Josh Shepardson | Thu, Apr 23rd 2026, 7:12am EDT

MLB DFS Picks & Underdog Player Props: Thursday (4/23)

Thursday’s MLB DFS main slate is a matinee affair on DraftKings and FanDuel, featuring six games that start at 1:05 p.m. ET. The Underdog pick ’em selections are also from the afternoon’s six games.

Thursday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props

Thursday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (4/23)

Tarik Skubal (SP – DET) vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Tarik Skubal is pitching well out of the gates this year. According to FanGraphs, he has the following stats in five starts spanning 30.1 innings this year.

3 wins
4 quality starts
2.08 ERA
3.37 xERA
2.74 xFIP
2.92 SIERA
0.96 WHIP
5.1 BB%
28.0 K%
14.0 SwStr%
29.9 CSW%
116 stuff+
104 location+
119 pitching+

In addition, Skubal has a 2.08 ERA, 2.68 xFIP, 0.90 WHIP, 5.1 BB% and 33.8 K% in 108 innings at home since last year.

Skubal also has a tasty matchup and even tastier betting info. The Brewers are 20th in wRC+ (89) with a 23.1 K% versus lefties and 12th in wRC+ (100) with a 22.5 K% on the road in 2026. Therefore, the Tigers are -220 favorites, and the game’s total is a pitcher-friendly 7.0 runs.

Michael Soroka (SP – ARI) vs. Chicago White Sox

Michael Soroka is grossly overpriced at FanDuel. Furthermore, FanDuel’s pricing is less appealing for the following stacks and suggested core studs and values/punts. As a result, today’s MLB DFS piece is more geared toward DraftKings lineups, where Soroka is a nifty SP2 in all game types.

The 28-year-old righty’s 4.95 xERA warrants a pause, but it’s truly the only alarming number in his profile. Soroka’s 2.78 ERA in four starts spanning 22.2 innings this year is otherwise largely supported by his 3.07 xFIP and 2.90 SIERA. The veteran righty also has a 1.06 WHIP, 6.5 BB%, 30.1 K%, 10.4 SwStr% and 29.2 CSW%.

Soroka has a good matchup and adequate betting info today. The White Sox are 24th in wRC+ (89) with a 24.1 K% versus righties and tied for 10th in wRC+ (101) with a 26.7 K% on the road this season. Finally, the Diamondbacks are -155 favorites, and the game’s total is 9.0 runs.

Logan Webb (SP – SF) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Logan Webb is having a forgettable start to his 2026 campaign. Still, his 5.40 ERA in five starts, totaling 30 innings, is higher than his 4.42 xERA, 3.41 xFIP and 3.63 SIERA. Webb’s pitch modeling, which includes 103 stuff+, 107 location+ and 113 pitching+, is also outstanding. There are reasons for hope.

The veteran righty is also a beast at home. In 128 innings at home since last year, Webb has twirled a 3.30 ERA, 2.74 xFIP, 1.25 WHIP, 4.7 BB% and 25.5 K%. Webb is far too risky to use in cash games. Nevertheless, he has upside that warrants GPP consideration, and the betting info hints at DFS utility. The Giants are only +135 underdogs, and the game’s total is a pitcher-friendly 7.5 runs.

Suggested Lineup Stacks

Road (Coor Field)
Game Total/Moneyline: 10.5 Runs/SD -150

San Diego’s offense hasn’t gotten the memo that Coors Field is MLB’s dreamiest venue for offense, as they’ve been toothless through the first two games of the series. They’ll have another opportunity to take advantage of the hitting conditions against a bad hurler today. Ryan Feltner has a 6.00 ERA, 7.01 xERA, 4.58 xFIP, 4.60 SIERA and 1.50 WHIP in four starts this year. Feltner has also permitted a .357 wOBA to lefties and a .363 wOBA to righties since last year. It’s not the time to fade an offense in a plus matchup at Coors Field after two stinkers.

Road (Nationals Park)
Game Total/Moneyline: 9.0 Runs/ATL -143

The Braves teed off on the Nationals yesterday, and they have a potent offense. Six of their projected starters have recorded at least a 104 wRC+ against righties since 2024, and five have tallied at least a 115 wRC+. Cade Cavalli is ill-equipped to tame Atlanta’s offense, with a 4.12 ERA, 4.57 xERA, 4.99 xFIP and 4.87 SIERA in four starts this season, lasting only 19.2 innings. Moreover, Washington’s relievers have the fifth-highest ERA (5.37) and are tied for the third-highest xFIP (4.88) in 2026. The Braves should smash again this afternoon.

Core Studs

Jackson Merrill has hit 36 homers with a .333 OBP, .226 ISO, .360 wOBA and 135 wRC+ in 827 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
Ramon Laureano has hit 25 homers with a .323 OBP, .206 ISO, .342 wOBA and 121 wRC+ in 607 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
Matt Olson has crushed 46 homers with a .359 OBP, .215 ISO, .359 wOBA and 130 wRC+ in 1,073 plate appearances against righties since 2024.

Value Plays/Punts

Michael Harris launched two long-balls last night, and he’s sitting on 11 runs, six homers, 14 RBI, two stolen bases, a .337 OBP, .247 ISO, .387 wOBA and 144 wRC+ in 86 plate appearances this year.
Ozzie Albies has recorded 16 runs, four homers, 11 RBI, a .330 OBP, .155 ISO, .341 wOBA and 114 wRC+ in 106 plate appearances this season.
Colt Keith has mashed 25 taters with a .325 OBP, .147 ISO, .320 wOBA and 106 wRC+ in 958 plate appearances against righties since 2024.

Thursday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props

Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet

Matt Olson (1B – ATL): 6.5 Fantasy Points — Higher

Olson is having a big year at the dish. In 112 plate appearances this season, Olson has amassed 20 runs, seven homers, 22 RBI, a .348 OBP, .316 ISO, .399 wOBA and 152 wRC+. Meanwhile, Cavalli has allowed a .325 wOBA to left-handed batters since last year.

Riley Greene (OF – DET): 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI — Higher (0.94x Payout)

Riley Green has rattled off 24 hits, 16 runs, 14 RBI, a .276 batting average, .382 OBP, .126 ISO, .360 wOBA and 127 wRC+ in 25 games and 102 plate appearances this year. He’s also crushed righties to the tune of 51 homers, a .275 batting average, .347 OBP, .245 ISO, .370 wOBA and 141 wRC+ in 960 plate appearances since 2024. On the flip side, Brandon Sproat has allowed 21 hits, a .313 batting average, .410 OBP, .522 SLG and .409 wOBA to 80 left-handed batters since last season.

Drake Baldwin (C – ATL): 6.5 Fantasy Points — Higher

Drake Baldwin muscled up for his seventh dinger of the year in 115 plate appearances this season. In 115 plate appearances this year, Baldwin has 26 runs, seven homers, 23 RBI, a .391 OBP, .243 ISO, .421 wOBA and 167 wRC+.

Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.

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