Thursday’s five-game MLB DFS main slate begins at 6:40 p.m. ET at DraftKings and FanDuel. The Underdog pick’em choices are also from those five games.
Thursday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props
Thursday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (6/18)
Noah Cameron is locked in. According to FanGraphs, in his previous five starts spanning 28.1 innings, Cameron has logged the following stats:
- 1 win
- 3 quality starts
- 2.22 ERA
- 2.40 xERA
- 2.69 xFIP
- 2.92 SIERA
- 10.3% SwStr%
- 26.8% CSW%
- 99 stuff+
- 113 location+
- 111 pitching+
Cameron’s matchup and betting info are OK tonight. The Cardinals are tied for 10th in wRC+ (103) with a 16.6% strikeout rate versus lefties and tied for ninth in wRC+ (103) with a 22.4% strikeout rate on the road in 2026.
However, St. Louis is tied for 22nd in wRC+ (87) with a 25.9% strikeout rate in the previous 30 days. The Royals are -120 favorites, and the game’s total is nine runs. Cameron is arguably the top pitcher without factoring in his salary, but he’s an even more appealing pick when considering his affordable salary.
Ryan Weathers has done his best work at home in his first season with the Yankees. In eight starts, totaling 47.1 innings at home in 2026, Weathers has twirled a 3.80 ERA, 3.51 xFIP, 1.18 WHIP, 6.2% walk rate and 25.4% strikeout rate. The lefty’s salary would be a bit high on a different slate, but it’s palatable on this particular one.
Weathers’ matchup isn’t ideal.
The White Sox are third in wRC+ (112) with a 22.2% strikeout rate versus lefties and tied for 11th in wRC+ (101) with a 26% strikeout rate on the road this year. Having said that, Chicago’s high strikeout rate is appealing, and they are tied for 22nd in wRC+ (87) with a 25.2% strikeout rate in the previous 30 days. The Yankees are -155 favorites, and the game’s total is 9.5 runs.
Sean Manaea isn’t an appealing pick on FanDuel. However, he’s a defensible, albeit risky, GPP pick as an SP2 at DraftKings.
The Phillies are tied for 24th in wRC+ (87) with a 22.6% strikeout rate versus lefties and tied for 12th in wRC+ (105) with a 19.3% strikeout rate at home this season. Unfortunately for Manaea, Philadelphia is also tied for second in wRC+ (116) with a 25.4% strikeout rate in the previous 30 days.
The veteran lefty is in good form, though. In Manaea’s past five appearances (one start), totaling 21.2 innings, he’s rattled off the following numbers:
- 1 win
- 1 quality start
- 2.91 ERA
- 2.64 xERA
- 3.26 xFIP
- 3.00 SIERA
- 0.92 WHIP
- 4.8% walk rate
- 26.5% strikeout rate
- 10.7% SwStr%
- 27.5% CSW%
- 106 stuff+
- 109 location+
- 108 pitching+
Rolling the dice on Manaea, even in GPPs, isn’t for the faint of heart. Still, there’s upside to doing so, including opening up cap space to jam in extra stud hitters.
Suggested Lineup Stacks
Jose Soriano is in mediocre form. In his last five starts, he has a 3.62 ERA, 4.17 xERA, 4.49 xFIP, 4.67 SIERA, 1.57 WHIP and 13.2% walk rate.
Sutter Health Park isn’t a get-right venue for Soriano, and the A’s aren’t a get-right matchup, either. Eight of the projected starters for the Athletics have amassed at least a 101 wRC+ against righties since 2024, with no one recording worse than a 97 wRC+ and five players tallying at least a 113 wRC+. Furthermore, four players have had at least a 126 wRC+.
The Mets have a mouthwatering matchup tonight. Aaron Nola‘s 5.86 ERA is the highest among tonight’s probable starters, and his 4.40 xERA isn’t anything to write home about. Nola has also been hammered to the tune of a 5.60 ERA in 82 innings at home since last season.
In addition, Nola has allowed a .375 wOBA to lefties and a .320 wOBA to righties since 2025. The Mets don’t have a high-octane offense, but they have a few quality hitters, and Nola can bring the best out of them.
Core Studs
- Juan Soto has drilled 15 dingers with 34 runs, 36 RBI, six stolen bases, a .393 on-base percentage (OBP), .258 ISO, .403 wOBA and 162 wRC+ in 245 plate appearances in 2026.
- Nick Kurtz has swatted 40 homers with a .453 OBP, .350 ISO, .468 wOBA and 202 wRC+ in 560 plate appearances against righties since last season.
- Tyler Soderstrom has belted 35 bombs with a .348 OBP, .210 ISO, .352 wOBA and 126 wRC+ in 886 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
Value Plays/Punts
- From May 3 through June 16, Carson Benge hit five homers with 28 runs, 20 RBI, four stolen bases, a .358 OBP, .150 ISO, .355 wOBA, .381 expected wOBA (xwOBA) and 130 wRC+ in 176 plate appearances, and he had a triple and a run yesterday.
- Jeff McNeil has hit 24 homers with a .319 OBP, .154 ISO, .312 wOBA and 101 wRC+ in 907 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
- Jared Young has hit four homers with 10 runs, 10 RBI, a .308 OBP, .195 ISO, .326 wOBA, .340 xwOBA and 110 wRC+ in 91 plate appearances this season.
Thursday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props
Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet 
Juan Soto has belted 71 bombs with a .288 batting average, .576 slugging rate and .289 ISO in 1,114 plate appearances against righties since 2024.
Soto also has amassed 39 singles, seven doubles, one triple, 15 homers, a .297 batting average, .555 slugging rate and .258 ISO in 57 games and 245 plate appearances this season.
Aaron Nola has recorded fewer than 5.5 strikeouts in back-to-back starts and seven of his last eight. The veteran righty has also failed to clear this line in 10 out of 14 starts this season, including four out of six home starts.
Sean Manaea barely cleared 5.5 strikeouts in his only start this year, striking out six Braves in six innings on June 13th. Nevertheless, he also threw a season-high 84 pitches in that start, so he might not have much of a leash beyond 84 pitches.
While he’s an intriguing SP2 option in GPPs on DraftKings, largely because he has a tiny salary, the under is also the most appealing side of Manaea’s strikeout line.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
