Wednesday marks the middle of the workweek with an 11-game featured slate beginning at 7:05 p.m. ET on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo. As always, the best way to find top MLB DFS picks is via Stokastic’s industry-leading tools and MLB DFS projections to figure out how to build MLB DFS stacks, identify top pitchers and build strong daily fantasy baseball lineups top to bottom. The Stokastic MLB DFS Top Stacks Tool likes the Houston Astros in West Sacramento against Luis Severino and the New York Yankees in the Bronx facing Jack Kochanowicz. For pitchers, weather is causing consternation with half a dozen above-average options, so lefties Framber Valdez and Kris Bubic are the players who look the safest when considering that variable.
MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers and Top Stacks | June 18
MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers
Royals at Rangers – 4.0 implied runs
First Pitch: 8:05 p.m. ET
$9,500 at DraftKings
$10,100 at FanDuel
$47 at Yahoo
The Stokastic MLB DFS Top Pitchers tool likes RHP Sonny Gray in Chicago against the White Sox; however, there is significant precipitation risk in the Midwest tonight.
In Texas, weather is not a concern for LHP Kris Bubic, though he does have a lofty salary, which he has earned this season. Last Wednesday, the New York Yankees got to Bubic for five runs, one double and one triple in 4.1 innings. A season-high four walks with a season-low three strikeouts were just too much for the 27-year-old to overcome.
This season Bubic has 13 starts under his belt, nine quality, and he ceded two or fewer earned runs in eight of his appearances. The lefty is also striking out just over one batter per inning, which gives him access to additional upside if he can make his magic at the plate.
The Rangers will be putting out a mostly right-handed lineup, with shortstop Corey Seager likely the lone lefty. The team has struggled this season, and while it is starting to work its way out of the doldrums, that should not dissuade anyone from rostering Bubic.
Astros at Athletics – 4.3 implied runs
First Pitch: 10:05 p.m. ET
$10,500 at DraftKings
$10,300 at FanDuel
$56 at Yahoo
We know that West Sacramento is going to be very warm tonight, which will accentuate the offense in Sutter Health Park. Typically, that would leave LHP Framber Valdez as more of a tournament recommendation, though for now it looks like precipitation in the Midwest could take Jameson Taillon, Jacob Misiorowski, Nick Lodolo, Bailey Ober and Gray off the table.
In New York, LHP Chris Sale will be taking on the Mets with minor weather concerns in Atlanta. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner had his start pushed back so he would face the division rivals, rather than the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
Sale does have the highest raw fantasy point projection, but tangling with the Metropolitans also is risky.
Valdez is no stranger to facing the Athletics, though no current active member of the roster has more than two career hits against him.
The main attribute for Valdez is that he has a wickedly high ground ball rate, which is at 60.8% across his last 1,084 batters faced. He also has a 24.6% strikeout rate in this timeframe, giving him the perfect pitching profile to survive in West Sacramento.
Brent Rooker is an excellent young hitter and Jacob Wilson is developing rapidly as well, but the rest of the lineup is not particularly daunting when considering Valdez’s pitching portfolio.
MLB DFS Picks: Top Stacks
Main Slate Primary Target: New York Yankees
Yankees vs. Angels – 5.8 implied runs
First Pitch: 7:05 p.m. ET
Opposing Starter: RHP Jack Kochanowicz
DK Top Stack %: 10.1%
FD Top Stack %: 10.7%
The Stokastic MLB DFS Top Stacks Tool understands that the New York Yankees are the obvious stack, though it is important to point out that there are some discount dandies nestled within the foundational plays that help bring down the overall salary cap hit of the Bronx Bombers.
Pop Quiz: How many home runs does Aaron Judge have in the last four games? OK, that is an easy guess of zero. The hidden fact: That is also the same number of runs that New York has scored across the last three games, plating just six total over the last half dozen matchups. Aside from utility player Oswaldo Cabrera, the team is finally fully healthy, which makes things crowded.
Paul Goldschmidt, Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton (yes, he is back) are battling for the first base and designated hitter slots, while Aaron Judge and Jasson Dominguez are also vying for time as the DH, in addition to competing with Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham in the outfield. Cabrera being out has Jazz Chisholm Jr. able to man the hot corner, which means he is not competing for an outfield spot, and it allows DJ LeMahieu to be the primary player at the keystone position.
Grisham and Rice are projected to be at the top of the order, with both providing salary relief across the main DFS sites when compared to both their teammates and the others in the player pool at their positions. Anthony Volpe isn’t going to break the bank either, and he is having his best power season against fellow righties. Austin Wells has the platoon advantage and should see RBI opportunities tonight with the embarrassment of riches ahead of him on the lineup card.
In his last outing, RHP Jack Kochanowicz allowed only two runs in Baltimore, though they were both solo shots and the Orioles only struck out twice in 4.1 innings. Across his three June starts, Kochanowicz logged 11.1 innings, allowing 10 runs, four home runs and four walks with 10 strikeouts. Do not let the strikeouts fool you. He has improved from 9.4% last year to 15.9% this season, but that is moving from catastrophic to only abysmal.
Lefties are the priority, with Grisham, Rice, Bellinger, Chisholm and Wells fitting the bill, though do not shy away from the righties in Judge, Stanton and Volpe. Even though New York will be popular, there are endless ways to craft Yankees’ stacks.
Stokastic’s MLB DFS Single Lineup Simulator is a game-changing tool that transforms lineup construction through powerful, data-driven simulations — essential for serious DFS players. See how the Simulator analyzes this single lineup for a sample MLB DFS slate:
Main Slate Tertiary Target: Houston Astros
Astros at Athletics – 5.5 implied runs
First Pitch: 10:05 p.m. ET
Opposing Starter: RHP Luis Severino
DK Top Stack %: 9.4%
FD Top Stack %: 9.0%
Tonight it is going to be in the low 90s at first pitch with RHP Luis Severino on the mound for the Athletics in their temporary West Sacramento home. Sutter Health Park has proven to be a batter’s delight, particularly with the warming temperatures and typical gentle breeze towards the outfield.
Fortunately, Severino got the bag from the A’s with a three-year, $67 million contract this offseason. In 38.2 innings on the road, the 31-year-old has been stellar with a 0.93 ERA and just shy of one baserunner per inning. Things have been drastically different in his home park, and while he has allowed only half a dozen homers, he has been saddled with a 7.10 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, accompanied by 40 strikeouts in 52 frames.
The 31-year-old has seen his strikeout rate slide over each of the last six seasons, down to a low 6.06 per nine, courtesy of his 15.6% strikeout and 7.1% swinging strikeout rates. While he has limited power for now, there has been an endless parade of runners dancing around the bases when he has been on the mound in West Sacramento.
Houston crushed last night, putting up nine runs in five innings against a combination of LHP JP Sears and RHP Osvaldo Bido. Three other relievers got in for one inning each, with backup catcher Willie MacIver handling the ninth inning. The Astros have looked good this season, leading the American League West by 4.5 games at a 42-31 record. The team has a +47 run differential, which is the seventh highest in the league, but most of the heavy lifting has been done by the pitchers, with the offense averaging only 4.19 runs per game, which is around league average.
This is a get-right series for Christian Walker, who has struggled in his first season in Houston. The former Arizona slugger notched a home run last night against Bido, giving him 10 on the season. Across the last two years, he has been better against same-handed hurlers, which bodes well for him tonight. The ‘Stros are better suited to face lefties, particularly with Yordan Alvarez on the shelf, but the top half of the order are viable options for stacks.
Make no mistake, Houston is going to be popular, so when rolling with Isaac Paredes, Jeremy Pena, Jose Altuve, Yainer Diaz and Walker, it will be crucial to find differentiation at the other roster spots.
Today’s Top Sports Betting Picks
If you’re serious about making sharp MLB DFS picks, you already know that long-term success starts with using the right tools. The same approach applies to sports betting — and that’s where Portfolio EV shines.
Take a bet like Adam Mazur under 4.5 total strikeouts. On the surface, it’s a simple play. But behind the scenes, it’s a +EV bet — meaning it’s mathematically profitable based on the best odds available. And with Portfolio EV, you’re not relying on one-off picks. You’re stacking dozens — even hundreds — of +EV wagers at scale using the Mass Entry tool, turning small edges into long-term profit.
Just like one DFS lineup won’t win you a GPP, one smart bet doesn’t build a bankroll. But a consistent process does. This isn’t about chasing hot streaks. It’s about making smart, data-backed decisions every day and letting the math do the heavy lifting.
Mazur will be making his Miami debut tonight against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. The 24-year-old was a second-round selection in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Iowa after having spent his first two seasons at South Dakota State. He was traded from San Diego to Miami with a couple other low-level prospects in return for veteran reliever Tanner Scott and marginal bullpen arm Bryan Hoeing.
Looking at most season-long projection systems (ZiPS, Steamer, The Bat, etc.), Mazur projects for somewhere between 6.6 and 7.0 strikeouts per nine innings while giving up his share of power and contact. That is not a good mix against the Philly offense, even sans Bryce Harper.
