MLB DFS Picks & Playbook For Today’s Games: Friday, April 12

For many teams tonight, it's the start of a new weekend-long series against a different opponent. It's always fun to dive into many games in a new series. Throughout the week, the MLB has had to postpone many games due to rain. 

Tonight, at least with the 12-game slate we're reviewing, there's probably only one game that won't finish tonight. That gives us a lot to work with! Check out today's MLB playbook below before you get your lineups in on DraftKings and FanDuel as we present our MLB DFS picks for today, April 12th.

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Check Out Today's MLB DFS Playbook Preview Show

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, April 12

MLB Weather Today, 4/12

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Baltimore Orioles

• Lighter showers are expected in the area, but the Brewers and Orioles will likely have playable conditions.

New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians

• POSTPONED!

MLB DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

There are so many directions that you can go with tonight's MLB DFS lineups. While there are some big-time spots, there are also some outstanding under-the-radar pitchers on the mound. You'll want to avoid playing many batters against those pitchers. 

However, there are still many teams with at least two hitters that have good potential matchups tonight. We'll touch on these guys below to help you build your winning DFS lineup tonight.

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options For Strikeouts

• Kevin Gausman (7.5 +120) vs. Colorado Rockies
• Freddy Peralta (6.5 +105) vs. Baltimore Orioles
• Reid Detmers (6.5 +120) vs. Boston Red Sox
• Tanner Houck (6.5 +120) vs. Los Angeles Angels

Best Odds For A Win

• Max Fried (+110) vs. Miami Marlins
• Andrew Abbott (+125) vs. Chicago White Sox
• Michael Wacha (+150) vs. New York Mets
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto (+150) vs. San Diego Padres

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers

In two starts. Freddy Peralta has a 3.09 ERA in 11.2 innings. He's also struck out 15 batters and has a WHIP of just .60. These are tremendous stats for the Milwaukee ace. To start the season, Peralta has struck out nearly 35% of batters. He's also limited walks to 4.7% and has held teams to a .105 ISO and wOBA of .206. 

He'll go up against a projected Orioles lineup that has struck out 25.8% of the time since last year. The same lineup has also hit a .291 wOBA against righties since the previous season. Baltimore's offense is a tad bit overrated right now. Take advantage of it with Peralta. 

Bryce Miller, Seattle Mariners

Bryce Miller has looked good in his first two starts for Seattle. He's struck out 27.7% of batters and has only walked 6.4%. The right-hander has also allowed just a .274 wOBA. He's ultimately got weird stats as a righty. He's dominated lefties this season but has struggled against righties to begin the year. It's super random because he was the exact opposite last year. 

Overall, you can typically count on him to get strikeouts. He's facing a Cubs lineup with seven batters that have struck at least 20.7% of the time against righties. The lineup has also hit just average numbers like a .165 ISO and wOBA of .335. Miller should be in line for a potential quality start. In his last start against the Brewers, he went seven innings and allowed no runs with seven strikeouts and one walk. He could put up those same numbers tonight. 

Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox

Houck will likely be owned more than usual. In just 12 innings, he's struck out 17 batters and has a 0.00 ERA with a .75 WHIP. Those numbers have helped him achieve nearly 38% of strikeouts with just a .048 ISO and wOBA of .202. In addition, Houck has earned 64% of ground balls and has allowed only 16% of line drives and fly balls. Houck hasn't just been lucky with his 0.00 ERA; he's deserved it with his pitching. 

Meanwhile, he'll throw against an Angels lineup that has struck out 26.4% of the time against righties since last season. Six targets in that Angels lineup have struck out at least 23.4% of the time against righties. Only Mickey Moniak and Mike Trout have put up monster numbers against righties dating back to last season.

Jordan Wicks, Chicago Cubs

I wouldn't recommend playing Jordan Wicks and Bryce Miller in the same DraftKings lineup. But I still believe Wicks and Miller will both have solid starts tonight. Wicks is a left-hander for the Cubs, who has struck out 30.2% of batters to begin the season. His best stat so far is his .103 ISO, which means he rarely allows extra-base hits. 

Plus, with under 10% of walks, he's not giving up too many free bases, either. Wicks will face a Mariners lineup that has struck out 24.3% of the time against lefties since last year. Seattle's lineup has also hit just a .151 ISO in that time frame. Wicks is an excellent value play.

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

• Cincinnati Reds (5.5, +100) vs. Chicago White Sox
• Atlanta Braves (4.5, -140) vs. Miami Marlins
• Los Angeles Dodgers (4.5, -135) vs. San Diego Padres

Core MLB DFS Hitters

Elly De La Cruz, SS, Will Benson, OF, Cincinnati Reds, Nick Martini, OF, Cincinnati Reds

The Reds will be the stack you should consider the most. The Reds will face Chris Flexen of the Mariners, who has already allowed a .235 ISO and wOBA of .324 to his first 18 lefties. These 18 lefties have also struck out just 5.6% of the time against Flexen, meaning there's a good chance the Cincinnati lefties put the ball in play. 

Will Benson will likely bat second. He's a left-handed batter who has hit a .252 ISO and wOBA of .391 against righties since last season. Since last year, Elly De La Cruz has also smashed a .232 ISO and wOBA of .354 against righties. 

Finally, Nick Martini might bat eighth tonight for the Reds, but he's also a right-handed masher. Since last season, he's hit a .358 ISO and wOBA of .395 in 89 plate appearances against righties. You can really consider the whole Reds lineup, other than Tyler Stephenson. The projected lineup has combined to hit a .217 ISO and wOBA of .353, with 26.1% of line drives hitting. 

Yordan Alvarez, OF, Kyle Tucker, OF, Houston Astros

The Astros only have two legitimate starters against righties. Those two lefties include Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. These two guys will take on Dane Dunning of the Texas Rangers, who has allowed a .429 ISO to his first 18 lefties. 

Dunning has also given up a .388 wOBA and has struck out only 16.7% of lefties while walking 16.7% of lefties. This isn't new. Last year, Dunning also gave up a .169 ISO and wOBA of .348 with only 17.7% of strikeouts and 25.4% of line drives. 

Yordan Alvarez has hit a .318 ISO and wOBA of .433, while Tucker has smashed a .209 ISO and wOBA of .360. Neither of those two has struck out at a high rate against righties, and both have hit a high rate of fly balls, hard-hit contact, and barrel percentages against righties since last season.

Corey Seager, SS, Evan Carter, OF, Texas Rangers

To begin the season, J.P. France has been inconsistent against lefties. France has allowed a .154 ISO and wOBA of .431, with only 20.7% of strikeouts and 10.3% of walks. This is a good matchup for those Texas lefties. 

Seager has always been a killer against righties, smashing a .311 ISO and wOBA of .443 with just 14.5% of strikeouts dating back to last season. On the other hand, Evan Carter doesn't have nearly as many plate appearances. However, he still has a .337 ISO and wOBA of .451, with only 22.3% strikeouts. 

To 29 lefties this season, France has allowed 35% of line d to 29 lefties this season. Don't be surprised when Seager and Carter hit rockets off France tonight. 

JJ Bleday, OF, Oakland Athletics

Who has the guts to put an Oakland Athletics bat in their lineup tonight? Since last year, JJ Bleday has hit a .184 ISO and wOBA of .335 with only 21.5% strikeouts and 13.3% walks against righties. 

Tonight, he'll take on Jake Irvin of the Washington Nationals. Irvin is a righty who has already allowed a .158 ISO and wOBA of .402 to his first 20 lefties this season. Beyond that, Irvin has allowed 46.7% of line drives and has induced only 33.3% of ground balls against lefties. 

This was a common occurrence for Irvin last year. Irvin gave up a .222 ISO and wOBA of .372 with 35.1% of fly balls to 286 lefties the previous season. Oakland is already playing better than many expected. Bleday will hit third in the lineup tonight for the Athletics and has a lot of potential against Irvin tonight. 

Player Pool

• DraftKings
• FanDuel

$ Tier	SP	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
High	Yoshinobu Yamamoto $10,200		Freddie Freeman $3,800	Ozzie Albies $4,200	Austin Riley $3,800	Elly De La Cruz $3,900	Yordan Alvarez $4,500
	Bryce Miller $9,700		Christian Walker $3,700	Ketel Marte $3,700		Bobby Witt $3,800	Shohei Ohtani $4,400
				Jose Altuve $3,600		Corey Seager $3,600	Ronald Acuña $4,200
							Marcell Ozuna $3,900
							Spencer Steer $3,800
							Lourdes Gurriel $3,500
							Ian Happ $3,500
Medium	Tanner Houck $9,500	Salvador Perez $3,300	Vladimir Guerrero $3,200	Zack Gelof $3,400	Jake Burger $3,400	Willy Adames $3,000	Kyle Tucker $3,400
	Reid Detmers $9,400	Willson Contreras $3,100	Rhys Hoskins $3,100	Jonathan India $3,000	Christopher Morel $3,400		Cody Bellinger $3,300
	Freddy Peralta $9,300		Pete Alonso $3,000		Max Muncy $3,100		Will Benson $3,100
			Paul Goldschmidt $3,000				George Springer $3,000
							Evan Carter $3,000
Low	Paul Blackburn $9,000	Yainer Diaz $2,800	Christian Encarnacion-Strand $2,800	Lenyn Sosa $2,200	Nolan Arenado $2,900	Bo Bichette $2,900	Nelson Velázquez $2,900
	Jordan Wicks $7,200	Jonah Heim $2,700	Josh Bell $2,700		Jeimer Candelario $2,800	Blaze Alexander $2,800	Jake Fraley $2,800
		Francisco Alvarez $2,700	Ryan Noda $2,600		Alex Bregman $2,800	Orlando Arcia $2,800	JJ Bleday $2,600
		Shea Langeliers $2,600			J.D. Davis $2,700		Adam Duvall $2,600
		Gabriel Moreno $2,500			Abraham Toro $2,300		James Outman $2,600
		Travis d'Arnaud $2,500					Nick Martini $2,600
		Nick Fortes $2,000					Leody Taveras $2,600
							Jordan Walker $2,500
							Hunter Renfroe $2,500
							Randal Grichuk $2,500
							Robbie Grossman $2,300

Stacks

Braves	Orlando Arcia	Ozzie Albies	Austin Riley	Adam Duvall	Marcell Ozuna	Ronald Acuña
DraftKings	3600	5600	5400	4200	4600	6500
Fanduel	2800	4200	3800	2600	3900	4200

Reds	Will Benson	Spencer Steer	Elly De La Cruz	Nick Martini	Jake Fraley	Christian Encarnacion-Strand
DraftKings	3800	5400	5500	3600	4200	4200
Fanduel	3100	3800	3900	2600	2800	2800

Astros	Jose Altuve	Yanier Diaz-DUP	Alex Bregman	Yainer Diaz	Kyle Tucker	Yordan Alvarez
DraftKings	5500	-	4900	4400	5700	6000
Fanduel	3600	-	2800	2800	3400	4500

Rangers	Leody Taveras	Evan Carter	Corey Seager	Jonah Heim
DraftKings	3300	4500	6100	3800
Fanduel	2600	3000	3600	2700