MLB DFS Value Plays April 25: Top DraftKings & FanDuel Picks
Tonight’s MLB DFS main slate is a 9-gamer on both DraftKings and FanDuel that starts at 7:07 pm ET, excluding six games that start earlier in the day. We do not have Coors Field on the slate, so you don’t have to worry about keeping that in mind when setting lineups. Starting pitching is pretty rough on this slate with a real lack of top-end firepower as the slate is headlined by Joe Ryan, Justin Steele, and Nestor Cortes. A nice thing about this slate is that it currently appears that we have no mlb weather concerns, but still make sure to check the weather before setting lineups. Let’s dive into some of my favorite value options of the day and some we can fit into our cash and tournament lineups!
MLB DFS Value Pitchers
Ryne Nelson, Arizona Diamondbacks (DraftKings: $7,500 / FanDuel: $8,400)
Nelson hasn’t been great thus far, but his 4.91 ERA and 1.18 WHIP isn’t the worst in the world either. More importantly, this is a fantastic spot for Nelson once we consider the Royals’ massive splits this season:
- Royals vs. lefties: 23.6% strikeout rate, .243 average, and .313 wOBA.
- Royals vs. righties: 25.7% strikeouts rate, .202 average, and .254 wOBA
That is a huge difference and with Nelson being right-handed, we like this spot a lot more than we would if he wasn’t. That average and wOBA against righties are the worst in the entire league.
Griffin Canning, Los Angeles Angels (DraftKings: $6,400 / FanDuel: $8,800)
Canning has pitched well through two starts with a 3.48 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. This matchup is a great one against the A’s, especially when you consider the massive splits that the A’s have had so far this season:
- A’s vs. lefties: 22.1% strikeout rate, .268 average, .341 wOBA
- A’s vs. righties: 24.6% strikeout rate, .214 average, .287 wOBA
As you can see, similar to the Royals, the A’s have a massive split difference and are FAR worse against righties. Their wOBA against lefties is actually the 8th best in the entire league, but all their marks against righties are near the bottom.
MLB DFS Value Hitters
Francisco Alvarez, C, New York Mets (DraftKings: $2,600 / FanDuel: $2,200)
Alvarez is starting to find his stride with a two-hit game two games ago and then a home run in his most recent game. Tonight he gets to face Josiah Gray. Gray has really struggled with consistency and has a career ERA of 5.04. He has always had a huge problem with the long ball as his HR/9 for his career is a rough mark of 2.3 (led the league in HR against last season). Alvarez is a nice punt play with HR upside in this matchup.
Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B, Kansas City Royals (DraftKings: $3,500 / FanDuel: $3,000)
Why is Vinnie P. still this cheap? What am I missing? He is hitting .291 on the year with four home runs and a .532 SLG. He has scored 17 and 15 dk points over his last two games with 5 total hits. He faces Ryne Nelson, who I do like overall tonight, who has been hurt by lefties in his career as they have a .773 OPS against him, compared to the .535 mark righties have produced. On top of that, the wind is blowing out directly to right field, the strongest wind on tonight’s slate.
Brett Baty, 3B, New York Mets (DraftKings: $2,500 / FanDuel: $2,400)
Baty is starting to find his groove as he is 3-8 with a RBI and run scored over his last two games. His average exit velocity and hard hit rate have both been above league-average thus far, so it’s only a matter of time until the hits start falling (his xBA is actually .279, so far better than his actual .238 average). We could see his first home run of the season tonight in this spot against Gray.
Sam Hilliard, OF, Atlanta Braves (DraftKings: $2,500 / FanDuel: $2,800)
Hilliard was really bad with the Rockies, but somehow he looks better now as a member of the Braves (despite not having Coors Field as his home ballpark). He is slashing .333/.412/.622 thus far with three home runs, four steals, and 15 total R/RBI across 17 games of action. Tonight he faces Bryan Hoeing, who has given up 19 hits, 17 runs, and five home runs across 12.2 big league innings in his career.
Fantasy Alarm is the home of expert MLB Fantasy content. We also bring you all of the best online sportsbook free bets & promo codes and fantasy sports bonuses.
Dominate your MLB DFS contests this week with our DFS Playbook, Podcasts, Lineup Generator, Player Projections, & Draft Percentage Forecaster.
Player News
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that Zach Eflin (lat) is likely to return and start Sunday against the Angels
It was assumed that Eflin would be back this weekend, but now we have a concrete date. The 31-year-old may not be at full strength after throwing fewer than 60 pitches in his rehab start, but the Orioles feel confident enough to have the right-hander back on the bump for the series finale against the Angels.
Riley Greene is not in the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against the Rockies on Thursday.
Greene will get a break and likely return to the lineup for the second game of the twin-billing. Zach McKinstry will get the start in left field while Greene rests.
Yu Darvish (elbow) is facing live hitters on Thursday.
Darvish has been throwing bullpen sessions and traveled to the team’s complex in Arizona to face live hitters on Thursday. It will be his first time facing live batters since a spring training appearance on March 13th. He will likely need a few sessions like this before the Padres can map out a rehab appearance timeline for him.
Adael Amador is starting at second base and batting ninth for the Rockies on Thursday.
Amador has now started three of the last four games at second base for the Rockies. He’s gone just 7-for-43 this season with 15 strikeouts in 16 games. He’s just 22 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to adjust to the MLB level, but he doesn’t need to be on redraft radars right now.
Jackson Holliday is playing second base and batting second for the Orioles on Thursday against the Twins.
With Cedric Mullins sitting out on Thursday, Gunnar Henderson will bat lead off, and Holliday will jump up from sixth in the order to second. Holliday is riding a hot streak right now, and the Orioles are taking advantage. This is likely just a one-game sample with no Mullins or Adley Rutschman in the lineup, but Rutschman has been struggling, so perhaps it could become a more permanent spot in the lineup for Holliday moving forward.
Endy Rodriguez (finger) had his splint removed this week.
Rodriguez suffered a lacerated right index finger on April 14th. Now that he is out of his splint, he “is playing catch and doing a slightly modified swing.” Once he can progress to taking full swings, we’ll have a better sense of the timeline for his return.