FanDuel has chopped up today’s MLB action into bite-sized slates that don’t align with the main slate at DraftKings. Thus, today’s DFS advice is for DraftKings’ 10-game slate starting at 1:10 p.m. The top pick ’em selections at Underdog and Sleeper are also from the 10-game slate.
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet 
Today’s MLB DFS & Player Props Picks
Wednesday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Paul Skenes (PIT) at TB
Paul Skenes is the top pitching option on a fairly pitching-rich DFS slate. He was an unstoppable force in his rookie season and had a stellar first start in 2025. According to FanGraphs, in 24 career starts spanning 138.1 innings, Skenes has had the following stats.
- 2.02 ERA
- 2.50 xFIP
- 2.70 SIERA
- 0.95 WHIP
- 6.4 BB%
- 33.1 K%
- 52.1 GB%
- 13.2 SwStr%
- 29.4 CSW%
- 116 stuff+
- 103 location+
- 112 Pitching+
Skenes has also excelled on the road. In 12 career road starts spanning 66.2 innings, Skenes has a 1.49 ERA, 2.00 xFIP, 0.81 WHIP, 6.4 BB%, 37.6 K% and 56.9 GB%.
Pittsburgh’s ace has a non-threatening matchup with strikeout upside since six of Tampa Bay’s projected starters have had at least a 23.2 K% against righties since 2023 or debuting. The betting info is also DFS-friendly. The Pirates are -125, and the game’s total is just 7.0 runs.
Pablo Lopez (MIN) at CWS
Pablo Lopez had a massive gap between his 4.08 ERA and ERA estimators last year. The righty’s 3.67 xERA, 3.36 xFIP and 3.46 SIERA were more encouraging marks. Sadly, he had a forgettable first start this year in St. Louis. Still, Lopez had a 12.6 SwStr%, 101 stuff+, 128 location+ and 128 pitching+ against the Cardinals. Thus, I’m chalking his first start this season up to a blip on the radar.
Lopez has a cushy matchup this afternoon. Luis Robert (107 wRC+) and Andrew Vaughn (101+) are Chicago’s only projected starters with a wRC+ above 100 against righties since 2023 or debuting, and many have high strikeout rates. It’s a dreamy matchup. Moreover, the Twins are -180, and the game’s total is 7.5 runs.
Ryan Pepiot (TB) vs. PIT
Ryan Pepiot has excelled in Tampa Bay’s organization. In 27 starts totaling 136 innings since last season, Pepiot has had the following stats.
- 3.51 ERA
- 3.99 xFIP
- 3.80 SIERA
- 1.15 WHIP
- 8.7 BB%
- 26.5 K%
- 13.1 SwStr%
- 28.9 CSW%
- 107 stuff+
- 100 location+
- 108 pitching+
He has the unenviable task of opposing Skenes. Yet, that could be a sneaky benefit if Skenes carves up the Rays and Pepiot can get in a groove by reciprocating the excellent pitching.
Fortunately, Pepiot has a desirable matchup. Bryan Reynolds (120 wRC+) and Oneil Cruz (116 wRC+) are Pittsburgh’s only projected starters with a wRC+ above 115 against righties since 2023. It’s an underwhelming lineup. Finally, Pepiot is only a tiny underdog (+105), and the game’s total is a pitcher-friendly 7.0 runs.
Suggested Lineup Stacks
Landen Roupp made 23 appearances for the Giants last year, but only four were starts. Even with the advantage of working out of the bullpen, the righty’s 3.58 ERA, 4.05 xERA, 4.17 xFIP, 4.39 SIERA and 1.37 WHIP were mediocre or worse. He also had a 12.0 BB% and 21.7 K%. Roupp’s lousy control is a recipe for disaster, and his modest strikeout rate isn’t high enough to offset the free passes. The top-five hitters are the most appealing to stack in Houston’s top-heavy lineup. Still, the low salaries for the bottom of the order make unique stacks, such as third through seventh or a wraparound from the bottom of the order to the top, viable.
- Road (Sutter Health Park)
- Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/CHC -110
Jeffrey Springs isn’t an easy matchup for the Cubs. Yet, their offense has firepower. Among the nine projected starters for the Cubs today, six have had at least a 116 wRC+ against southpaws since 2023 or debuting, and five have had at least a 131 wRC+. Despite a potentially challenging matchup, Chicago’s high-powered lineup against southpaws is worth stacking.
Core Studs
- Since 2023, Yordan Alvarez has had a .396 OBP, .288 ISO and 166 wRC+ against righties.
- In 288 plate appearances against lefties since 2023, Dansby Swanson has hit 12 homers with a .354 OBP, .207 ISO and 132 wRC+. He’s also using the torpedo bat this year, for those tracking at home.
- In 172 plate appearances against lefties since 2023, Heliot Ramos has hit 11 homers with a .384 OBP, .318 ISO and 177 wRC+. He also gets a DFS boost from climbing to the leadoff against southpaws.
Value Plays/Punts
- In 132 plate appearances against southpaws since 2023, Tyler Fitzgerald has swatted eight homers with a .348 OBP, .268 ISO and 154 wRC+.
- Victor Caratini should spell Yainer Diaz in a day game after a night game. He’s had a 103 wRC+ against righties since 2023, which is tons of bang for your buck at nearly the minimum salary on DraftKings.
- Luis Arraez is the ideal table-setter. Since 2023, the multi-time batting champion has tallied a .381 OBP, .102 ISO and 127 wRC+ against righties.
Wednesday’s Top 3 Sleeper and Underdog Player Props
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet
Jonathan Aranda: 0.5 Total Bases – Less (Sleeper) (1.95x)
Jonathan Aranda: 0.5 Total Bases – Lower (Underdog) (1.09x)
Jonathan Aranda is on a three-game hitting streak. However, he has only a .244 batting average in 306 career plate appearances against righties. Aranda will have his hands full against Skenes. Pittsburgh’s ace has held 275 lefties to a .182 batting average. Finally, the Pirates have four lefties and only three righties in their bullpen. So, Aranda could get lifted for a pinch-hitter against a lefty reliever.
Clay Holmes: 1.5 Walks Allowed – More (Sleeper) (1.48x)
Clay Holmes: 1.5 Walks Allowed – Higher (Underdog) (0.8x)
Clay Holmes walked four of 23 batters (17.4 BB%) in his first start this year, with a 44.9 Zone% (50.2 Zone% is the league average this season). He also had eight walks (11.1 BB%) in five starts in spring training. Holmes has demonstrated shaky control in his transition to the rotation, and five of Miami’s hitters have had at least a 7.1 BB% against righties since 2023 or debuting, and leadoff hitter Xavier Edwards has a 9.2 BB%. Thus, we project Holmes to walk 1.77 batters today.
Juan Soto: 1.5 Total Bases – More (Sleeper) (1.97x)
Juan Soto: 1.5 Total Bases – Higher (Underdog) (1.09x)
In 1,001 plate appearances against righties since 2023, Juan Soto has hit 122 singles, 49 doubles, four triples and 56 homers with a .288 batting average, .569 slugging and .281 ISO. The left-handed-hitting outfielder will hit with park factors of 1.082 for singles, 1.198 for doubles, 1.400 for triples and 1.184 for homers at loanDepot park. As a result, we project Soto to have 2.56 total bases today.
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
