Welcome to Fantasy Alarm's MLB DFS picks and daily fantasy playbook for Wednesday, July 26th. 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 solid pitchers in Sean Burke, Peter Lambert, MacKenzie Gore, and Kyle Bradish 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, 9-Games on FanDuel | Lock Time: 6:40 pm ET, Wednesday, July 26th, 2026

Vegas Totals: MIN/ATH (highest-projected game), HOU/NYY & COL/WAS (tied for second-highest game total), KC/TOR, BAL/STL, LAD/ATL & MIL/NYM (tied for third-highest game total)

Highest K-Projections: MacKenzie Gore 6.5 O/U (+112), Sean Burke 6.5 O/U (+115), Sonny Gray 5.5 O/U (-127), Connor Prielipp 5.5 O/U (-107), Peter Lambert 5.5 O/U (+108), Roki Sasaki 5.5 O/U (+120)

MLB Weather Today, 8/26

Dodgers vs Braves - There's a chance at a delay or a late-start. We shouldn't be overly concerned

MLB DFS Lineup Picks: Starting Pitchers

MLB DFS Top Pitchers

Sonny Gray (BOS) (FanDuel) 

Analysis: The Marlins have a 91 wRC+ and a 22.9% K-rate against the All-Star break and Sonny Gray has the best odds to pick up a win today. Gray has put up 50+ FDP in two of his last four starts, showing off his upside.

Sean Burke (CWS) 

Analysis: Texas' offense has struggled since the break and have struck out a bunch. Their 23.9% K-rate is the eighth-highest mark in the league. Burke has the highest K-rate of any pitcher on the slate and only trails MacKenzie Gore as in strikeout O/U.

MacKenzie Gore (LAA)

Analysis: I'm never comfortable with MacKenzie Gore chalk, but it's an elite strikeout spot. The White Sox have the sixth-highest K-rate since the All-Star break at 24.6%. The White Sox do have a ton of power and that's the scary part.

Peter Lambert (HOU)

Analysis: Lambert's dominated lefties and the Yankees are throwing seven of them out tonight. The Yankees, since the break, have a 26.6% K-rate (1st) in baseball and have an 82 wRC+, which is 28th in baseball.

MLB DFS Value Pitchers

Dustin May (MIL)

Analysis: May had awful numbers last start, but it was very unlucky. He had a .583 BABIP and 30% LOB in that outing. The Mets have been better offensively since the All-Star break (106 wRC+) but they're struck out a lot at 24.3%. May's a solid cheap option.

Connor Prielipp (MIN) 

Analysis: Since the All-Star break, the Athletics have an 80 wRC+ against lefties along with a 25.3% K-rate. Prielipp needs to keep the ball in the yard obviously considering the ballpark he's pitching in here. He has a 5.57 ERA but has a 3.97 xFIP and .319 BABIP.

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:

Sean Burke: 26.5% K% (9.7 K/9)

MacKenzie Gore: 26% K% (9.9 K/9)

Connor Prielipp: 24.8% K% (9.7 K/9)

Peter Lambert: 23.3% K% (8.8 K/9)

Dustin May: 22.6% K% (8.6 K/9)

Kyle Bradish: 22% K% (8.4 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

MLB DFS Value Hitters

MLB DFS Top Stacks

Primary Stack: Houston Astros vs Elmer Rodriguez (NYY RHP)

Targets: Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Pena, Isaac Paredes, Jose Altuve, Daulton Varsho, Yainer Diaz

Primary Stack: Milwaukee Brewers vs Robert Stock (NYM RHP)

Targets: Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Luis Lara, Christian Yelich

Primary Stack: Minnesota Twins vs J.T. Ginn (ATH RHP)

Targets: Kody Clemens, Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, Trevor Larnach, Victor Caratini, Byron Buxton

“Contrarian” Stack: Athletics vs Connor Prielipp (MIN LHP)

Targets: Zack Gelof, Max Muncy, Henry Bolte, Jonah Heim, Tommy White

“Contrarian” Stack: Boston Red Sox vs Ryan Gusto (MIA RHP) (FanDuel)

Targets: Caleb Durbin, Cedanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Mickey Gasper, Nick Sogard 

MLB DFS Lineups: Core MLB DFS Hitters & Pitchers

The "Chalk" (Popular)

The "Pivot" (Low

Owned)

The Winning Logic
Gore (SP, chalk value)Lambert (SP, lower owned)Since the All-Star break, the Yankees have the highest K-rate in baseball and have an 82 wRC+
Twins (Chalk)Astros (pivot stack)JT Ginn is a good pitcher and struggles w/ LHH, not RHH. Astros face Elmer Rodriguez who hasn't thrown strikes. 
Keaschall + Jeffers (chalk)Alvarez + Paredes (lower owned)The Astros draw Elmer Rodriguez who's had control issues & is in a hitters park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

  1. Sean Burke (SP1)
  2. Dustin May (SP2)
  3. Yordan Alvarez (Core Bat)
  4. Zack Gelof (Core Bat)
  5. Brooks Lee (Core Bat) 
  6. Isaac Paredes (Core Value Bat)
  7. Daylen Lile (Core Value Bat) (FanDuel)

Player Pool

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Stacks

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