This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
For Friday, DraftKings is not including the early evening starts on the DFS docket, but fret not. That still leaves you with a robust 12 games starting at 7:05 p.m. ET or later. You have plenty of DFS options, and I have these lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Framber Valdez, HOU at CWS ($8,800): Valdez has had two bad starts this season, but I'm not sweating that. He's also had three great starts, and even his 3.69 FIP will likely improve considerably. Valdez is not a glamorous pitcher, but he is elite at keeping the ball in the park and on the ground. His groundball rate right now is 51.0 percent, and he's finished below 60 percent exactly once in his career. The White Sox have started well enough not to be threatening all-time awfulness, but they are going to finish in the bottom five in runs scored and team OPS, which is where they are now.
Robbie Ray, SFG vs. COL ($8,600): Ray is always a roll of the dice. He's homer prone and allows too many walks, but he also has a Cy Young and a career 11.03 K/9 rate. The Rockies are the worst team in baseball, and the worst offense in baseball, and they play their home games at Coors Field. San Fran's ballpark is decidedly not as friendly to hitters.
Sonny Gray, STL vs. NYM ($8,300): I think there is upside with Gray at this salary, not because of the matchup but because of his skills. Gray is a pitcher who has been in the Cy Young race in recent years. He's a good strikeout pitcher and great at avoiding walks. This year he has a 3.60 ERA but also an 1.80 BB/9 rate. I also expect his groundball rate to improve and his line-drive rate to decrease. Plus, last season, he had a 2.79 ERA at home in his first campaign with the Cardinals. The Mets are a good offense, but great pitchers often handle good offenses.
Top Targets
Even though Kansas City's offense has been inert, Bobby Witt ($5,800) has not been dragged down. In fact, he's instead thrived. He's hitting .322 and while he only has three home runs, he has 12 doubles and nine stolen bases. Dean Kremer is getting another start for the Orioles, but not owing to merit on the mound. He has a 5.62 FIP, a 5.87 K/9 rate and a 2.05 HR/9 rate.
It seems like Teoscar Hernandez ($5,400) is intent on being consistent as a Dodger. Last year he had over 30 homers and 30 doubles. This year he has nine of each, and he's also hit .310 for good measure. While Hernandez doesn't walk enough to take advantage of Grant Holmes' 5.46 BB/9 rate, he can take advantage of his 1.61 HR/9 rate, and maybe he will do that with some guys on base. You know, guys who do take walks.
Bargain Bats
Though he's cooled off some recently, I don't think Spencer Torkelson ($4,500) is Chris Shelton 2.0 for the Tigers. He has the track record of being a first-overall pick (in a down draft class, but still) and hitting 30 home runs as recently as 2023. The righty has tallied nine home runs and eight doubles here in 2025. I opted for him because, in addition to his 4.50 ERA this season, Jose Soriano has struggled against his fellow right-handers throughout his career. They have hit .270 against him.
I've been skeptical of the Marlins' offense all season, and I remain so. However, I have not dug in my heels so much that I can't see the potential DFS value in Jesus Sanchez ($3,400) on Friday. He's off to a slow start, but he still has been better against righties and at home. That tracks, as since 2023 he has a .793 OPS against righties and an .812 OPS in Miami. Osvaldo Bido doesn't seem cut out to be a starter. He has an 1.42 K/BB rate, an 1.72 HR/9 rate, and thus a 5.82 FIP.
Stacks to Consider
Brewers vs. Cubs (Bruce Brown): Brice Turang ($5,100), Christian Yelich ($4,800), Sal Frelick ($4,100)
Brown racks up a lot of strikeouts. He has a skill there. It's what happens the rest of the time that is an issue. Hence, Brown has a 6.04 ERA, and both lefties and righties have hit over .300 against him. Lefties have hit .321 against him, though, and the Brewers have a few good southpaw bats, so I went that way with this stack.
We knew Turang could steal bases. He swiped 50 last year and has eight this season. However, he's also improved as a hitter. He has a .311 average and has hit three home runs. Yelich is off to a slow start but also has five homers and six stolen bases. His issues have solely been against lefties, though, and also on the road. Since 2023, Yelich has an .891 OPS versus right-handed pitchers and an .846 OPS at home. Something of a poor man's Turang, but in the outfield where that kind of bat isn't as valuable, Frelick can still deliver in the right matchup. He has seven stolen bases and two triples this season, and he's also batted .304.
Giants vs. Rockies (Antonio Senzatela): Jung Hoo Lee ($4,900), Mike Yastrzemski ($4,600), Matt Chapman ($4,500)
Long one of the worst strikeout pitchers in baseball, Senzatela has landed at a worse level than ever this season. Through six starts he's managed a paltry 3.99 strikeouts per nine innings. He's also allowed 2.15 homers per nine innings for good measure. Unsurprisingly, he has a 5.91 FIP. Though he's barely pitched over the last three seasons, lefties have hit .357 against him and righties have hit .348, so there are options I've got with two lefties and a righty.
Able to stay healthy to start this season and seemingly adjusted to MLB pitching, Lee has looked much better than in his first year in the majors. He's slashed .316/.372/.521 with 11 doubles, two triples, three homers, and three stolen bases. Yastrzemski is having an unexpectedly strong start to 2025. He's posted a .284/.387/.516 slash line with five home runs. However, he's always been better in situations like this. Since 2023 he has an .814 OPS against right-handed pitchers and an .844 OPS at home. Though Chapman has struggled to pick up hits, he's walked so often that he still has a .353 OBP. On top of that he has five home runs and four swiped bags.
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