MLB DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups & Stacks Today: Wednesday Playbook
Published: Apr 16, 2025
Welcome to the Fantasy Alarm MLB DFS Playbook for Wednesday, April 16th!
We’re diving into the action with a 10-game main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. With a packed day of baseball ahead, our expert analysis is here to guide you through the top pitchers, value plays, and stackable offenses to target.
Whether you’re hunting for GPP glory or locking in cash game success, we’ve got tailored insights to help you conquer today’s matchups. Let’s dive 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 our favorite lineups stacks for the day and which players we would look to include in those stacks based on matchups and pricing.
There will also be a daily MLB DFS Show with a variety of hosts ranging from myself, Jon Impemba, Howard Bender, and James Grande. The MLB DFS Show will give you an initial outlook on the day's MLB DFS slate and should 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: Wednesday, 4/16
There are no weather issues to report.
Recommended MLB DFS Starting Pitchers
Core MLB DFS Pitchers
Brandon Pfaadt, Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandon Pfaadt has solid run prevention numbers (3.50 ERA), but the underlying metrics are honestly pretty scary. Estimators xERA (5.87) and FIP (5.08) are not believers in his performance at all, while SIERA (3.93) and xFIP (3.71) are buying in a bit more. He has done a great job limiting the walks (4.3 percent), but the strikeout numbers have been way down (17.4 percent). It is encouraging to see his swinging-strike rate at the same level it was last season (11.1 percent) when he posted an above average strikeout rate, so he has been a bit unlucky from an expected strikeout perspective.
On a different slate, I would be passing on Pfaadt despite the excellent matchup against the Marlins, but we do not have a single pitching option to feel great about on this slate. So, that leaves Pfaadt and his premium matchup as one of the top options on the slate.
Kris Bubic, Kansas City Royals
This is not for the faint of heart, but it is that type of pitching slate. Kris Bubic was absolutely awesome out of the Royals bullpen last season after returning from Tommy John surgery the season prior. He is back in the rotation this season and has continued his excellent performance through three starts. The lefty has allowed just two runs in those three starts, while generating 27.4 percent strikeouts versus just 6.6 percent walks.
The downside is he faces a powerful lineup in one of the best home run parks in baseball. The Yankees lead the league in home runs and isolated power, so there is a ton of risk here. But I am willing to chase the strikeout upside Bubic has displayed given the other pitching options available.
Bobby Miller, Los Angeles Dodgers
Miller is just two seasons removed from bursting onto the scene as one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball. He posted excellent numbers in his 2023 rookie campaign, but he was nothing close to that pitcher last season. Miller has struggled mightily with his command since his debut season, including 12 innings in the minors this year where he owns a 21.2 (!) percent walk rate.
Like Pfaadt, this would be a pass for me on most other slates, but it is what we are dealing with tonight. Ultimately, the matchup against the Rockies away from Coors Field is a spot worth attacking. Colorado owns the highest strikeout rate (28.9 precent) and the lowest wRC+ (63) in the league.
Osvaldo Bido, Athletics
Bido was pretty good for the Athletics last season and has followed it up with three solid starts to begin the 2025 season. The strikeouts are down a bit, but so are the walks. Notably, his swinging-strike rate (12.4 percent) and CSW rate (27.5 percent) are both higher than they were last season when he posted an above average strikeout rate (24.3 percent), so there should be more actual strikeouts coming. He also gets an elite matchup against the White Sox with favorable pitching weather. The wind is blowing in and temps are expected to be in the 40s in Chicago. Bido is likely to be my highest rostered pitcher on the slate when factoring in his salary and context above.
Jose Soriano, Los Angeles Angels
I actually prefer Jose Soriano over Aaron Nola today when factoring in the expected ownership discount and the declining skills of Nola. Soriano has been outstanding in two of his three starts this season. He walks a few too many batters, but he has also struck them out an above average rate this season. The Rangers have struggled out of the gate offensively, with an 82 wRC+ and a .279 wOBA that ranks just 24th in MLB. They strike out at a below average rate, but they have also walked at the lowest rate in the league, which is a big help to guy like Soriano.
Recommended MLB DFS Hitters
Core MLB DFS Hitters
Los Angeles Angels vs. Patrick Corbin
Lefty Patrick Corbin has not posted an ERA below 5.20 since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He has allowed 1.62 HR/9 over that time, and his strikeout rate has been below 20 percent in each of those seasons.
Mike Trout has had reverse splits throughout his entire career, but there is zero chance I am going to tell you not to play him against Corbin.
Jorge Soler has absolutely destroyed left-handed pitching in his career, including a .240 ISO and 13.4 percent barrel rate last season.
In fact, the barrel rate since last season against lefties from several of these Angels is quite impressive: Taylor Ward (11.1 percent), Logan O'Hoppe (15.2 percent), Kyren Paris (12.5 percent), and Jo Adell (15.9 percent) have all been above 11 percent.
Luis Rengifo hasn't displayed as much power as some of his 'mates, but he owns an impressive .373 wOBA against lefties since last season.
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
Not much needs to be said about the best hitter on the planet. Ohtani is in play on every slate, but he has an especially great matchup today against German Marquez and a putrid Rockies bullpen. Marquez has thrown just 39.2 innings since the 2023 season, and his strikeout rate is all the way down at 14.9 percent through three starts this year. The Rockies bullpen owns a 5.15 ERA, and their 17.4 percent strikeout rate is the second lowest in baseball. Ohtani can be expected to make some loud contact at least four times today.
Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox
After infamously starting the season 0-for-23 with 15 strikeouts, Rafael Devers is back to being the elite hitter we know. Devers has a 140 wRC+ since his dreadful start, and he gets a matchup against pitcher with a hard contact problem in a great hitter's park. Rays righty Zack Littell is allowing a massive 11.3 percent barrel rate this season, while striking out just 16.7 percent of the lefties he has faced.
Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics
The Major League home run leader is none of than Tyler Soderstrom of the Athletics, as he added another two long balls last night. The wind conditions are not as favorable as yesterday, but neither of his blasts last night needed the help of the wind. The matchup is just as favorable against Jonathan Cannon, who has allowed an 11.5 percent barrel rate and .278 ISO to lefties this season after allowing a 9.0 percent barrel rate and .200 ISO to lefties last season.
The Mariners offense gets a big park upgrade tonight going into Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Raleigh has the fly ball profile to help offset the ground ball ability of Reds starter Nick Martinez. The Mariners backstop owns a .213 ISO and 15.2 percent barrel rete against righties since last season.
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Player Pool
Stacks
| Angels | Jorge Soler | Luis Rengifo | Mike Trout | Kyren Paris | Taylor Ward |
 DraftKings | 4200 | 3800 | 5900 | 4000 | 4300 |
 Fanduel | 3100 | 2700 | 4000 | 3600 | 3500 |
| Dodgers | Mookie Betts | Teoscar Hernández | Shohei Ohtani | Max Muncy | Freddie Freeman |
| DraftKings | 6300 | 5200 | 6500 | 4300 | 5100 |
| Fanduel | 4200 | 3800 | 4500 | 2800 | 3700 |
| Athletics | JJ Bleday | Lawrence Butler | Tyler Soderstrom | Shea Langeliers | Brent Rooker |
| DraftKings | 4000 | 4800 | 4800 | 4400 | 5400 |
| Fanduel | 2500 | 2900 | 3400 | 3200 | 3400 |
| Rays | Junior Caminero | Curtis Mead | Christopher Morel | Danny Jansen | Yandy DÃaz |
| DraftKings | 4500 | 3400 | 4300 | 3300 | 4100 |
| Fanduel | 3000 | 2400 | 2600 | 2400 | 2700 |
| Mariners | Jorge Polanco | Luke Raley | Cal Raleigh | Julio RodrÃguez |
| DraftKings | 4200 | 3200 | 3900 | 5000 |
| Fanduel | 2900 | 2400 | 3000 | 3400 |
| Red Sox | Wilyer Abreu | Jarren Duran | Trevor Story | Rafael Devers |
| DraftKings | 4700 | 5200 | 4200 | 4800 |
| Fanduel | 3100 | 3600 | 3000 | 3500 |