Thursday’s MLB DFS main slate features five games on DraftKings and FanDuel, with first pitch at 1:10 p.m. ET. The Underdog pick ’em selections are also from the afternoon’s games.
Thursday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props
Thursday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (6/11)
Christian Scott isn’t a flawless pitcher. Nevertheless, he’s the best pitching option on a slate that lacks quality hurlers. According to FanGraphs, in eight starts spanning 36 innings this season, Scott has amassed the following stats:
- 2 wins
- 0 quality starts
- 2.50 ERA
- 4.11 xERA
- 4.23 xFIP
- 4.08 SIERA
- 1.31 WHIP
- 11.5% walk rate
- 26.3% strikeout rate
- 9.7% SwStr%
- 25.4% CSW%
- 108 stuff+
- 97 location+
- 103 pitching+
Scott’s low-quality starts are suboptimal for his FanDuel viability. Still, he’s usable there and the top pitching option across all game types on DraftKings, offering a discounted salary compared to the other two pitchers on the table.
Scott has a decent matchup and adequate betting info. The Cardinals are tied for 11th in wRC+ (102) with a 22.8% strikeout rate versus righties and tied for 13th in wRC+ (97) with a 22.5% strikeout rate on the road in 2026.
St. Louis is tied for 22nd in wRC+ (87) with a 25.9% strikeout rate in the previous 30 days, though. The Mets are -140 favorites, and the game’s total is nine runs. The game’s total would be more alarming on a different slate, but it fits in with the others on this slate.
Zebby Matthews‘s 3.54 xERA this year is the lowest among today’s probable starters. His 4.15 ERA, 4.19 xFIP and 4.02 SIERA aren’t as impressive, but they’re also among the better marks for this slate’s starting pitchers.
Matthews has a plus-matchup today, albeit with somewhat unfavorable betting info. The Tigers are 19th in wRC+ (97) with a 22.7% strikeout rate versus righties and tied for 21st in wRC+ (98) with a 23.2% strikeout rate at home this year.
Detroit is also tied for 24th in wRC+ (86) with a 25.6% strikeout rate in the previous 30 days. Regardless, the Twins are slight underdogs (+105), and the game’s total is nine runs.
The betting info for Michael Wacha is mixed. The Royals are -125 favorites, but the game’s total is bloated at 10 runs. Wacha’s matchup is also a mixed bag.
The Rangers are 18th in wRC+ (98) with a 21.7% strikeout rate versus righties, but tied for ninth in wRC+ (103) with a 23.7% strikeout rate on the road this season. In addition, Texas ranks 28th in wRC+ (79) and has a 22% strikeout rate over the previous 30 days.
As for Wacha, he has the following stats in 13 starts, totaling 81 innings:
- 4 wins
- 9 quality starts
- 3.44 ERA
- 4.19 xERA
- 4.23 xFIP
- 4.28 SIERA
- 1.14 WHIP
- 8% walk rate
- 20.5% strikeout rate
- 9.55% SwStr%
- 25.8% CSW%
- 97 stuff+
- 101 location+
- 98 pitching+
Wacha doesn’t have standout numbers, but his stats are rock-solid within today’s DFS pitching options.
Suggested Lineup Stacks
Merrill Kelly is the worst starting pitcher on this slate by every meaningful measure, sporting the worst ERA (5.71), the worst xERA (7.63), the worst xFIP (5.28) and the worst SIERA (5.31) among today’s probable starters.
The Marlins can continue Kelly’s struggles and hammer him today.
The Cubs have flubbed an opportunity to light up the scoreboard through two games at Coors Field, scoring three and two runs in the first two games of the series. They’ll have one more opportunity to make the most of hitting in MLB’s hitting paradise.
Ryan Feltner is a plus-matchup for them, with his 4.22 ERA, 5.68 xERA, 4.37 xFIP and 4.50 SIERA in seven starts in 2026. The right-handed starter has also ceded a .319 wOBA to lefties and a .339 wOBA to righties since last season. In addition, Colorado’s bullpen is dead last in ERA (5.19) this season.
Core Studs
- Michael Busch has hit 56 homers with a .351 on-base percentage (OBP), .234 ISO, .363 wOBA and 135 wRC+ in 1,167 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
- Ian Happ has mashed 15 taters with 43 runs, 35 RBI, two stolen bases, a .348 OBP, .259 ISO, .363 wOBA and 134 wRC+ in 282 plate appearances this season.
- Liam Hicks has drilled 11 dingers with a .353 OBP, .225 ISO, .369 wOBA and 134 wRC+ in 201 plate appearances against righties this year.
Value Plays/Punts
- Cole Carrigg hit six homers with 30 stolen bases, a .414 OBP, .191 ISO, .422 wOBA, .339 expected wOBA (xwOBA) and 129 wRC+ in 257 plate appearances in Triple-A before the Rockies called him up. He’s a steal on DraftKings.
- The hot corner is a good position to punt on today’s slate. Kyle Karros has a .350 OBP in 123 plate appearances against righties at home in his career. Frankly, that’s good enough to use him as a punt option on DraftKings. Connor Norby is also an appealing punt play at the hot corner on FanDuel.
- Owen Caissie clubbed two dingers with four runs, 11 RBI, a .326 OBP, .220 ISO, .347 wOBA and 119 wRC+ in 46 plate appearances from May 21st through June 9th, and he added a home run and three RBI in four plate appearances yesterday.
Thursday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet 
Zebby Matthews had only two strikeouts in his last start. However, he cleared 4.5 strikeouts in his four prior starts, including both on the road. Moreover, Matthews has a 25.8% strikeout rate in 56.1 innings on the road since last season.
Xavier Edwards is raking this year. In 288 plate appearances, he’s logged 76 hits, 42 runs, 22 RBI, a .304 batting average, .390 OBP, .148 ISO, .371 wOBA and 136 wRC+.
After an adequate first taste of The Show last season, Liam Hicks has blossomed this year. He has rattled off 57 hits, including 12 homers, 35 runs, 48 RBI, a .265 batting average, .348 OBP, .356 wOBA and .205 ISO in 65 games and 250 plate appearances this season.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | SoundCloud | TuneIn
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
