Josh Shepardson | Wed, May 6th 2026, 1:01pm EDT

MLB DFS Picks & Underdog Player Props: Wednesday (5/6)

Wednesday’s MLB DFS main slate at DraftKings and FanDuel has nine games, starting at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Underdog pick ’em choices are also from those nine games.

Wednesday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props

Wednesday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (5/6)

Zack Wheeler (SP – PHI) vs. Athletics

Zack Wheeler‘s velocity is down, and his 11.6 BB%, per FanGraphs, through two starts in 2026, leaves something to be desired. Nevertheless, the rest of Wheeler’s profile is stupendous. He’s recorded the following stats in two starts spanning 11 innings this year.

1 win
1 quality starts
2.45 ERA
2.43 xERA
2.99 xFIP
3.27 SIERA
1.00 WHIP
11.6 BB%
32.6 K%
14.6 SwStr%
29.2 CSW%
103 stuff+
98 location+
102 pitching+

Wheeler has a decent matchup that could be even more favorable if Shea Langeliers misses another contest while on paternity leave. The Athletics are 10th in wRC+ (108) with a 21.4 K% versus righties and 20th in wRC+ (86) with a 25.2 K% on the road in 2026. Additionally, the Phillies are -180 favorites, and the game’s total is 8.0 runs.

Will Warren (SP – NYY) vs. Texas Rangers

Will Warren is outstanding at home. In 114.2 innings at home since last year, Warren has twirled a 3.22 ERA, 3.35 xFIP, 1.13 WHIP, 8.2 BB%, and 27.9 K%. He’s also cooking with gas this year, tallying the following numbers in seven starts, totaling 37.2 innings.

4 wins
3 quality starts
2.39 ERA
3.39 xERA
2.59 xFIP
2.73 SIERA
1.06 WHIP
5.3 BB%
30.3 K%
9.6 SwStr%
30.0 CSW%
107 stuff+
113 location+
123 pitching+

Warren is nipping at Wheeler’s heels for the top pitching option on Wednesday’s slate and in the same tier, at a lower salary, as Paul Skenes.

Warren’s matchup is OK. The Rangers are 13th in wRC+ (103) with a 22.6 K% versus righties and eighth in wRC+ (104) with a 24.8 K% on the road this year. The betting info is more DFS-friendly for Warren, as the Yankees are -195 favorites, and the game’s total is 8.0 runs.

Bailey Ober (SP – MIN) at Washington Nationals

Bailey Ober isn’t an exciting pitcher, but he’s an acceptable bargain SP2 at DraftKings in all game types. He had a pair of disappointing, four-inning starts to open his 2026, but he’s pitched better since. In five subsequent starts, Ober has amassed the following stats in 30 innings.

3 wins
3 quality starts
2.70 ERA
3.53 xERA
4.54 xFIP
4.37 SIERA
1.07 WHIP
8.2 BB%
19.7%
9.0 SwStr%
28.3 CSW%
95 stuff+
89 location+
85 pitching+

Ober’s underlying data isn’t exceptional, but his xERA is more favorable than his xFIP and SIERA. Ober would be a candidate to stack against if he were facing a more fearsome opponent.

Instead, the Nationals are a DFS-friendly matchup for Ober, and he can avoid regression for another turn. Washington is 27th in wRC+ (86) with a 21.3 K% versus righties and 22nd in wRC+ (96) with a 22.5 K% at home this season. Thus, the Twins are -136 favorites, albeit with a total of 9.5 runs for the game, which is slightly concerning for Ober’s outlook. Ober isn’t an appealing pick at FanDuel in any game type, but he’s a useful value option at SP2 in all game types at DraftKings.

Suggested Lineup Stacks

Home (Wrigley Field)
Game Total/Moneyline: 8.0 Runs/CHC -160

Brady Singer has struggled mightily this season. In seven starts in 2026, Singer has a 5.57 ERA, 6.17 xERA, 4.77 xFIP, 4.84 SIERA, and 1.73 WHIP. The 29-year-old righty has also had a home run problem, coughing up 1.95 HR/9. Singer is a better matchup for Chicago’s lefties than their righties, allowing a .353 wOBA to left-handed batters and a .300 wOBA to right-handed batters since last season. The Cubs will also get a lift from facing the relievers for the Reds, as they have the eighth-highest bullpen ERA (4.55) in 2026.

Road (Nationals Park)
Game Total/Moneyline: 9.5 Runs/MIN -136

Miles Mikolas has a ghastly 8.23 ERA, 5.20 xERA, 4.73 xFIP, 4.70 SIERA, and 1.72 WHIP in seven appearances (four starts) this season. It hasn’t mattered if Mikolas drew the start or worked behind an opener. Mikolas has struggled. He’s also a fantastic matchup for hitters of either handedness, allowing a .357 wOBA to lefties and a .347 wOBA to righties since last year. The Twins can tee off on Mikolas and a Nationals bullpen with the fourth-highest ERA (4.93) this season.

Core Studs

Moises Ballesteros has tallied 14 runs, six homers, 18 RBI, a .371 OBP, .267 ISO, .407 wOBA, and 162 wRC+ in 97 plate appearances this season.
Juan Soto has amassed nine runs, three homers, eight RBI, one stolen base, a .407 OBP, .178 ISO, .389 wOBA, .431 expected wOBA (xwOBA), and 151 wRC+ in 86 plate appearances this year.
Ian Happ has drilled 41 dingers with a .359 OBP, .205 ISO, .353 wOBA, and 129 wRC+ in 1,081 plate appearances against righties since 2024.

Value Plays/Punts

Michael Busch has mashed 51 taters with a .342 OBP, .233 ISO, .357 wOBA, and 131 wRC+ in 1,065 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
In 86 plate appearances from April 10 through May 3, Brooks Lee tallied 13 runs, five homers, 14 RBI, two stolen bases, a .337 OBP, .215 ISO, .366 wOBA, and 129 wRC+. Yesterday, he ripped off three hits (two doubles and a single), two runs, and three RBI in five plate appearances.
Matt Wallner has smashed 32 homers with a .335 OBP, .255 ISO, .352 wOBA, and 128 wRC+ in 588 plate appearances against righties since 2024.

Wednesday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props

Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet

Byron Buxton (OF – MIN): 2.5 Hits + Runs + RBI — Higher

Byron Buxton homered yesterday, bringing his season marks to 35 hits (19 singles, five doubles, one triple and 11 homers), 26 runs, 17 RBI, a .250 batting average, .307 OBP, .536 slugging, .286 ISO, .364 wOBA, and 128 wRC+. Buxton is on a nuclear heater, launching a long ball in six of his last eight games.

Ian Happ (OF – CHC): 0.5 Hits — Higher (0.8x Payout)

Ian Happ went hitless yesterday. Nevertheless, he’s recorded a hit in 22-of-34 games this year. Happ also has a hit in 14 of his last 21 games.

Michael Busch (1B – CHC): 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI — Higher

Michael Busch hit his third homer of the year yesterday. He has 30 hits (19 singles, seven doubles, one triple and three homers), 16 runs, 19 RBI, a .229 batting average, .331 OBP, .366 slugging, .137 ISO, .317 wOBA, and 101 wRC+ in 35 games and 154 plate appearances this season. Busch has surpassed 1.5 hits plus runs and RBI in three of his last five games and 11 of his previous 20.

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

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