Friday’s MLB DFS main slates at DraftKings and FanDuel feature 11 games, starting at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Underdog pick’em picks are also from those 11 games. Let’s dive into today’s MLB DFS picks.
Friday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props
Friday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (5/1)
Zack Wheeler held the Braves to two earned runs on three hits and three walks, with six strikeouts, in five innings in his season debut on April 25th. According to FanGraphs, Wheeler had a 16.7% SwStr%, 33.3% CSW%, 107 stuff+, 92 location+ and 95 pitching+ in that start. Ideally, he can tighten up his location tonight.
Wheeler’s matchup isn’t ideal. The Marlins are eighth in wRC+ (108) with a 21.6% striekout rate versus righties and 12th in wRC+ (111) with an 18.2% strikeout rate at home in 2026. Still, the Phillies are -130 favorites, and the game’s total is eight runs.
Will Warren has excelled at home. In 108.1 innings at home since last season, he’s spun a 3.32 ERA, 3.43 xFIP, 1.16 WHIP, 8.4% walk rate and 27.4% strikeout rate. He’s also thriving this year, logging the following stats in six starts spanning 31.1 innings:
- 3 wins
- 2 quality starts
- 2.59 ERA
- 3.50 xERA
- 2.67 xFIP
- 2.86 SIERA
- 1.15 WHIP
- 5.4% walk rate
- 28.7% strikeout rate
- 8.8% SwStr%
- 28.5% CSW%
- 108 stuff+
- 114 location+
- 125 pitching+
Warren’s matchup and betting info are both mixed tonight. On the negative side, the Orioles are ninth in wRC+ (107) with a 23.8% strikeout rate versus righties this year, and the game’s total is 8.5 runs. On the positive side, Baltimore is tied for 22nd in wRC+ (85) with a 26.7% strikeout rate on the road, and the Yankees are -170 favorites. Warren is an excellent GPP pick.
Mike Burrows‘ 6.25 ERA in six starts in 31.2 innings this season screams to avoid him in DFS. However, his 3.82 xERA, 4.12 xFIP and 3.97 SIERA indicate he’s a regression candidate. Burrows’ 23.3% strikeout rate, 1.29 WHIP, 12.9% SwStr% and 29.7% CSW% are acceptable or better marks, too.
Burrows has an ideal matchup to regress to his ERA estimators. The Red Sox are 30th in wRC+ (79) with a 22.6% strikeout rate versus righties and 30th in wRC+ (63) with a 22.2% strikeout rate at home this season. Burrows is a viable GPP option on FanDuel, and he’s the top bargain starting pitcher on DraftKings in all game types.
Suggested Lineup Stacks
The Guardians are in an eruption spot. First, Sutter Health Park is a minor-league venue, and it plays like one. It’s a launching pad and has the second-highest park factor for runs (1.091).
Second, J.T. Ginn has yielded a .413 wOBA to 240 left-handed batters faced since last season. All nine projected starting hitters for the Guardians are left-handed or switch-hitters.
Lefty Jake Bennett is making his debut for the Red Sox tonight. He’s pitched well in the minors. Nevertheless, Bennett has pitched only 45.2 innings in Double-A and 21 in Triple-A. His lack of upper-minors experience, coupled with tonight being his MLB debut, could lead to an offensive outburst from the Astros.
Additionally, seven of Houston’s projected starters have had at least a 102 wRC+ against lefties since 2024, with six posting at least a 111 wRC+ and four logging at least a 131 wRC+. They’d be a challenging matchup for any lefty, and Bennett will have his work cut out for him tonight.
Core Studs
- Jose Ramirez has muscled up for 51 homers with a .333 on-base percentage (OBP), .222 ISO, .342 wOBA and 123 wRC+ in 1,079 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
- Among 142 qualified batters against lefties since 2024, Yordan Alvarez is second in wRC+ (203) and second in wOBA (.457). He’s hit 17 homers with a .428 OBP and .293 ISO in 290 plate appearances against lefties in that period.
- Carlos Correa has ripped 12 round-trippers with a .370 OBP, .213 ISO, .374 wOBA and 143 wRC+ in 263 plate appearances against lefties since 2024.
Value Plays/Punts
- Kyle Manzardo has tallied 28 homers, a .310 OBP, .196 ISO, .320 wOBA and 107 wRC+ in 655 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
- Cam Smith has drilled five dingers with a .337 OBP, .175 ISO, .329 wOBA and 111 wRC+ in 169 plate appearances against lefties since reaching The Show last season.
- Steven Kwan has hit 21 homers with a .350 OBP, .131 ISO, .334 wOBA and 117 wRC+ in 939 plate appearances against righties since 2024. He’s also a threat to steal bases, swiping two this year after nabbing 21 in 2025.
Friday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet 
Chase DeLauter has recorded 26 hits, 12 runs, 18 RBI, a .257 batting average, .345 OBP, .228 ISO, .364 wOBA and 131 wRC+ in 29 games over 116 plate appearances this year.
DeLauter has also had a bit of bad batting average luck on his batted balls, as evidenced by his .288 expected batting average (xBA).
Bryan Woo (SP – SEA): 18.5 Pitching Outs — Lower (0.85x Payout)
Bryan Woo has been a coin flip proposition to surpass 18.5 outs recorded this year, doing so in three of his six starts. However, the larger sample tilts toward him going under that total. Woo has recorded fewer than 18.5 outs in 22 out of 36 starts since last season.
In addition to Correa’s previously cited strong work against lefties since 2024, he’s also off to a rock-solid start this season.
Correa has tallied 20 runs, two homers, 14 RBI, one stolen base, a .361 OBP, .123 ISO, .339 wOBA and 114 wRC+ in 28 games across 122 plate appearances this year.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
