Tonight’s MLB DFS main slate has four games starting at 7:05 p.m. ET at DraftKings and FanDuel. The suggested pick ’em choices from Sleeper and Underdog are from the night’s contests.
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet 
Today’s MLB DFS & Player Props Picks
Thursday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) at ARI
The pitching options are plentiful despite the MLB DFS main slate featuring only four games tonight. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has a challenging matchup. The Diamondbacks are fourth in wRC+ (118) with a 21.6 K% versus righties and sixth in wRC+ (120) with a 16.4 K% at home. Nevertheless, the Dodgers are -160, and the game’s total is only a moderately threatening 8.5 runs.
More importantly, Yamamoto is on another level this season. According to FanGraphs, he’s had the following stats in seven starts spanning 40 innings in 2025.
- 0.90 ERA
- 2.47 xERA
- 2.32 xFIP
- 2.61 SIERA
- 0.93 WHIP
- Four wins
- Four quality starts
- 8.5 BB%
- 32.0 K%
- 61.5 GB%
- 13.8 SwStr%
- 31.2 CSW%
- 96 stuff+
- 109 location+
- 109 pitching+
There aren’t holes to poke in Yamamoto’s profile this season. His ceiling is unmatched on this slate. Yamamoto isn’t a must-use pitcher in cash games, but he’s a stellar option in that format and an elite choice in GPPs because of his ceiling.
Jesus Luzardo (PHI) at TB
Jesus Luzardo is excelling in his first season with the Phillies. In seven starts spanning 41.2 innings this year, Luzardo has the following numbers.
- 1.94 ERA
- 2.86 xERA
- 2.98 xFIP
- 3.09 SIERA
- 1.18 WHIP
- Three wins
- Four quality starts
- 6.5 BB%
- 27.6 K%
- 47.7 GB%
- 14.3 SwStr%
- 30.0 CSW%
- 100 stuff+
- 112 location+
- 113 pitching+
Luzardo’s ceiling is on par with Yamamoto’s, and the lefty has a more favorable matchup.
The Rays are 27th in wRC+ (66) with a 22.6 K% versus lefties and 15th in wRC+ (111) with a 21.8 K% at home this season. Thus, the Phillies are -135, and the game’s total is 8.5 runs.
Spencer Schwellenbach (ATL) vs. CIN
Spencer Schwellenbach has the most appealing betting info of the three highlighted hurlers. The Braves are -172, and the game’s total is a pitcher-friendly 7.5 runs. The righty’s matchup is decent, too. The Reds are 22nd in wRC+ (94) with a 22.7 K% versus righties but tied for sixth in wRC+ (110) with a 23.7 K% on the road. So, the matchup isn’t perfect.
Schwellenbach’s production doesn’t quite match that of Yamamoto or Luzardo, either. However, he’s pitched well. In seven starts spanning 41.1 innings this season, Schwellenbach has a 3.92 ERA, 3.99 xERA, 3.18 xFIP, 3.36 SIERA and 1.11 WHIP. In addition, the sophomore hurler has a 4.1 BB%, 21.6 K%, 48.4 GB%, 13.9 SwStr%, 27.8 CSW%, 109 stuff+, 107 location+ and 116 pitching+ in 2025. Schwellenbach has the goods to spin a gem tonight.
Suggested Lineup Stacks
The Dodgers have a juicy matchup tonight. Brandon Pfaadt‘s 5.31 xERA is the highest among tonight’s probable starters. While the righty has held right-handed batters to a .284 wOBA since last season, he’s yielded a .347 wOBA to left-handed batters. Arizona’s bullpen is also below-average, enhancing the ceiling for LA’s offense tonight.
Core Studs
- In 1,024 plate appearances against righties since 2023, Shohei Ohtani has had a .420 OBP, .380 ISO and 198 wRC+.
- Mookie Betts has five homers, 28 runs, 22 RBIs, two stolen bases, a .351 OBP, .164 ISO and 120 wRC+ in 148 plate appearances this season.
Value Plays/Punts
- Hyeseong Kim has hit the ground running for the Dodgers. In five games and 12 plate appearances, he has three runs, two RBIs, two stolen bases, a .417 OBP and 139 wRC+.
- Nolan Schanuel has a 106 wRC+ in 673 career plate appearances against righties.
- Michael Conforto is an average hitter against righties since 2023, tallying a .320 OBP, .173 ISO and 100 wRC+. Still, he’s affordable left-handed exposure to Pfaadt.
- Luis Rengifo is left-handed punt exposure to Chris Bassitt. Since last year, Bassitt has coughed up a .373 wOBA to 475 left-handed batters.
Thursday’s Top 3 Sleeper and Underdog Player Props
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet
Jesus Luzardo: 25.5 Fantasy Points – Higher (Sleeper) (1.66x)
Jesus Luzardo: 33.5 Fantasy Points – Higher (Underdog)
Luzardo has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of seven starts this year, striking out at least five batters and completing at least five innings in them. Luzardo should pitch toward the higher end of those outcomes in a tasty matchup against the Rays.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 17.5 Pitching Outs – Higher (Sleeper) (1.66x)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 17.5 Pitching Outs – Higher (Underdog)
Yamamoto recorded precisely 15 outs in each of his first two starts this year. Since then, he’s rattled off 18, 18, 21, 15 and 18 outs in five subsequent starts. Moreover, Yamamoto has recorded over 17.5 outs in three straight road starts after recording only 15 outs in his season opener in South Korea in late March.
Freddie Freeman: 1.5 Total Bases – Higher (Sleeper) (1.69x)
Freddie Freeman: 1.5 Total Bases – Higher (Underdog)
In 26 games and 108 plate appearances this year, Freddie Freeman has tallied 18 singles, seven doubles, one triple, eight homers, a .362 batting average, .336 xBA, .713 slugging, .668 xSLG and .351 ISO. He’s surpassed 1.5 total bases in 15 of 26 games this year. Finally, Pfaadt has allowed 132 hits, a .287 batting average and .474 slugging to 499 lefties since last season.
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
