team breaks down every game on the board, identifying the top pitching targets, elite hitter stacks, and high-upside contrarian plays to target in both cash games and GPP tournaments. Fantasy Alarm’s MLB DFS projections give you the data-driven edge to build winning daily fantasy baseball lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel, covering every pitcher, hitter, and stack on the board. Run your builds through the Fantasy Alarm lineup optimizer to maximize salary efficiency across today’s matchups, and check MLB DFS ownership projections at Fantasy Alarm before finalizing any GPP tournament entry to identify the contrarian stacks where the real leverage lives on this slate.

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MLB DFS Pitching Picks

Dylan Cease (TOR vs. PIT) — FanDuel Only

Cease is unavailable on the DraftKings main 1:35 PM slate but is the single highest-ceiling pitching asset on the board for FanDuel at $11,000. His K% sits at 35.1% with a K/9 of 13.2, the highest marks of any starter on the card by a significant margin. Pittsburgh carries a wRC+ of 110 against right-handed pitching with a 21.9% strikeout rate, making them a legitimate lineup, but Cease's raw stuff profile has been consistently overwhelming in 2026 regardless of opponent quality. On FanDuel, he is the unquestioned top-of-board spend-up and the answer to who anchors elite GPP builds on that platform.

Shota Imanaga (CHC vs. HOU)

Imanaga is the safest pitching option on the DraftKings main slate and the primary cash game anchor today. His K% sits at 26.0% with a K/9 of 9.4. Houston carries just a 19.1% strikeout rate against left-handed pitching, which tempers his ceiling in GPP formats but does not undermine his consistency. The combination of pitching deep into games with elite efficiency, Chicago's implied win probability, and make Imanaga the most dependable pitching investment at $9,000 DK / $9,800 FD. He is a core piece in every cash game roster today.

Drew Rasmussen (TB @ NYY)

Rasmussen is the primary mid-tier tournament option at $8,500 DK / $9,500 FD. His K% is 23.2% with a K/9 of 8.4, confirming genuine strikeout upside against a New York lineup that carries a wRC+ of 109 against right-handed pitching, one of the more demanding offensive environments on this slate. He offers a compelling mid-range pivot for tournament builds that want strikeout ceiling at a discount from the top tier.

MLB DFS Value Pitchers

Bailey Ober (MIN @ BOS)

Ober is a salary-relief option against a Boston lineup that carries a wRC+ of 83 against right-handed pitching, one of the weakest offensive profiles on the slate. His K% sits at 17.2% with a K/9 of 6.3, confirming this is strictly a win-bonus and salary-compression play rather than a strikeout-ceiling option. At $7,500 DK / $8,100 FD, he provides the salary relief needed to pair a premium bat or second pitcher alongside him in cash game construction.

Christian Scott (NYM vs. MIA)

Scott is the highest-ceiling value pitcher on this slate. His K% is 27.8% with a K/9 of 11.4, numbers that rank among the elite arms on the board at a fraction of the cost. Miami carries a wRC+ of 97 against right-handed pitching, a matchup that provides run-support probability without suppressing his strikeout floor. At $7,000 DK / $7,400 FD, Scott is the clearest differentiation play for tournament builds seeking a value pitcher with genuine strikeout upside. He should be heavily used in GPP formats on both platforms.

Framber Valdez (DET vs. BAL) — FanDuel Only

Valdez is unavailable on the DraftKings main 1:35 PM slate but represents a legitimate mid-tier tournament pivot on FanDuel at $8,600, where his projection of 28.03 FD points reflects strong value-per-dollar relative to his price. The Detroit at Baltimore game falls outside the DK main game window, making him an exclusive differentiator on FanDuel builds. His K% sits at 18.3% with a K/9 of 7.4, confirming this is not a strikeout-ceiling play. The value here is structural: Baltimore carries a 25.4% strikeout rate against left-handed pitching and a wRC+ of 93, placing them in the bottom half of the slate as an offensive opponent in this split. Valdez’s primary appeal is win-bonus equity and salary compression on FanDuel. He is a dependable mid-range arm for FD tournament builds that want to preserve salary for a second elite bat without dropping to minimum pricing at pitcher.

Top Options for Strikeouts

These are the arms carrying the highest strikeout ceilings on the slate. K-prop lines, historical over hit rates, and model value ratings are integrated below. Our model identifies these four arms as the highest-ceiling plays for alt-K lines today:

  • Dylan Cease: 35.1% K%, 7.5 K-prop line, -140 over (60% over hit rate) — FD only
  • Christian Scott: 27.8% K%, 4.5 K-prop line, -110 over (80% over hit rate, 1.6 model value)
  • Parker Messick: 28.3% K%, 5.5 K-prop line, -115 over (70% over hit rate, 0.8 model value)
  • Shota Imanaga: 26.0% K%, 5.5 K-prop line, -153 over (60% over hit rate)

Best Odds for a Win

The following starters offer the most attractive win probability profiles when cross-referenced against their matchup quality and salary tier.

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Stacks & Hitters

MLB DFS Top Hitters

Jordan Walker (OF, STL)

Walker is the elite bat in the Cardinals stack and one of the highest-output hitters against right-handed pitching on this slate. He carries a wRC+ of 173 against RHP with an OPS of .968 and an ISO of .278, among the top individual marks of any named hitter today. He faces Brady Singer, who carries a K% of just 15.7% and a K/9 of 6.7, confirming a contact-pitching profile with limited bat-missing ability that a lineup like St. Louis can attack from multiple spots. At $5,500 DK / $4,100 FD, he is the cornerstone of the Cardinals stack.

Randy Arozarena (OF, SEA)

Arozarena is the highest-output individual bat in the Seattle lineup against right-handed pitching and the primary individual target within the Mariners stack. Against RHP this season he carries a wRC+ of 151 with an OPS of .848 and a wOBA of .381, confirming sustained elite production rather than a surface-level run of form. Seth Lugo’s contact-driven profile, with a K% of 20.7% and a K/9 of 7.8, plays directly into Arozarena’s ability to barrel balls in play and generate extra-base production. Batting fourth in Seattle’s lineup, he sits in the optimal run-scoring position to capitalize on traffic generated above him. At $4,800 DK / $3,700 FD, his production-to-salary ratio makes him one of the stronger mid-range individual targets on the slate.

Jose Ramirez (3B, CLE)

Ramirez is the natural stack anchor for the Guardians given his multi-category production profile and lineup position. Against right-handed pitching this season his wRC+ sits at 88, below his historical expectations in this split. Andrew Painter enters with a Q-questionable tag on the lineup sheet, which introduces lineup-change risk that could significantly alter the CLE stack calculus. If Painter starts, his 3.5-inning average workload and elite groundball profile confirm he limits hitters more effectively than his modest experience level implies. Ramirez's power and speed combination generates DFS scoring regardless of batted ball rate, making him the safest individual CLE hitter in the stack. At $5,300 DK / $3,900 FD, this is a play that requires Painter's status to be confirmed at lineup lock before finalizing.

MLB DFS Value Hitters

Mark Vientos (1B, NYM)

Vientos is at or near minimum salary on both platforms at $3,000 DK / $2,700 FD and provides access to the Mets' run environment against a Miami bullpen game. His split against right-handed pitching carries a wRC+ of 69 and an OPS of .594 this season, which is a genuinely weak individual mark in the RHP bucket. His stronger production comes against left-handed pitching (wRC+ 140), making him a roster piece whose ceiling increases as Miami goes to a bullpen arm. In tournament construction, the salary relief he provides is the primary value driver. He is a floor-based salary piece rather than a ceiling anchor, and his value is best realized when paired with Juan Soto, who is carrying a wRC+ of 205 against right-handed pitching and drives the Mets' stack upside on his own.

Colt Emerson (3B/SS, SEA)

Emerson is the cheapest viable building block in the Seattle stack at $3,200 DK / $3,000 FD. His vs-RHP sample is limited to 10 plate appearances this season, making any split-based analysis unreliable at the individual level. The projection system values him at 7.28 DK points at near-minimum salary, which represents strong value-per-dollar efficiency. His speed-first profile provides baserunning upside that DFS scoring rewards at this price range. Use him as the final compression piece in a Mariners stack to maximize salary available for a higher-priced anchor or second pitcher.

Carson Benge (OF, NYM)

Benge is a steady on-base piece in the Mets stack targeting Tyler Phillips and the Miami bullpen. Against right-handed pitching this season he carries a wRC+ of 84 with an OPS of .635. Against left-handed pitching his wRC+ climbs to 122, providing similar leverage to Vientos as Miami goes deeper into their bullpen. At $3,700 DK / $3,000 FD he provides salary flexibility to stack Juan Soto as the primary anchor while maintaining exposure to the Mets' run-scoring environment.

MLB DFS Top Stacks

Primary Stack: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Brady Singer

Why: Singer carries a K% of just 15.7% and a K/9 of 6.7, one of the lowest strikeout profiles on the card, confirming he is a contact-pitching profile that relies on soft contact rather than swing-and-miss. The Cardinals carry a wRC+ of 106 against right-handed pitching with multiple elite individual splits. Jordan Walker leads with a wRC+ of 173. Alec Burleson adds a wRC+ of 169 and one of the highest contact floors in the order. Ivan Herrera posts a wRC+ of 131 at catcher. JJ Wetherholt anchors the top of the order with 132 wRC+.

Players to Stack: Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, Ivan Herrera, JJ Wetherholt.

Primary Stack: Seattle Mariners vs. Seth Lugo

Why: Lugo carries a K% of 20.7% and a K/9 of 7.8, reflecting a pitcher who controls contact rather than overpowers lineups. Seattle enters with a team wRC+ of 114 against right-handed pitching, the second-best mark on the slate behind only the Dodgers. Randy Arozarena leads the stack with a wRC+ of 151 against RHP and an OPS of .848. Josh Naylor adds a wRC+ of 113 with a 13.6% strikeout rate, one of the lowest on the board. Build this stack with full confidence.

Players to Stack: Randy Arozarena, Josh Naylor, Julio Rodriguez, Colt Emerson.

Primary Stack: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Brandon Sproat

Why: The Dodgers carry a wRC+ of 120 against right-handed pitching, the highest team mark on this slate. Sproat's K% of 23.4% and K/9 of 9.1 confirm legitimate strikeout upside, but his youth profile and ERA make the Dodgers' power-heavy lineup a dangerous matchup regardless of his stuff. Shohei Ohtani leads the stack with a wRC+ of 146 against RHP and a .411 OBP. Freddie Freeman adds a wRC+ of 136 with a .364 OBP. Milwaukee carries a wRC+ of 109 against right-handed pitching, so pairing the Dodgers offensive stack with Yoshinobu Yamamoto at $9,700 DK creates a two-sided build with a high floor.

Players to Stack: Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts.

Contrarian Stack: New York Mets vs. Tyler Phillips (Bullpen)

Why: Phillips anchors a Miami opener-style game at a $4,000 DK price that reflects an extremely limited workload ceiling. His 21.1% K% and $4,000 DK price confirm the bullpen context drives his extreme underpricing. The Mets carry a team wRC+ of 86 against right-handed pitching, below average, but Juan Soto operates entirely outside that team context. His wRC+ against right-handed pitching is 205 this season with an OPS of 1.115 and an ISO of .329, among the highest individual marks of any player in baseball. The Mets' suppressed team perception creates contrarian leverage on Soto specifically.

Players to Stack: Juan Soto, Carson Benge, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos.

Contrarian Stack: Cleveland Guardians vs. Andrew Painter

Why: Painter enters this start with a Q-questionable tag, introducing the possibility of a late scratch and a Philadelphia bullpen game that would dramatically expand the Guardians' ceiling. If Painter starts, his groundball-heavy profile confirms he limits hitters more effectively than his limited experience suggests, keeping this a lower-floor contrarian play. Travis Bazzana is the primary stack target with a wRC+ of 129 against RHP and a 15.6% walk rate, one of the highest on-base rates in the order. Chase DeLauter adds a wRC+ of 124 against RHP with genuine power upside. The Painter Q situation is the single variable that converts this from a modest contrarian play to one of the highest-upside constructions on the slate if he scratches at lineup lock.

Players to Stack: Jose Ramirez, Travis Bazzana, Chase DeLauter, Brayan Rocchio.

Contrarian Stack: Miami Marlins vs. Christian Scott

Why: Fading Scott requires conviction given his elite strikeout rate this season, making the Marlins stack a low-confidence tournament punt. The value is structural. Scott will draw high usage across the field given his matchup, and Miami's ownership will be correspondingly low in a game where most DFS players will be building from the Mets side. The Marlins carry a wRC+ of 97 against right-handed pitching, average but serviceable for a punt stack. This stack is exclusively for GPP formats as a low-owned differentiation mechanism, not a primary build.

Players to Stack: Xavier Edwards, Liam Hicks, Otto Lopez, Jakob Marsee.

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters & Pitchers

The “Chalk” (Popular)The “Pivot” (Low Owned)The Winning Logic

Dylan Cease (SP1, FD Only)

Shota Imanaga (SP1, DK)

Christian Scott (SP2)

Drew Rasmussen (SP2)

Scott’s 27.8% K% and elite model value at $7,000 DK is the clearest value arm on the board. Rasmussen offers mid-range strikeout upside as the pivot.
LAD vs. Sproat and STL vs. Singer as primary stacksNYM vs. Phillips (bullpen) and CLE vs. Painter (Q)The Mets bullpen game suppresses NYM ownership while Soto anchors elite production. Painter’s Q tag creates late-swap upside across the Guardians.
Jordan Walker, Randy Arozarena (chalk)Juan SotoSoto’s wRC+ of 205 against RHP in a low-ownership environment.

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, FD Only)
  2. Shota Imanaga (SP1, DK)
  3. Randy Arozarena (Core Bat)
  4. Jordan Walker (Core Bat)
  5. Travis Bazzana (Core Value Bat)
  6. Carson Benge (Core Value Bat)

Player Pool

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Stacks

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