The Opening Day MLB DFS main slate is the same at DraftKings and FanDuel, featuring nine games and starting at 1:15 p.m. ET. Additionally, the following Underdog pick ’em suggestions are from the nine-game afternoon slate. Let’s dive into our top MLB DFS picks for Opening Day Thursday.
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet 
Today’s MLB DFS Picks & Player Props
Thursday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
Cristopher Sanchez (PHI) vs. TEX
Cristopher Sanchez is underpriced relative to the other aces on the Opening Day MLB DFS slate. The lefty was lights out last year, especially at home. According to FanGraphs, in 15 starts spanning 97.2 innings at home last season, Sanchez had a 1.94 ERA, 2.43 xFIP, 0.90 WHIP, 4.5 BB%, and 30.5 K%.
Sanchez was also consistent at home. He logged at least five innings in each of his home starts last year and allowed two earned runs or fewer in 14 of those starts. The only start Sanchez allowed more than two earned runs at home last year was against the Dodgers on April 6, ceding four in 5.2 innings, while making up for it with nine strikeouts. Sanchez’s ceiling rivals anyone on the slate, and the Phillies are -150 favorites against the Rangers, with a game total of 8.0 runs.
Garrett Crochet (BOS) at CIN
Garrett Crochet didn’t skip a beat in his first year with the Red Sox. Instead, he finished second to Tarik Skubal in AL Cy Young Award voting, earning four of 30 first-place votes, per Baseball Reference.
In 32 starts spanning 205.1 innings last season, Crochet had the following stats.
- 18 wins
- 22 quality starts
- 2.59 ERA
- 2.88 xERA
- 2.64 xFIP
- 2.86 SIERA
- 1.03 WHIP
- 5.7 BB%
- 31.3 K%
- 13.7 SwStr%
- 29.0 CSW%
- 117 stuff+
- 100 location+
- 115 pitching+
He was brilliant.
Crochet has a plus matchup on Opening Day, albeit in a hitter-and-homer-friendly ballpark. Cincinnati was 26th in wRC+ (79) and had a 23.0 K% versus lefties last season. Additionally, five of the players that Roster Resource projects Cincinnati to start against lefties have had a 90 wRC+ or worse against southpaws since 2024. Thus, the Red Sox are -155 favorites, and the game’s total is 8.0 runs.
Trevor Rogers (BAL) vs. MIN
Trevor Rogers might not have the easiest matchup on Opening Day. Byron Buxton and Ryan Jeffers hammer southpaws, and only Brooks Lee (82 wRC+), Josh Bell (80 wRC+), and Luke Keaschall (44 wRC+) have posted a wRC+ below 102 against lefties since 2024 or since debuting in the Majors among the projected starters for the Twins. Nonetheless, Rogers is a dreamy SP2 selection at his salary on DraftKings and a viable GPP pick on FanDuel.
The 28-year-old lefty had a sensational season for the Orioles last year. In 18 starts totaling 109.2 innings in 2025, Rogers had the following stats.
- 9 wins
- 13 quality starts
- 1.81 ERA
- 3.40 xERA
- 3.64 xFIP
- 3.75 SIERA
- 0.90 WHIP
- 6.9 BB%
- 24.3 K%
- 12.5 SwStr%
- 27.9 CSW%
- 97 stuff+
- 104 location+
- 100 pitching+
Rogers’ pitch modeling won’t knock anyone’s socks off, and his ERA was markedly better than his ERA estimators. Still, the lefty’s ERA estimators were rock-solid or better. Rogers’ betting info is also favorable. The Orioles are -155 favorites, and the game’s total is 8.0 runs.
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) vs. CWS
Jacob Misiorowski had an encouraging rookie campaign that wasn’t fully captured in his 4.36 ERA in 15 appearances (14 starts). The flamethrowing righty’s 3.40 xERA, 3.66 xFIP, and 3.56 SIERA in 66 innings were all notably better than his ERA.
Misiorowski also tallied a DFS-friendly 31.9 K% and a palatable 1.24 WHIP. His tasty strikeout rate was supported by a 13.0 SwStr%, 28.7 CSW%, 116 stuff+, 103 location+, and 119 pitching+. Misiorowski’s below-average control resulted in an 11.4 BB%, and it makes him a riskier pick on a pitching-rich DFS slate who fits better in GPP lineups than cash game ones.
Misiorowski has a desirable matchup to tap into his ceiling on Opening Day. The White Sox have a lousy lineup. Seven of the projected starters have had a 98 wRC+ or worse against right-handed pitchers since 2024 or since reaching the Majors. Moreover, Munetaka Murakami had a 28.6 K% in 224 plate appearances in NPB last season and a 25.8 K% and 100 wRC+ in 31 plate appearances in Spring Training. Finally, the Brewers are -190 favorites, and the game’s total is 8.0 runs.
Suggested Lineup Stacks
Shane Smith isn’t a punching bag. Nevertheless, on a loaded pitching slate, his 3.81 ERA, 3.98 xERA, 4.23 xFIP, and 4.20 SIERA in 2025 don’t stack up against the numbers for the other hurlers. The bottom of Milwaukee’s lineup isn’t appealing for stacking, except for contrarian GPP wrap-around stacks. The top of the order is potent, though.
- Home (Wrigley Field)
- Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/CHC -210
The Cubs have one of the best pitching matchups on the slate. Cade Cavalli had the third-highest ERA (4.25), the second-highest xERA (4.14), the fifth-highest xFIP (3.93), tied for the fourth-highest SIERA (4.09), the highest WHIP (1.4,8), and the lowest strikeout rate (18.3 percent) in 2025 among Thursday’s probable starters. Washington’s bullpen is also unimposing. Chicago should enjoy offensive success on Opening Day.
Core Studs
- Brice Turang broke out at the dish last year. In 659 plate appearances, he hit a career-high 18 homers with 97 runs, 81 RBI, 24 stolen bases, a .359 OBP, .147 ISO, .346 wOBA, .335 xwOBA, and 124 wRC+. The left-handed-hitting Turang will have the platoon advantage against the right-handed Smith, who yielded a .315 wOBA to 338 lefties last season.
- Gunnar Henderson was a monster with the platoon advantage at renovated Oriole Park at Camden Yards last year. In 211 plate appearances against righties at home last season, Henderson hit nine homers with a .380 OBP, .242 ISO, .394 wOBA, and 158 wRC+.
- Alex Bregman has done better against righties than lefties in the previous two seasons, posting a .331 OBP, .201 ISO, and 123 wRC+ in 815 plate appearances against righties. His excellence in same-handed matchups pairs nicely with Cavalli’s reverse platoon split. Washington’s righty coughed up a .442 OBP, .548 SLG, and .427 wOBA to 95 right-handed batters last season.
Value Plays/Punts
- A change of scenery did wonders for Andrew Vaughn last season. In 254 plate appearances for the Brewers last season, Vaughn hit nine homers with 26 runs, 46 RBI, a .375 OBP, .186 ISO, .373 wOBA, .377 xwOBA, and 142 wRC+.
- Moises Ballesteros is an acceptable option at FanDuel, but he’s a more attractive punt-priced choice at DraftKings, where gamers are required to use a catcher. Ballesteros raked at every rung on the minor-league ladder, and he made the most of his cup of coffee with the Cubs last year, blasting two homers with a .394 OBP, .374 wOBA, .339 xwOBA, and 143 wRC+ in 66 plate appearances.
- St. Louis’s top prospect, JJ Wetherholt, earned a spot on their Opening Day roster after a massive season in the upper minors last year and an impressive spring. The 23-year-old prospect ripped off a 154 wRC+ in 496 plate appearances split between Double-A (275 plate appearances) and Triple-A (221 plate appearances) last year. Roster Resource projects Wetherholt to hit leadoff for the Cardinals, which would boost his DFS outlook on Opening Day. Wetherholt is still a rock-solid punt if the Cardinals give him a less aggressive lineup assignment in his first regular season game in the Majors.
Thursday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet
Cade Cavalli: 2.5 Earned Runs Allowed – Higher (0.94x)
Five of Chicago’s projected starters have had at least a 114 wRC+ against righties since 2024 or since debuting in the Majors. Only three projected starters have a wRC+ under 101, and Dansby Swanson‘s 88 wRC+ is the lowest. They should rough up Cavalli, who allowed over 2.5 earned runs in three of five starts on the road last year.
Gunnar Henderson: 1.5 Total Bases – Higher
Henderson recorded 50 singles, 21 doubles, two triples, 10 homers, a .284 batting average, .473 SLG, and .188 ISO in 78 home games last season. Joe Ryan isn’t an awful matchup, either. Ryan allowed 24 singles, nine doubles, seven homers, a .250 batting average, and .438 SLG to 177 left-handed batters on the road last season.
Elly De La Cruz: 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs – Lower (0.88x)
Elly De La Cruz is an electrifying player. However, the switch-hitting shortstop has struggled against southpaws. In 549 career plate appearances against lefties, he has a .220 batting average, .278 OBP, .109 ISO, .268 wOBA, and 64 wRC+. Meanwhile, Crochet dominated righties, holding the 663 right-handed batters he faced last year to a .229 batting average, .279 OBP, .374 SLG, and .286 wOBA. Crochet should tie up De La Cruz, and gamers who use this selection will likely just need to dodge him doing damage against the bullpen for this pick to be a winner.
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
