Josh Shepardson | Wed, Apr 22nd 2026, 5:57am EDT

MLB DFS Picks & Underdog Player Props: Wednesday (4/22)

Wednesday’s MLB DFS main slate at DraftKings and FanDuel starts at 6:40 p.m. ET, featuring nine contests. The Underdog pick’em choices are also from those nine games. Let’s dive into today’s top MLB DFS picks.

Wednesday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props

Wednesday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (4/22)

Shohei Ohtani (SP – LAD) at San Francisco Giants

Among tonight’s probable starters, Shohei Ohtani has the lowest ERA (0.50), the third-lowest xERA (2.28), the fourth-lowest xFIP (3.59), the fifth-lowest SIERA (3.52), the lowest WHIP (0.72) and the fifth-highest strikeout rate (26.1%) — all quality starts, lasting 18 innings. Ohtani also has a 12.9% SwStr%, 27.7 CSW%, 112 stuff+, 94 location+ and 104 pitching+ this season.

Ohtani has a plus-matchup and superb betting info tonight. The Giants are 27th in wRC+ (81) with a 20.7% strikeout rate versus righties and 28th in wRC+ (72) with a 21.8% strikeout rate at home in 2026. Thus, the Dodgers are -200 favorites, and the game’s total is a pitcher-friendly 7.5 runs.

Casey Mize (SP – DET) vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Casey Mize‘s 3.71 ERA in 30 starts in 2021 was a fluke, but he enjoyed a legitimate breakout in 2025, with a 3.87 ERA that was supported by his 3.66 xERA, 3.97 xFIP and 3.96 SIERA in 28 starts. He’s pitching even better this season, tallying the following stats in four starts spanning 22.2 innings:

1 win
2 quality starts
2.78 ERA
3.59 xERA
3.74 xFIP
3.46 SIERA
1.19 WHIP
7.4% walk rate
26.6% strikeout rate
12.3% SwStr%
28.5% CSW%

Mize’s 89 stuff+, 100 location+ and 92 pitching+ leave something to be desired. Still, his stats are stellar, and the Tigers are -135 favorites in a game with an unimposing total of eight runs. In addition, Mize’s salary makes him a compelling SP2 in all game types at DraftKings, and he’s a decent GPP pick at FanDuel.

Braxton Ashcraft (SP – PIT) at Texas Rangers

Braxton Ashcraft has kicked it up a notch after getting his feet wet across 26 appearances (18 in relief and eight starts) and 69.2 encouraging innings last year. In four starts totaling 22.2 innings this season, Ashcraft has crafted — terrible pun intended — the following pristine numbers:

1 win
2 quality starts
2.38 ERA
1.98 xERA
2.96 xFIP
2.97 SIERA
1.06 WHIP
7.7% walk rate
29.7% strikeout rate
13.5% SwStr%
29.3% CSW%
102 stuff+
100 location+
101 pitching+

The only thing that prevents Ashcraft from ranking higher is Pittsburgh’s careful handling of him. His career high for innings pitched in a game is six, a mark he’s hit only twice in 12 starts. Nevertheless, Ashcraft’s quality of work is high, the Pirates are listed at -108 odds and the game’s total is eight runs.

Suggested Lineup Stacks

Road (Coors Field)
Game Total/Moneyline: 12.0 Runs/SD -156

The Padres scored one run at Coors Field last night. They didn’t take advantage of the dreamy hitting conditions in Colorado in the first game of the series, but, as the betting odds suggest, oddsmakers and bettors aren’t expecting another dud tonight.

Tomoyuki Sugano‘s 3.92 ERA through four starts this year isn’t supported by his 7.65 xERA, 4.40 xFIP or 4.32 SIERA, and he’s allowed 2.18 HR/9, despite a luck-aided start to the year. Additionally, the 36-year-old righty has allowed a .351 wOBA to lefties and a .331 wOBA to righties since last season.

Home (Citi Field)
Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/NYM -150

Lefty Kendry Rojas will reportedly make his MLB debut for a start tonight. According to Baseball-Reference, Rojas has an ugly 6.10 ERA, 2.04 WHIP, 14.1% walk rate and 20.3% strikeout rate in 11 appearances (10 starts) spanning 38.1 innings in Triple-A.

Is Rojas ready to hit the ground running in The Show? Nope. Moreover, Minnesota’s relievers have the eighth-highest ERA (4.82) in 2026. If the Mets can’t smash tonight, their offense is hopeless.

Core Studs

Fernando Tatis has hit 39 home runs with a .358 on-base percentage (OBP), .202 ISO, .366 wOBA and 139 wRC+ in 904 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
Jackson Merrill has launched 36 long-balls with a .334 OBP, .227 ISO, .361 wOBA and 136 wRC+ in 823 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
Ramon Laureano has hit four homers with 12 runs, 15 RBI, three stolen bases, a .315 OBP, .222 ISO, .349 wOBA and 123 wRC+ in 89 plate appearances this season.

Value Plays/Punts

Mark Vientos has hit 13 homers with a .312 OBP, .223 ISO, .346 wOBA and 125 wRC+ in 295 plate appearances against lefties since 2024.
Marcus Semien has hit eight homers with a .342 OBP, .121 ISO, .320 wOBA and 108 wRC+ in 339 plate appearances against lefties since 2024.
Bo Bichette has been a precisely average hitter against lefties since 2024, as evidenced by his 100 wRC+. An average hitter makes for an appealing punt when they have a DFS-friendly lineup spot and a matchup against a debuting pitcher who was crushed in Triple-A.

Wednesday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props

Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet

Jack Leiter (SP – PIT): 16.5 Outs — Lower (1.02x Payout)

Through four starts, Jack Leiter has recorded 18, 15, 11 and 17 outs. Leiter has also gotten worse every trip through the order as a starter, with a 3.47 ERA in his first trip, a 4.03 ERA in his second trip, an 8.83 ERA in his third trip and an 18.00 ERA in his fourth trip through the order in his career.

Leiter’s track record doesn’t support him pitching deep into games, and the Pirates are eighth in wRC+ (112) against righties this year. Pittsburgh should chase Leiter before he records 17 outs.

Clay Holmes (SP – NYM): 1.5 Earned Runs — Higher (0.83x Payout)

Minnesota’s lineup isn’t stacked. Nevertheless, they’re 12th in wRC+ (104) against righties this year. Meanwhile, Clay Holmes has allowed over 1.5 earned runs in two of his four starts this season, despite a lucky 1.96 ERA, which isn’t supported by his 3.97 xERA, 4.06 xFIP and 4.26 SIERA.

Will Smith (C – LAD): 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs — Higher (0.94x Payout)

Will Smith has excelled in same-handed matchups. He has logged 184 hits, a .275 batting average, .358 OBP, .173 ISO, .351 wOBA and 126 wRC+ in 776 plate appearances against righties since 2024.

Conversely, Tyler Mahle has surrendered 59 hits, a .273 batting average and .351 OBP to 242 right-handed batters since last year.

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

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