Josh Shepardson | Wed, Apr 8th 2026, 7:12am EDT

MLB DFS Picks & Underdog Player Props: Wednesday (4/8)

The MLB DFS main slate at DraftKings starts at 1:10 p.m. ET and features 10 games. Unfortunately, FanDuel’s slates are vastly different, so the FanDuel salaries on the following tables are from their all-day slate. Wednesday’s Underdog pick’em selections are from the 10 games on DraftKings’ featured slate. Let’s dive into today’s MLB DFS picks.

Wednesday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props

Wednesday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (4/8)

Cole Ragans (SP – KC) at Cleveland Guardians

Cole Ragans opened the season with a clunker, allowing four runs (three homers) on six hits and four walks with five strikeouts in four innings against the Braves. He bounced back in his second turn, allowed one run (zero earned runs) on four hits and one walk, with eight strikeouts in six innings.

The 28-year-old lefty is also coming off a 4.67 ERA in 13 starts, totaling 61.2 innings. However, according to FanGraphs, Ragans had a 2.67 xERA, 2.45 xFIP, 2.52 SIERA and 38.1% strikeout as well. Ragans’ underlying data from last year suggests he was unlucky.

The lefty also has a robust 15.1% SwStr% and 31.8% CSW% this season after tallying a 15.8%% CSW% last season. He has immense strikeout potential. Ragans has a good matchup today, and the betting info is appealing. The Royals are -120 favorites, and the game’s total is a pitcher-friendly 7.5 runs.

Kyle Bradish (SP – BAL) at Chicago White Sox

Kyle Bradish has yielded seven runs (six earned runs) in only 8.2 innings across two starts this year. It’s been a suboptimal start to his 2026 campaign. Nevertheless, it’s also only two starts, and Bradish’s 13.4% SwStr% and 27.4% CSW% are rock-solid.

Bradish has an outstanding matchup today. Seven of the projected starting hitters for the White Sox today have a 96 wRC+ or worse against righties since 2024, and five have an 85 wRC+ or worse. Thus, the Orioles are -155 favorites, and the game’s total is 7.5 runs.

Joey Cantillo (SP – CLE) vs. Kansas City Royals

Joey Cantillo made 21 relief appearances for the Guardians last year before transitioning to the rotation, and he hasn’t been overwhelmed by the move. In 15 starts spanning 76 innings since last year, Cantillo has recorded the following stats:

4 wins
2 quality starts
2.96 ERA
3.45 xERA
3.80 xFIP
3.99 SIERA
1.24 WHIP
10.4% walk rate
26.2% strikeout rate
12.4 SwStr%
31.0 CSW%
99 stuff+
99 location+
99 pitching+

Cantillo hasn’t dominated the opposition but has pitched well as a starter.

The Guardians are priced at even odds, and the game’s total is 7.5 runs. The betting odds aren’t too shabby for Cantillo as an SP2 option at DraftKings. Cantillo’s matchup against Kansas City’s projected starting hitters isn’t bad, either.

Suggested Lineup Stacks

Road (Rate Field)
Game Total/Moneyline: 7.5 Runs/BAL -155

Sean Burke has had one shaky start and one gem this season. Last year, Burke had a 4.22 ERA, 4.93 xERA, 4.70 xFIP and 4.47 SIERA in 28 appearances (22 starts). Since last season, Burke has allowed a .336 wOBA to lefties and a .337 wOBA to righties.

The White Sox also have a struggling bullpen. Chicago’s relievers have the seventh-highest ERA (5.80) this season. The Orioles could be a sneaky productive stack today.

Road (Coors Field)
Game Total/Moneyline: 11.5 Runs/HOU -160

The betting info says it all. The Astros are favored, and the game’s total is an eye-popping 11.5 runs. Seven of the team’s projected starters have at least a 100 wRC+ against righties since 2024, and five have at least a 113 wRC+. The depth and quality of Houston’s lineup, and the hitting conditions at Coors Field, make the Astros a tantalizing stack.

Core Studs

Yordan Alvarez has crushed four homers with 10 runs, 10 RBI, one stolen base, a .519 on-base percentage (OBP), .405 ISO, .508 wOBA and 234 wRC+ in 54 plate appearances this season.
Gunnar Henderson has mashed 45 taters with a .368 OBP, .233 ISO, .380 wOBA and 151 wRC+ in 981 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
Carlos Correa has hit 17 homers with a .352 OBP, .138 ISO, .340 wOBA and 120 wRC+ in 751 plate appearances against righties since 2024.

Value Plays/Punts

Dylan Beavers has hit four homers with a .368 OBP, .170 ISO, .350 wOBA and 127 wRC+ in 134 plate appearances against righties since reaching the Majors last year.
TJ Rumfield has hit two homers with six runs, seven RBI, a .450 OBP, .250 ISO, .476 wOBA and 191 wRC+ in his first 40 career plate appearances.
Jordan Walker worked with Driveline Baseball in the offseason, and the early returns this year have been jaw-dropping. He’s ripped four round-trippers with nine runs, 11 RBI, one stolen base, a .364 OBP, .350 ISO, .438 wOBA and 181 wRC+ in 44 plate appearances.

Wednesday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props

Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet

Sean Burke (SP, RP – CWS): 15.5 Outs — Lower (0.80x Payout)

Sean Burke recorded 12 outs in his first start of this season before spiking to 18 outs in a bulk-reliever role. In 23 starts since last year, Burke failed to exceed 15.5 outs 17 times. Three of his longest appearances since last season were working behind an opener.

Gunnar Henderson (SS – BAL): 7.5 Fantasy Points — Higher

Gunnar Henderson’s excellence against righties was highlighted above. He’s also off to an excellent start to his 2026 campaign.

Henderson has drilled four dongs with seven runs, nine RBI, one stolen base, a .333 OBP, .311 ISO, .389 wOBA and 153 wRC+ in 51 plate appearances this season.

Luis Garcia Jr. (1B, 2B – WSH): 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs — Higher

In 11 games (seven starts) and 38 plate appearances this season, Luis Garcia Jr. has recorded 11 hits, five runs, six RBI, a .297 batting average, .316 OBP, .216 ISO, .362 wOBA and 129 wRC+. He has topped 1.5 combined hits + runs + RBIs in four out of seven starts.

Garcia also has a tantalizing matchup against Michael McGreevy, who’s permitted 59 hits, a .301 batting average, .353 OBP and .510 slugging rate to 215 left-handed batters since last season.

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

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