MLB DFS Picks Today: Daily Fantasy Baseball Strategy and Tips For FanDuel, DraftKings (8/8/25)

August 8, 2025

Jamie's top DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks for today, Friday, 8/8/25. His favorite daily fantasy baseball lineup sleepers and value picks for DFS on DraftKings and FanDuel.

It was a nice day off yesterday for MLB DFS, as we all caught our breath with the simple four-game slate. Tonight, baseball returns with a bear of a 14-game slate, and it should be a fun one. Cash players will be value hunting, as the first task will be building around Tarik Skubal.

We'll be pumping out knowledge in the RotoBaller Discord today, so make sure to come on in. Share your lineups with us, and just discuss general baseball "strategery". I will also be posting some NFL preseason DFS picks on X all this weekend, if you're a true degenerate like I apparently am.

This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 8/8/2025, with the slate starting at 7:05 PM EST. The lineup picks will showcase elite players, mid-priced options, and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. Monitoring injury news and today's MLB starting lineups is always essential.

DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Tarik Skubal, SP - DET ($11,600 DK/$11,000 FD)

Tarik Skubal was so good last year that it seems impossible to say this. He's not only better this year, but is DECIDEDLY better. The Tigers' star lefty has an unbelievable 1.95 FIP and has only walked 3.6% of batters while posting a whopping 34% K rate. Even with Garrett Crochet pacing him in Boston, it seems inevitable Skubal will walk away with a second straight Cy Young Award this year.

Skubal faces the Angels tonight at home. They're normally a team we like to attack with righty pitching because of the significant K splits, but with Skubal, it just doesn't matter. The Angels have a slate-low IRT of 2.7 runs, and Skubal's K rates are backed by an elite 16.9% swinging strike rate and 32.7% CSW. You could argue he's even too cheap.

Tarik Skubal has it all WORKING today!

9 strikeouts through 5 innings 😳 pic.twitter.com/I82JyMEubG

— MLB (@MLB) August 2, 2025

Zac Gallen, SP - ARI ($8,000 DK/$7,900 FD)

Assuming Skubal is your SP1 in cash (he should be) and that you're still coming in over the field in GPP, a cheap SP2 is necessary. Zac Gallen has certainly had a year to forget with a 5.48 ERA, 1.56 HR/9 allowed, and a career-low 21.6% K rate. Fortunately, this is DFS and not a season-long game, so we can use him tonight and then cast him aside.

Gallen gets the matchup he needs against Colorado. The poor Rockies are licking their wounds after getting outscored 45-6 at home by the Blue Jays, and limp into Arizona with a league-low wOBA. They also have the second-highest K rate against RHP and an IRT of only 3.5. The Rockies are heavily right-handed right now, too, and may not be able to throw out more than two lefties against Gallen.

Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):

• Cristopher Sanchez, SP - PHI - ($9,800 DK/$10,400 FD)
• Nick Pivetta, SP - SD ($9,500 DK/$10,000 FD)
• Kodai Senga, SP - NYM ($8,900 DK/$8,500 FD)

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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Nick Kurtz, 1B - ATH ($6,200 DK/$4,100 FD)

If you've read any of my articles, you know I have a big-time DFS man-crush on Nick Kurtz. His platoon splits are more pronounced this season than even Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, and his 1.028 OPS suggests that his price tag in that upper tier is more than worth it.

Kurtz will take on Tomoyuki Sugano in Baltimore, and the Athletics have an IRT of 4.8 runs. Sugano does not miss bats (15.5% K rate) and has a 5.07 FIP while allowing 1.66 HR/9. As I mentioned, Kurtz has absolutely bombed righty pitching for a .488 wOBA, .392 ISO, and 48.8% HHR. The argument can be made that he's the top overall hitter tonight.

Ketel Marte, 2B - ARI ($6,000 DK/$3,700 FD)

If you go the cheap route at 1B (see below), Ketel Marte is worth spending top dollars on. The Diamondbacks have the highest IRT of the night at 5.5 runs, as they're facing a Rockies staff that just allowed 45 runs in three games. This game isn't in Coors, but Arizona is only a small step down for hitters.

Marte has been far better from the right side this year, battering LHP for a .402 wOBA and .285 ISO. Austin Gomber has only a 12% K rate against RHP and has allowed over two HR/9 this season. Marte is also the BvP play of the night, as he's got 10 hits in 26 at-bats (six of them extra base) against Gomber and has only struck out three times.

Warming Bernabel, 1B - COL ($3,100 DK/$3,000 FD)

This guy might take the cake for most interesting name of the year. After seeing him in the Rockies lineup for the first time a couple of weeks ago, I made a post of the Conor McGregor "who the fook is that guy" meme wherever I could. Since then, Bernabel has HIT. In 11 career games, he has a 1.082 OPS and has hit safely in all but two.

Gallen's K rates are far higher against righties (hence why I'm so heavily on him as SP2), but he's also had major HR issues against same-handed pitching. He's allowed 1.75 HR/9 to RHB this year, and Bernabel has smashed righties for a .387 ISO in his short sample size. He's not really a value on FD, but he's at least $1k too cheap on DK.

Warming Bernabel of the @Rockies is the second player in the modern era to have 14+ hits & 8+ extra-base hits through seven career MLB games, joining Mitchell Page in 1977. pic.twitter.com/LcwEEUTnmX

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 2, 2025

• Gunnar Henderson, SS - BAL ($5,400 DK/$3,500 FD)
• Rafael Devers, 3B (FD Only)/1B - SF ($5,000 DK/$3,600 FD)
• Freddie Freeman, 1B - LAD ($4,800 DK/$3,600 FD)

DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Shohei Ohtani, 1B/OF (DK), OF (FD) - LAD ($6,600 DK/$4,800 FD)

Shohei Ohtani comes in as the top OF play once again. He's doing Ohtani things right now, highlighted by the game where he struck out eight while also homering in the game. It's easy to say this generation hasn't seen the likes of anything like him. Tonight, he'll lead off for the Dodgers in a battle of the ages, as Clayton Kershaw faces Max Scherzer.

Scherzer is amazingly still striking out over a batter per inning at age 41, but he's also allowed 1.98 HR/9 this year. Ohtani has a .445 wOBA and .383 ISO against RHP, and has three multi-hit games in his last six. Play him with confidence in all formats

Kyle Stowers, OF - MIA ($5,600 DK/$3,700 FD)

Who saw this guy coming this year? It's almost laughable to see his price tag where it is and even crazier to suggest that he's worth it, but he absolutely is. Stowers has been a revelation for the surging Marlins, and his .928 OPS and 71 RBI make him one of the biggest breakout players of 2025.

Kyle Schwarber rises to the No. 1 spot on the Hitter Power Rankings, with Nick Kurtz and Kyle Stowers both debuting in the top 5 😯 pic.twitter.com/dHW9Z7SckE

— MLB (@MLB) August 7, 2025

Bryce Elder is having a rough season with a 6.03 ERA and 19.5% HR/FB rate. Stowers has a .366 wOBA, .247 ISO, and 43% HHR against RHP, and all but one of his 25 homers have come against righties. His ownership is perfect for GPPs, as people still aren't willing to buy in.

Kerry Carpenter, OF - DET ($3,800 DK/$3,200 FD)

Kerry Carpenter has returned to give the Tigers' lineup some much-needed punch in the middle. Tonight, he gets to face off against Kyle Hendricks, who has struck out under six batters per nine for two years straight now. Hendricks has also allowed 1.45 HR/9 for the second consecutive year.

Carpenter is still not priced for where he should be, especially with his platoon splits. Carpenter has an elite .305 ISO against RHP this season, and he's fresh off a 5-for-11 series against Minnesota where he hit two homers and drove in five runs. He's a perfect value in all formats.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): 

• Fernando Tatis Jr., OF - SD ($5,500 DK/$3,700 FD)
• Lourdes Gurriel Jr., OF - ARI ($4,300 DK/$2,900 FD)
• Matt Wallner, OF - MIN ($3,500 DK/$3,000 FD)

DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks

1. Athletics vs Tomoyuki Sugano

Despite not having the highest IRT of the night, the Athletics are coming in as the top stack. They'll cost a pretty penny, but it should keep their ownership in check. Sugano can be fully attacked in GPPs, as his inability to miss bats (15.5% K rate) leaves mountains of upside. Kurtz is the best play, but his teammates can help boost this stack to GPP gold.

Favorite Combo: Kurtz, Rooker, Langeliers, Soderstrom

2. Arizona Diamondbacks vs Austin Gomber

The Diamondbacks have the highest IRT on the slate at 5.5 runs, and are probably going to be the highest owned due to a combination of upside and friendly price tags. For their expected higher ownership, I have them slightly behind the A's as my top overall GPP stack, but they could utterly crush Gomber, who has a 5.67 FIP and a 13.4% K rate. Gomber is also backed by a decimated Rockies bullpen that ranks last in FIP.

Favorite Combo: Marte, Carroll, Perdomo, Gurriel, Locklear

3. Miami Marlins vs Bryce Elder

It's been a long time since the Marlins were this fantasy relevant for DFS, but here we are. On a 14-game slate, it says a lot about the way their team is hitting to put them this high. Elder has struggled immensely with power from both sides this season, and no Marlins hitter is coming in with any kind of significant ownership.

Favorite Combo: Edwards, Stowers, Hicks, H. Hernandez

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