MLB DFS Preview: DraftKings DFS Picks & Lineups for Thursday, 4/17
Published: Apr 17, 2025
Happy Thursday, April 17th! We have a five-game MLB DFS main slate on DraftKings. It's a five-game slate with some great spots players like Taj Bradley, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Bobby Witt, and Mike Trout are in.
In the latest episode, Jonathan Impemba and James Grande break down each position to share the best MLB DFS lineups, picks, bargains, and players to avoid for Thursday's games. They finish off by creating a sample lineup.
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CJ Abrams hit a solo homer, but the Nationals fell to the Angels on Saturday.
Abrams hit a solo homer in the fifth inning to the game at 1-1 off an otherwise effective Kyle Hendricks. He’s been excellent in June with a .313/.377/.469 with four homers and nine stolen bases. It appears he’s putting together his best season at the age of 24, and he has a chance to be a fantasy star for the foreseeable future.
Kevin Newman hit a three-run homer in a win for the Angels on Saturday over the Nationals.
Mike Trout hit a solo homer to help the Angels to an 8-2 win over the Nationals on Saturday.
Kyle Hendricks held the Nationals to one run over five innings in a no-decision for the Angels on Saturday.
Hendricks scattered five hits, and he was able to strike out five; a total he’s only reached five times in his 16 starts. The veteran right-hander put together a solid June with an ERA of 3.21 over 28 innings, and it lowers his season mark to 4.66. Even with Hendricks pitching relatively well, this is a hard profile to trust, and it would be a mistake to ignore his struggles in the previous months/years. He’ll be back on the bump for the Angels on Independence Day when he faces the Blue Jays.
Michael Soroka fired six innings of one-run baseball while striking out five in a no-decision versus the Angels on Saturday.
Soroka pitched well. The Nationals’ bullpen did not. Soroka exited with a 2-1 lead and it was immediately vanquished on homers by Mike Trout and Kevin Newman an inning later. That’s a bummer, but doesn’t completely negate a start for Soroka where he allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out five. He still has a 4.70 ERA, but there have been flashes of the pitcher he was with Atlanta a few years ago as of late. He’ll get a chance to keep it going against the Red Sox on Friday.
Seiya Suzuki homered and tripled in a blowout win for the Cubs over the Astros on Saturday.
Suzuki hit a two-run shot off Ryan Gusto that gave the Cubs an 11-2 lead. He’s tripled three times in 2025, while the homer brings that total up to 22 at just-over the halfway point of the season. Suzuki doesn’t get nearly enough plaudits for how solid of a player he is, but the Cubs are well aware.