Josh Shepardson | Fri, May 8th 2026, 3:50am EDT

MLB DFS Picks & Underdog Player Props: Friday (5/8)

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)

Max Fried (SP – NYY) at Milwaukee Brewers

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 (SP – SF) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

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 (SP – KC) vs. Detroit Tigers

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

Road (Oriole Park at Camden Yards)
Game Total/Moneyline: 9.5 Runs/ATH +120

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.

Road (Kauffman Stadium)
Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/KC -140

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 (SP – NYM): 6.5 Strikeouts — Lower (0.81x Payout)

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 (OF – ATL): 1.5 Total Bases — Higher (1.07x Payout)

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.

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

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