It's a new MLB season, but some things remain the same. For example, Thursdays continue to be light in terms of games owing to teams having a travel day before the weekend. There are only three games on the schedule for Thursday. There were four, but early on Wednesday they preemptively postponed the Blue Jays-White Sox game because of the weather forecast. You can get away with that in early April. First pitch is at 2:10 p.m. ET. Here are my MLB DFS lineup recommendations.
Pitching
David Peterson, NYM at SFG ($7,500): In 2024, Peterson was lucky, and he had a 2.90 ERA paired with a 3.66 FIP. In 2025, he was unlucky, as he posted a 4.22 ERA compared to a 3.48 FIP. Those FIPs, and the fact his walk percentage and his HR/9 rate were effectively identical those two years, speak more to who he has been as a pitcher, and that is a guy who is solidly worthy of being in the middle of a rotation. The Giants were effectively average in terms of runs scored last year, and a full season of Rafael Devers will only lift them so much. Plus, their ballpark tends to be kind to pitchers.
Top Target
The numbers that Ketel Marte ($5,200) puts up would play anywhere. He's had an OBP over .370 in each of the last two seasons, and he had 28 homers and 28 doubles in 126 games in 2025. However, Marte isn't an outfielder or a first baseman. He's a second baseman, making the switch-hitting slugger quite the positional value. Reynaldo Lopez looked solid against the Royals in his first start since missing effectively all of 2025 with a shoulder injury. On the other hand, he's made one start since missing effectively all of 2025 with a shoulder injury. There was talk he might be in the bullpen this year. That's how uncertain his future is.
Bargain Bat
Though Ryne Nelson got rocked in his first game, to be fair, it was against the Dodgers. He's finished with a 3.73 FIP in each of the last two seasons, and at home he's proven good at keeping the ball in the park. That's why I'm looking to Atlanta's Michael Harris ($3,500). The lefty is coming off his first 20/20 season, but the key there is that he had 20 stolen bases for the third time in four seasons. He's also tallied at least three triples in every season of his career and had six last year.
Stack to Consider
Royals vs. Twins (Taj Bradley): Bobby Witt ($6,200), Vinnie Pasquantino ($4,200), Jac Caglianone ($3,900)
Bradley has always had a massive fastball. He's also always struggled with walks and homers. He has a career 3.35 BB/9 rate and 1.48 HR/9 rate, and as such he has a career 4.83 ERA. Guys with the potential to go yard work well in such a stack, especially when you only have six teams to pick players from anyway.
Witt is off to a slow start, but I have zero concern. He's never had fewer than 20 homers or 30 stolen bases in a season, and both of those numbers came in his rookie season. Additionally, he's hit at least 45 doubles in each of the last two campaigns. Pasquantino built upon his 2024 season in 2025, notching more than 30 doubles and 30 home runs while picking up 113 RBI. He still struggled against lefties, but he had an .856 OPS versus righties. Caglianone joins his Team Italy compatriot to close out this stack. The southpaw is still a bet on potential. He hasn't cracked MLB pitching yet, but he's only 23. Last year he slugged .546 at Double-A, and then he slugged .705 in Triple-A. I think Caglianone can figure it out.
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