This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
It's a light Thursday for MLB. Only a handful of games are on the schedule, and only four are included on the featured DFS docket. It's an afternoon slate, too. The first pitch arrives at 12:15 p.m. ET. Get your DFS lineups in early, perhaps with the help of these lineup recommendations.
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Pitching
Nick Martinez, CIN vs. CWS ($8,300): Even though only eight teams are in action, there are several below-average offenses in action Thursday. That being said, there's below average, and there's terrible. The White Sox are terrible offensively, even if they aren't primed to be all-time bad like last season. Lock them in for the bottom three in runs scored and a sub-.300 OBP, though. Back to being a full-time starter, Martinez has a 4.23 ERA, but a 3.35 FIP. Crucially, he's remained good at avoiding home runs, as he's on pace to allow under one homer per nine innings for the third season in a row.
Zack Littell, TAM at TOR ($7,500): Littell has been better after a slow start, as he has a 3.00 ERA over his last six outings. Now, he has remained homer prone, but the Jays may not be too much of a concern on that front. They are on the fringes of the bottom 10 in runs scored, but decidedly in the bottom 10 in home runs. The majority of the league has crossed the 40-homer threshold, but the Blue Jays aren't there yet.
Top Target
As per usual, Elly De La Cruz ($5,700) has kept those who update counting stats busy. He has seven home runs and 14 swiped bags. In his career the shortstop has an .838 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. Also, this year Cincinnati's hitter-friendly ballpark has benefited De La Cruz, as his OPS is comfortably over .800 at home. When you're 27 and on your fourth MLB team, and that team is the White Sox, that's not ideal. This is the arc of Bryse Wilson, who has a career 5.00 FIP.
Bargain Bat
In terms of, say, being disciplined at the plate and "hitting well," maybe Michael Harris ($3,800) hasn't been sufficient. However, for DFS purposes, he has three homers, two triples, and seven stolen bases. The outfielder has fallen a home run or two short of a 20/20 season twice already in his career, and this is only his fourth MLB season. After a surprisingly good 2024 season, Trevor Williams has looked more like his old self. That is to say, he has a 5.88 ERA through eight starts. Also, stunningly, lefties have hit .396 against him.
Stack to Consider
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Orioles vs. Twins (Chris Paddack): Gunnar Henderson ($5,500), Cedric Mullins ($5,000), Jackson Holliday ($3,800)
Paddack's rookie season in 2019 feels like a lifetime ago. That year he posted a 3.33 ERA for the Padres. Since then he's posted a 4.88 ERA. The 2025 campaign has been no different for Paddack. He has a 4.76 ERA with a 5.09 FIP and his K/BB rate is down to 1.88. When a below-average righty is starting, the lefty-heavy Orioles always have some sort of stack to offer.
Henderson's start has been below his usual level, but he still has six homers, two triples, and three stolen bases. There are a couple points to make on that as well. First, he has had to work his way back from an injury. Second, he's been crushing righties and crushing at home, as his issues have been exclusively versus lefties and on the road. Mullins has a .335 OBP and has been delivering the counting stats. He has eight home runs and six swiped bags. He has three seasons with over 15 homers and 30 stolen bases to his name already. Holliday is starting to show some of his "best prospect in baseball" profile. He's averaged .250 with seven extra-base hits and two stolen bases in 36 games. Holliday has been following in Henderson's footsteps as well, as he's also been struggling against lefties and on the road, but producing against righties and at home.
