Josh Shepardson | Thu, Aug 20th 2026, 3:56am EDT

MLB DFS Picks & Underdog Player Props: Thursday (8/20)

Thursday’s featured MLB DFS main slate features six games on DraftKings and FanDuel, starting at 12:40 p.m. ET. The Underdog player props are also from those six contests.

Thursday’s Top MLB DFS Picks & Player Props

Thursday’s Starting Pitcher Rankings (8/20)

Gavin Williams (SP – CLE) vs. San Francisco Giants

Gavin Williams is the first of two featured pitchers who have been spinning it lately. According to FanGraphs, Williams has logged the following numbers in his previous five starts spanning 29.1 innings:

1 win
2 quality starts
2.73 ERA
2.27 xERA
2.29 xFIP
2.21 SIERA
0.81 WHIP
7.1% walk rate
40.2% strikeout rate
17.3% SwStr%
32.5% CSW%
108 stuff+
103 location+
114 pitching+

Williams has a plus-matchup and betting info today. The Giants are 14th in wRC+ (102) with a 20.2% strikeout rate versus righties and 16th in wRC+ (97) with a 21.2% strikeout rate on the road in 2026.

San Francisco is even worse lately, ranking 24th in wRC+ (85) with a 20.8% strikeout rate in the previous 30 days and 28th in wRC+ (69) with a 22.4% strikeout rate in the last 14 days. The Guardians are -190 favorites, and the game’s total is 7.5 runs.

Ian Seymour (SP – TBR) vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Ian Seymour is dialed in. In his last three starts and two bulk-relief appearances, totaling 28.2 innings, Seymour tallied the following stats:

3 wins
3 quality starts
2.51 ERA
3.61 xERA
2.79 xFIP
2.68 SIERA
1.05 WHIP
4.3% walk rate
31% strikeout rate
13.2% SwStr%
28.7% CSW%
97 stuff+
103 location+
98 pitching+

Seymour has a dreamy matchup and betting info today. The Blue Jays are dead last in wRC+ (77) with a 20.8% strikeout rate versus lefties and tied for 24th in wRC+ (89) with an 18.8% strikeout rate on the road this year.

Toronto is also tied for 22nd in wRC+ (87) with a 19% strikeout rate in the previous 30 days and tied for 18th in wRC+ (96) with a 20.3% strikeout rate in the last 14 days. The Rays are -170 favorites, and the game’s total is a pitcher-friendly 7.5 runs.

Gage Jump (SP – ATH) at Kansas City Royals

Gage Jump is an exciting SP2 option on DraftKings based entirely on his road work this season. In six road tilts spanning 34.2 innings, the rookie southpaw has a 2.60 ERA, 3.30 xFIP, 1.18 WHIP, 9.3% walk rate and 28.6% strikeout rate.

Jump has a favorable matchup but unexciting betting info, rendering him a GPP pick. The Royals are tied for 20th in wRC+ (92) with a 21.7% strikeout rate versus lefties and tied for 13th in wRC+ (105) with a 19.5% strikeout rate at home this season.

Kansas City is also 26th in wRC+ (83) with a 20.4% strikeout rate in the previous 30 days and 24th in wRC+ (79) with a 20.5% strikeout rate in the last 14 days. Sadly, the A’s have a lousy offense supporting Jump. As a result, the Athletics are +118 underdogs, and the game’s total is 8.5 runs. Still, again, Jump is an exciting SP2 in GPPs at DraftKings.

Suggested Lineup Stacks

Home (Tropicana Field)
Game Total/Moneyline: 7.5 Runs/TB -170

The Rays have a tasty matchup today. Shane Bieber is responsible for a 4.99 ERA, 6.83 xERA, 4.88 xFIP, 5.08 SIERA, 1.56 WHIP and 1.85 HR/9 through 10 starts this year.

The veteran righty has also ceded a .341 wOBA to 121 left-handed batters and a .385 wOBA to 96 right-handed batters. Tampa Bay should take advantage of the matchup and light up the scoreboard. However, it’s also worth noting that Liam Hicks might not be in the lineup for a day game after a night game, despite his listing in the projected lineup above.

Home (American Family Field)
Game Total/Moneyline: 8.0 Runs/MIL -130

George Kirby has been unimpressive on the road this year, tallying a 4.55 ERA, 4.02 WHIP, 1.52 xFIP and 19.3% strikeout rate in 57.1 innings.

Moreover, Kirby has also coughed up a .340 wOBA to 133 left-handed batters and a .399 wOBA to 116 right-handed batters on the road. The Brewers are an intriguing stack in this matchup.

Core Studs

Junior Caminero has launched 35 long balls with 78 runs, 80 RBI, three stolen bases, a .363 on-base percentage (OBP), .262 ISO, .381 wOBA and 146 wRC+ in 551 plate appearances this year.
Jonathan Aranda has done his best work this season with the platoon advantage at home, hitting nine homers with a .397 OBP, .228 ISO, .402 wOBA and 161 wRC+ in 194 plate appearances against righties at home.
JJ Bleday has massive home-road splits that favor hitting at home, particularly due to the platoon advantage. In 154 plate appearances against right-handed pitching at home, the left-handed-hitting outfielder has drilled nine dingers with a .409 OBP, .276 ISO, .409 wOBA and 156 wRC+.

Value Plays/Punts

Rookie Angel Genao has hit one bomb with seven runs, three RBI, one stolen base, a .413 OBP, .122 ISO, .389 wOBA and 153 wRC+ in his first 46 plate appearances in The Show.
Ryan Vilade has popped 11 homers with 24 runs, 37 RBI, three stolen bases, a .322 OBP, .228 ISO, .346 wOBA and 121 wRC+ in 212 plate appearances in a breakout 2026 campaign.
Mauricio Dubon‘s 87 wRC+ in 416 plate appearances against southpaws since 2024 is nothing to write home about. However, Anthony Kay has allowed a .368 wOBA to 396 right-handed batters this year, making Dubon a compelling punt at shortstop on DraftKings.

Thursday’s Top 3 Underdog Player Props

Check out our best picks on the MLB Underdog Cheat Sheet

Gavin Williams (SP – CLE): 6.5 Strikeouts — Higher

In addition to being in a strikeout groove, Gavin Williams has an impressive 31.7% strikeout rate in 77 innings at home.

Williams had only five strikeouts in his last start, snapping a streak of six straight starts of at least seven strikeouts. He has also surpassed 6.5 strikeouts in seven of his 13 home starts.

George Kirby (SP – SEA): 4.5 Strikeouts — Lower

George Kirby has struck out fewer than 4.5 batters in four straight games and in half of his 10 road starts. He has a putrid 14.4% strikeout rate, 10% swinging-strike rate and 24.6% CSW% in his last five starts.

Steven Kwan (OF – CLE): 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs — Higher

Steven Kwan has exceeded 1.5 combined hits + runs + RBIs in three of his last five starts.

Moreover, in 243 plate appearances from June 2nd through August 18th, Kwan amassed 67 hits, 32 runs, 11 RBI, a .321 batting average, .407 OBP, .072 ISO, .360 wOBA, .349 expected wOBA (xwOBA) and 134 wRC+ before working a walk with no other offensive statistics in four plate appearances on Wednesday.

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

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