Friday’s MLB DFS main slates at DraftKings and FanDuel feature 13 games, starting at 7:05 p.m. ET. The touted Underdog pick’em choices are also from those 13 games. Let’s dive into today’s top MLB DFS pick.
Friday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props
Friday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (5/8)
Among tonight’s probable starters, Max Fried is fifth in ERA (2.39), first in xERA (2.32) and first in WHIP (0.89), with a 7.5% walk rate, 21.4% strikeout, four wins and six quality starts in eight starts spanning 52.2 innings. Fried’s pitch modeling (106 stuff+, 103 location+ and 111 pitching+) is also superb this year.
Fried’s matchup and betting info are favorable tonight. The Brewers are 27th in wRC+ (77) with a 21.1% strikeout rate versus lefties and tied for 16th in wRC+ (104) with a 19.9% sttrikeout rate at home in 2026. Additionally, the Yankes are -140 favorites, and the game’s total is a pitcher-friendly seven runs.
Robbie Ray has outkicked his peripherals, but he’s been rock-solid, logging the following numbers in seven starts, totaling 39.2 innings, this season:
- 2 wins
- 3 quality starts
- 2.95 ERA
- 3.92 xERA
- 4.23 xFIP
- 4.03 SIERA
- 1.06 WHIP
- 8.9% walk rate
- 25.5% strikeout rate
- 11.6% SwStr%
- 25.7% CSW%
- 102 stuff+
- 97 location+
- 97 pitching+
Ray should pitch to the upper end of his range of outcomes in a plus-matchup tonight.
The Pirates are 19th in wRC+ (87) with a 27.5% strikeout rate versus lefties and tied for 29th in wRC+ (71) with a 27.9% strikeout rate on the road this year. Pittsburgh’s high strikeout rates against lefties and on the road should lead to DFS-friendly results from Ray tonight.
Kris Bubic hasn’t maintained the blistering 2.55 ERA he tallied in a breakout year as a starter in 2025 after a brilliant year in the bullpen in 2024. The lefty hasn’t turned into a pumpkin, either, however. In seven starts spanning 40.2 innings, Bubic has recorded the following stats:
- 3 wins
- 4 quality starts
- 3.32 ERA
- 3.85 xERA
- 4.06 xFIP
- 4.08 SIERA
- 1.13 WHIP
- 11.7% walk rate
- 25.8% strikeout rate
- 11.7% SwStr%
- 27.6% CSW%
- 93 stuff+
- 104 location+
- 100 pitching+
Bubic’s matchup is adequate, and his betting info is as well. The Tigers are tied for 15th in wRC+ (92) with a 22.9% strikeout rate versus lefties and 11th in wRC+ (98) with a 23.1% strikeout rate on the road this season. Finally, the Royals are -140 favorites, and the game’s total is 8.5 runs.
Suggested Lineup Stacks
Eight of the projected starters for the Athletics have at least a 106 wRC+ against righties since 2024, with six posting at least a 111 wRC+ and four tallying at least a 129 wRC+.
The Athletics have a potent and deep lineup, and Kyle Bradish has a putrid 5.03 ERA in seven starts this year. The righty’s 5.11 xERA suggests he hasn’t been unlucky, either. The Orioles also have a putrid bullpen, which ranks seventh-worst in ERA (4.63) this season.
Keider Montero has a career-best 3.48 ERA and an impressive 3.13 xERA through six starts and 33.2 innings. Still, it’s a six-start sample, and his 4.52 xFIP and 4.40 SIERA are lackluster marks.
Furthermore, Montero has allowed a .346 wOBA to lefties since last year, and he’ll face six left-handed batters or switch hitters tonight.
Core Studs
- Nick Kurtz has mashed 32 taters with a .442 on-base percentage (OBP), .345 ISO, .464 wOBA and 200 wRC+ in 440 plate appearances against righties since debuting in the Majors last season.
- Bobby Witt has recorded 17 runs, four homers, 17 RBI, 12 stolen bases, a .368 OBP, .159 ISO, .361 wOBA and 126 wRC+ in 171 plate appearances this season.
- Kazuma Okamoto has ripped off 19 runs, 10 homers, 23 RBI, a .331 OBP, .246 ISO, .362 wOBA, .364 expected wOBA (xwOBA) and 130 wRC+ in 151 plate appearances in his first rookie campaign.
Value Plays/Punts
- Jac Caglianone has been an above-average hitter this year, with 14 runs, four homers, eight RBI, a .323 OBP, .171 ISO, .330 wOBA and 104 wRC+ in 124 plate appearances this year.
- Jeff McNeil has hit 22 dingers with a .328 OBP, .164 ISO, .323 wOBA and 109 wRC+ in 807 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
- Michael Harris is stuffing the box score with 13 runs, seven homers, 22 RBI, two stolen bases, a .328 OBP, .217 ISO, .366 wOBA, .431 xwOBA and 131 wRC+ in 122 plate appearances.
Friday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet 
Nolan McLean failed to clear 6.5 strikeouts in his last start, which was only the second time that happened in seven starts.
The Mets hurler has a challenging matchup for strikeouts tonight. The Diamondbacks have a 23.1% strikeout rate versus righties this season, but they have a miniscule 16.9% strikeout rate at home.
Michael Harris II has logged 34 hits (23 singles, four doubles, seven homers), a .296 batting average, .331 expected batting average (xBA), .513 slugging rate, .643 expected slugging rate and .217 ISO in 122 plate appearances this year.
Meanwhile, Emmet Sheehan has allowed a .218 batting average and .453 slugging rate (.235 ISO) to left-handed batters since last year.
Corey Seager (SS – TEX): 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs — Higher (0.82x Payout)
Corey Seager is a handful with the platoon advantage at home. In 373 plate appearances against righties at home, Seager has ripped off 92 hits, a .292 batting average, .394 OBP, .254 ISO, .392 wOBA and 160 wRC+.
Ben Brown has surrendered 64 hits, a .269 batting average, .330 OBP, .483 slugging rate and .350 wOBA to 261 left-handed batters since last season, making this a plus-matchup for Seager.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
