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

We have a 12-game MLB DFS main slate on Friday, July 12th, headlined by the diversity between the elite pitching and hitting options we have. There are elite pitching options as Garrett Crochet, Cole Ragans, Freddy Peralta, and Sonny Gray take the hill. We also have elite offensive options everywhere we look as Aaron Judge, Elly De La Cruz, Christian Yelich, and Bobby Witt are all in good spots.

Before you finalize your daily fantasy lineups with help from our MLB DFS picks, it's important to check out today's MLB DFS projections and MLB DFS ownership projections. Take advantage of our MLB Lineups Page to identify players who are in and out of the lineup, along with utilizing our MLB DFS Lineup Generator!

MLB DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, July 12

MLB Weather Today, 7/12

• New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles

A delayed start is on the horizon with rain in the forecast around first pitch.

• Colorado Rockies vs. New York Mets

This is another East Coast game with rain slated to hit the stadium right around the first pitch. If they wait things out, it should play without any issues.

• Kansas City Royals vs. Boston Red Sox

There’s a little rain in the forecast, but the biggest weather note is the 15 MPH winds blowing out to the left-center field.

MLB DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

It’s an interesting slate with a blend of really top-end pitching, but elite bats everywhere you turn. Great American Ballpark is in play today and the Reds offense has been hot. There are also mid-tier pitchers with elite strikeout odds and some of the best odds for a win. 

Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers

Top Options For Strikeouts

• Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals - 7.5 (-140)
• Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox - 7.5 (-135)
• Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins - 6.5 (-115)
• Sean Manaea, New York Mets - 6.5 (-105)
• Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals - 6.5 (+125)

Best Odds For A Win

• Sean Manaea, New York Mets (-245) vs. Colorado Rockies
• Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers (-225) vs. Washington Nationals
• Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals (-198) vs. Chicago Cubs

Core MLB DFS Pitchers

Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox

The most expensive pitcher on today’s slate is worth paying up for if you have the money to do so. He faces a Pirates team ranking 29th in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ against southpaws over the past month. It’s not as if they’ve been good all year against them either as they’re bottom-10 in all the aforementioned categories. We can forgive Crochet for his previous start considering how dominant he’s been all year long.

Sean Manaea, New York Mets

There is a LOT to like about Sean Manaea in this spot. Even when factoring in their home splits, the Rockies are a bottom-10 offense in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ against left-handed pitching. Now they go on the road to face Manaea and the Mets. Manaea is the day's BIGGEST favorite (-245) and has some of the best strikeout odds as well. Over the past month, the Rockies are striking out 29.5% of the time against southpaws.

Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals

We saw after Ragans’ start in Coors Field that we’d never see him at that price again..awkward. Sorry we lied. He’s still 8.5K and he’s still too cheap. This is an interesting spot because Boston’s offense is potent and the wind is blowing out again, but they strike out a LOT. 29.6% of the time over the last month against lefties. Ragans has the best strikeout odds of the day and if he can shut down an offense in Coors, let’s not think a little wind can stop him.

Carson Spiers, Cincinnati Reds

This carries a little risk, but there’s nothing wrong with taking some risks on this slate. Spiers faces off against the Marlins who rank dead last in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ against right-handed pitching over the last month. They also carry a 25.1% K-rate into this game, which presents Spiers with some upside. I’m slightly worried about the lefties here given the issues he’s had against them, but the Marlins don’t have too many lefty threats in their lineup.

Recommended MLB DFS Hitters

Highest Expected Run Totals 

• New York Mets - 5.3
• Cincinnati Reds - 5.3
• New York Yankees - 4.9
• Milwaukee Brewers - 4.8
• St. Louis Cardinals - 4.8
• Seattle Mariners - 4.8
• Arizona Diamondbacks - 4.8

Core MLB DFS Hitters

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Right-handed bats are giving Code Povich fits and especially in the power department. In 18 innings versus righties, Povich has allowed five homers, .500 SLG%, 2.37 HR/9, and a 54% flyball rate. Judge has decimated southpaws this season posting a .394 ISO, 1.194 OPS, and .492 wOBA.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are going to be my favorite stack of the day, so let’s just list some of my favorite options. These numbers reflect the last month vs. right-handed pitching;

• Elly De La Cruz; .956 OPS, .288 ISO, .401 wOBA
• Jonathan India; .348 AVG, 1.003 OPS, .232 ISO, .432 wOBA
• Spencer Steer; .932 OPS, .321 ISO, .397 wOBA
• Tyler Stephenson; .902 OPS, .333 ISO, .382 wOBA
• Jeimer Candelario; .812 OPS, .286 ISO, .341 wOBA
• Rece Hinds; 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 SB, .500 AVG in first four games

Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers

Yelich and the Brewers face Jackson Rutledge of the Washington Nationals who's being recalled in this spot. Rutledge has only made one appearance at the major league level this year and that's probably because he hasn't been able to handle Triple-A hitters. He has a 6.66 ERA at AAA this year and Yelich has a team-leading .951 OPS against right-handed pitching this year.

Brandon Nimmo & Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets

When you look at this matchup on paper, everything lines up for the Mets here. You don't have to stop at just Nimmo and Alvarez either because of how good a spot this is. Nimmo has been one of the better hitters in baseball over the last month and Alvarez has crushed right-handed pitching. Over the last month, both guys have an OPS north of 1.000 against right-handed pitching.

Jarred Kelenic, Atlanta Braves

I keep thinking Randy Vasquez's numbers against lefties will eventually get better and yet, every time I look at them, they don't and seemingly get worse. Lefties are hitting .431 with a .667 SLG% and .491 wOBA against him. Insert Kelenic who has a .784 OPS, .191 ISO, and .339 wOBA against right-handed pitching. I like this spot for the Braves leadoff hitter. 

Vladimir Guerrero, George Springer & Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays

Over the last month, things have turned around for the Blue Jays offensively and I like their right-handed bats today. Over the last month, all three of Guerrero, Springer, and Clement have ISO's north of .200 against righties. Ryne Nelson has been especially bad against right-handed bats and has been atrocious at home against them. RHH against Nelson at home has a .386 AVG, .566 SLG%, and a .417 wOBA.

Alec Burleson & Lars Nootbaar, St. Louis Cardinals

Kyle Hendricks, outside a couple of outings, this year, has been atrocious this season. Lefties have given him fits and the Cardinals' two best lefties this season are Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar. Burleson has a .902 OPS, .222 ISO, and .387 wOBA against RHP while Nootbaar checks in with a .886 OPS, .242 ISO, and .382 wOBA. Against lefty bats, Hendricks has allowed 2.56 HR/9, .305 AVG, .542 SLG%, and .386 wOBA. 

Brooks Lee, Minnesota Twins

Lee was great from both sides of the dish in the minors, but man does he have monster power as a righty. He had a .725 SLG% and a 1.144 OPS to go with it. Righties have an elevated flyball rate, hard hit rate, and walk rate against Kyle Harrison while his K-rate from lefties to righties dips by nearly 10%. I love the price.

Jesus Sanchez, Miami Marlins

Although I like Carson Spiers, there is a legitimate case against him. The lefties in the Marlins' lineup is what will likely cause him fits. Sanchez is where I'd want to go first given how well he's hit lately. Over the last month, Sanchez has a .313/.353/.672 slash with a .359 ISO against right-handed pitching. 

Player Pool

• DraftKings Player Pool
• FanDuel Player Pool

$ Tier	SP	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	OF
High	Garrett Crochet $11,000		Spencer Steer $3,800	Jose Altuve $3,800		Bobby Witt $4,400	Aaron Judge $4,500
	Cole Ragans $10,200					Gunnar Henderson $4,300	Juan Soto $4,300
						Elly De La Cruz $4,200
Medium	Freddy Peralta $9,500	Salvador Perez $3,500	Pete Alonso $3,200	Willi Castro $3,000	Jeimer Candelario $3,100	Corey Seager $3,700	Byron Buxton $3,500
	Sean Manaea $8,800	Cal Raleigh $3,000	Vladimir Guerrero $3,200	Michael Busch $3,000	Brendan Donovan $3,000	Francisco Lindor $3,600	Jazz Chisholm $3,400
				Jonathan India $3,000	Alex Bregman $3,300	Carlos Correa $3,500	Brandon Nimmo $3,400
						Jeremy Peña $3,000	J.D. Martinez $3,200
							George Springer $3,000
							Lars Nootbaar $3,000
Low	Yariel Rodríguez $7,900	Francisco Alvarez $2,800	Carlos Santana $2,800	Spencer Horwitz $2,600	Ernie Clement $2,500	Xavier Edwards $2,300	Rece Hinds $2,800
		Tyler Stephenson $2,700	Alec Burleson $2,800	Nolan Gorman $2,800	Brooks Lee $2,800		Jesús Sánchez $2,900
				Brice Turang $2,800			Jake Fraley $2,800
							Manuel Margot $2,500

Stacks

Reds	Spencer Steer	Elly De La Cruz	Jonathan India	Rece Hinds	Jeimer Candelario	Robert Stephenson
DraftKings	5300	6400	4500	2800	4400	4000
Fanduel	3800	4200	3000	2800	3100	5500

Mets	Francisco Alvarez	Mark Vientos	Francisco Lindor	Brandon Nimmo	J.D. Martinez
DraftKings	4300	4600	5500	5100	5000
Fanduel	2800	3100	3600	3400	3200

Blue Jays	Spencer Horwitz	Alejandro Kirk	George Springer	Ernie Clement	Vladimir Guerrero
DraftKings	4200	2500	4100	2700	4800
Fanduel	2600	2300	3000	2500	3200

Cardinals	Nolan Gorman	Brendan Donovan	Alec Burleson	Lars Nootbaar	Willson Contreras
DraftKings	3900	3700	4100	3800	4800
Fanduel	2800	3000	2800	3000	3500

Twins	Carlos Correa	Willi Castro	Brooks Lee	Manuel Margot	Byron Buxton
DraftKings	5700	5100	3800	3600	4700
Fanduel	3500	3000	2800	2500	3500

Marlins	Jesús Sánchez	Xavier Edwards	Jazz Chisholm
DraftKings	3300	2300	4200
Fanduel	2900	2300	3400