MLB DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups & Stacks Today: Monday Playbook

Published: Jun 16, 2025
Welcome to the Fantasy Alarm MLB DFS Playbook for Monday, June 16th!
Let’s start the week on the right foot with some winning lineups today. We have a 7-game main slate in store for us this evening on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 6:40 PM ET. Today, we have plenty of talent on the diamond and many different ways to build your lineup. Our expert analysis is here to guide you through the top pitchers, value plays, and stackable offenses to target.
Whether chasing big GPP prizes or grinding cash games, we’ve got you covered with insights tailored to today’s matchups. Let’s jump right into the key plays and strategies to dominate the slate!
This season's MLB DFS picks and playbook will consist of a pitcher and hitter core players section with written analysis, player pool grid and core stacks section.
The core player section should be used as a starting point for all lineups, you may not be able to use all players in the same lineup, but those players should be the building blocks for you on a given night.
The player pool grid will feature both players from the core player section along with additional plays to help you build a complete lineup. The grid will be broken into top priced players, mid-priced players and value tier players.
The stacks section will bring you are favorite lineups stacks for the day and which players we would look to include in those stacks based on matchups and pricing.
Check out the MLB DFS Show to get an initial outlook on the day's MLB DFS slate to give you a good base for the start of your research each day!
Make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Alarm YouTube channel so you never miss a show! Also, join the Fantasy Alarm Discord to get your DFS lineup questions answered by our MLB DFS team! Plus, as always, be sure to check in with our MLB DFS Tools, with the Daily MLB Projections, MLB DFS Rostership Projections, and our MLB DFS Lineup Generator when building those lineups today to help you decide which players you should be targeting.
MLB DFS Picks & MLB Playbook
MLB Weather: Monday, 6/16
Baltimore Orioles @ Tampa Bay Rays
There could be rain. Key word could. It doesn't seem like it'll be an issue, however.
Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers
Let's get into today's core pitching plays for our DFS lineups
Core MLB DFS Pitchers
Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners
This one is tricky. Maybe the most tricky spot of the day. Logan Gilbert is returning from his IL stint after a three outing rehab that went well. He threw 72 pitches in his last outing and in his three outings, he struck out a lot of batters and didn't allow many runs. The Red Sox just traded Rafael Devers and have a TON of strikeouts in their lineup. If Gilbert throws 80 pitches, is that enough? It could be if he racks up six or more strikeouts. But if he has one bad inning, that could be detrimental to his outing and fantasy score. If his ownership holds up as the highest rostered pitcher of the day, I might be against the field here.
Clarke Schmidt, New York Yankees
I really, really like Clarke Schmidt in this spot. Schmidt has been awesome and has a lot of swing-and-miss stuff, which is what the Angels go a lot of. They lead the league in strikeouts against righties and over the last month, they're second with a 25% K-rate. Schmidt has seven or more strikeouts in three of four, including a start against the Angels.
Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres
This spot is not fun, and I understand that, but I have no problem simply playing a talented pitcher at a price that's too cheap on a slate with limited good pitching options. Cease is coming off seven scoreless innings while striking out 11..against the Dodgers. That's not always repeatable, but it is the upside Cease has. Cease and his 4.28 ERA does not match with his 3.26 SIERA and 3.21 xFIP this year.
Jake Irvin, Washington Nationals
I'm a little skeptical here. He's going to be popular but he hasn't been great this year. He's been especially bad against left-handed pitchers but the Rockies don't have many of them. Only two are projected to be in their lineup, which obviously bodes well for Irvin because the surface level numbers look good against righties. Over the last month, the Rockies have struck out more than anyone else against right-handed arms but have been improving offensively, basically ranking in the middle of the pack in almost every category.
Recommended MLB DFS Hitters
Let's check out today's core plays to build our lineups around.
Core MLB DFS Hitters
Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
Sandy Alcantara has had no answer for left-handed bats this year and Kyle Schwarber is quite a good lefty. One of the best, in fact. Schwarbs has a .241 ISO, .277 xISO, .362 wOBA, and .391 xwOBA against righties while belting 11 HR.
Lefties have a .191 ISO, .237 xISO, .363 wOBA, and .393 xwOBA against him on the year.
Ryan McMahon & Michael Toglia, Colorado Rockies
I love using lefties against Jake Irvin. McMahon and Toglia are really the only two we'd want to use, as McMahon has been raking lately and Toglia has been recalled. Over his last 30 at-bats against righties, Ryan McMahon has a 1.200 OPS, .769 SLG%, and .423 ISO. Toglia has tons of power.
Speaking on Irvin's struggles against lefties, they have a .233 ISO, .301 xISO, .354 wOBA, and .413 xwOBA this year.
Home Runs Coming in George Steinbrenner Field
This is a weird one because the pitchers in this game in Ryan Pepiot and Zach Eflin are pitching very well right now. Ryan Pepiot has been really good this year, he's just struggled to keep the ball in the yard at George Steinbrenner Field. He's allowed 11 HR at home and just two on the road. He's allowing 1.87 HR/9, 41% FB, and 37.6% hard-hit.
Lefties have been the split that has killed Zach Eflin this year and that's what the Rays have an abundance of. Left-handers have a .538 SLG%, .349 wOBA, 2.3 HR/9, 43.6% FB, and 37% HH.
We'll start with some Rays I'm interested in against Eflin;
- Jonathan Aranda: .532 SLG%, .938 OPS, .205 ISO
- Brandon Lowe: .505 SLG%, .846 OPS, .214 ISO
- Jake Mangum: .383 OBP, .790 OPS
- Junior Caminero (although he's a RHH): .537 SLG%, .842 OPS, .282 ISO
- Yandy Diaz: .425/.489/.650, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R over his L10
Now Orioles vs. RHP;
- Jordan Westburg: .872 OPS, .324 ISO, .375 wOBA
- Ramon Laureano: .993 OPS, .337 ISO, .426 wOBA
- Gunnar Henderson: .927 OPS, .220 ISO, .415 wOBA
- Ryan O'Hearn (if in lineup): .953 OPS, .227 ISO, .415 wOBA
- Adley Rutschman (last 30 ABs vs. RHP): 1.015 OPS, .269 ISO, .431 wOBA
Mariners Stack? Yes Please.
There are a lot of things to really like about the Mariners offense tonight. The ballpark is obviously tough to hit in, but it hasn't really stopped Seattle lately. They square off against Lucas Giolito who hasn't been very good this year and has been quite worse under the hood, even in his shutout last time out there was a lot of bad peripheral stuff.
- Righties: .333 AVG, .155 ISO, .183 xISO, .381 wOBA, .374 xwOBA, 40% HH
- Lefties: .181 ISO, .260 xISO, .330 wOBA, .395 xwOBA, 42% FB
A Mariners stack will start with Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford as they're both elite against righties. Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena is where you'd want to go next, but Rowdy Tellez and Dominic Canzone are really nice, cheap options. Tellez has a .253 ISO against righties and Canzone (yes, small sample) has a .210 ISO.
Astros, A's, Sutter Field
UPDATE - Ryan Gusto is starting in place of Lance McCullers Jr. Gusto struggles mightily against left-handed hitters and has held his own against righties. Lawrence Butler, Tyler Soderstrom, Nick Kurtz are some of my favorite plays from ATH. Of course you COULD include Jacob Wilson or Brent Rooker because they're elite hitters.
UPDATE NUMBER TWO - Mitch Spence is starting for the Athletics. Definitely a bump down to the Astros who don't profile as well against righties as they do against lefties. Lefties would be ideal, but Houston only has one (Victor Caratini). Can still use Houston
Last 90 ABs vs. RHP for HOU;
- Jeremy Pena - .919 OPS, .405 wOBA, .186 ISO
- Jose Altuve - .915 OPS, .396 wOBA, .196 ISO
- Isaac Paredes - .296 ISO, .820 OPS
- Jake Meyers - .305 AVG, .757 OPS, .341 wOBA.
Only one location around the league has better offensive ranking than Sutter Health Park in Sacramento and the A's and Astros lock horns on Monday.
ADDED TO CORE PLAYS - James Wood
Player Pool
$ Tier | SP | C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF |
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Stacks
Astros | Jose Altuve | Jake Meyers | Victor Caratini | Jeremy Peña | Cam Smith | Yainer Diaz |
![]() | 3900 | 3700 | 2900 | 4500 | - | 3300 |
![]() | 3000 | 2700 | 2500 | 3200 | - | 2700 |
Mariners | Rowdy Tellez | J.P. Crawford | Randy Arozarena | Cal Raleigh | Julio RodrÃguez |
![]() | 2600 | 3500 | 4000 | 6000 | 5100 |
![]() | 2700 | 2800 | 3100 | 4300 | 3400 |
Rays | Junior Caminero | Jake Mangum | Yandy DÃaz | Brandon Lowe | Jonathan Aranda |
![]() | 4400 | 4100 | 4200 | 4600 | 4500 |
![]() | 3200 | 2700 | 2900 | 3100 | 3000 |
Athletics | Lawrence Butler | Tyler Soderstrom | Brent Rooker | Austin Wynns | Nick Kurtz | Jacob Wilson |
![]() | 4600 | 4600 | 4900 | 4100 | 2800 | - |
![]() | 3300 | 3200 | 3500 | 2600 | 2700 | - |
Orioles | Gunnar Henderson | Ryan O'Hearn | Ramón Laureano | Jordan Westburg | Adley Rutschman |
![]() | 4800 | 4700 | 3600 | 4100 | 4000 |
![]() | 3100 | 3000 | 2700 | 3200 | 2700 |
Player News
Jorge Polanco hit a solo homer in a win for the Mariners on Thursday over the Angels.
Polanco’s 16th homer of the season gave Seattle a 4-2 cushion, and it came in the eighth inning off Jose Fermin. Polanco was borderline useless with the bat in May and June, but he’s now gone deep five times in July with a slash of .281/.349/.579. That’ll work.
Randy Arozarena hit a two-run homer in the Mariners’ win over the Angels on Thursday.
Julio Rodriguez homered and stole a base while helping the Mariners to a 4- 2 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Andrés Muñoz worked a scoreless ninth to pick up a save against the Angels on Thursday.
Yusei Kikuchi completed 4 2/3 innings while allowing three runs to pick up a loss to the Mariners on Thursday.
Logan Evans gave up just a run in five innings with three strikeouts to get a win over the Angels on Thursday.