MLB DFS Picks Today: Daily Fantasy Baseball Strategy and Tips For FanDuel, DraftKings (4/19/25)

Koby's top DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks for today, Saturday, 4/19/25. His favorite daily fantasy baseball lineup sleepers and value picks for DFS on DraftKings and FanDuel.

A big slate on a Saturday? Sign me up! This is the first big main slate we have had this season, so there are plenty of options. DraftKings has an 11-game slate that starts at 1:05 PM EDT, while FanDuel has a slightly smaller slate that is only eight games and starts at 3:07 PM EDT.

This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/19/2025, with the slate starting at 1:05 p.m. EDT. The lineup picks will range from some elite players to 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. Now let's get to the picks!

DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Garrett Crochet vs. CHW ($10.5K DraftKings; $11.2K FanDuel)

I don't love paying all the way up for Garrett, but this spot is too hard to ignore. We just saw how strong he could be against his former team in his last start, where he went 7 1/3 with 11 strikeouts!

He has racked up the strikeouts this season, as he has 28 to go with a 12.5% SwStr%. The White Sox have a 26.4% K rate. As long as the Red Sox get the runs up on the board, they will let Crochet cook as long as he can continue to rack up innings. The White Sox only have a .249 wOBA and a 59 WRC+ against lefties.

Now he goes up once again against one of the best lefties in the league; it just spells disaster for the White Sox.

Please give Garrett Crochet a round of applause. 👏 pic.twitter.com/DNCUGGONl0

— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 13, 2025

MacKenzie Gore at COL ($7.8K DraftKings; $9.2K FanDuel)

We didn't get to see Gore last night against the Rockies as the game was postponed, but we do get it today. Just like Dan said yesterday, it's scary to use a pitcher pitching at Coors, but that should help lower the ownership of him. He is a great price and grades out as one of the best pitchers on the slate. Gore has an absurd 33.7% K% so far this season to go along with a 12.7% SwStr%.

The Rockies have the second-worst K% against LHP this season with 29.1%. They are also only sporting a 73 WRC+ and a .289 wOBA, which is nearly 20 points below the league average on both fronts. This should be a smash spot for Gore if he can limit the hard-hit balls in this very hitter-friendly ballpark.

DraftKings Only: Taijuan Walker vs. MIA ($7.3K)

Walker isn't the flashiest pitcher on the slate, but he gets a great matchup against the Marlins. Outside of last game's disaster against the Giants, he hadn't given up a run to the Braves or the Rockies. In his first start of the season, he went six innings on only 74 pitches against the Rockies. He is fully stretched out by now with two 90+ pitch games, so as long as Walker can limit the runs, he could make it far in this one.

Also consider: Hunter Greene at BAL, Paul Skenes vs. CLE, Shane Baz vs. NYY

Want more MLB DFS tools and content? Our MLB Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Lineup Optimizer, and access to our Premium Discord Chatrooms, where members can chat with our MLB analysts. Win more with expert tools and advice from proven winners!

DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Cal Raleigh - C, SEA vs. Jose Berrios ($4.3K DK; $3.2K FD)

Cal Raleigh is one of the hottest hitters in the league right now with seven homers in his last 11 games. He also loves playing in Toronto, and they don't like to see him coming. Cal has six homers in his last three series when playing in Toronto.

Cal is slugging .967 with a .517 wOBA across the last 10 games. Plus, he is using that good ole torpedo bat, which he has crushed all but one home run with this season. Jose Berrios makes for a tough pitching matchup, but I'm confident Cal can get something done here.

Cal Raleigh can do it all on both sides of the ball 📊 pic.twitter.com/CIkrxRkFft

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 18, 2025

Pete Alonso – 1B, NYM vs. Matthew Liberatore ($5.6K DK; $4.4K FD)

It is quite the payup, but Alonso is in a great spot against the lefty Liberatore. Pete has only seen a lefty in nine ABs this season but has three hits and two of them for XBHs. Alonso has been much more patient at the plate, lowering his K% by 11% compared to last season. Alonso has been good for just over 15 FPPG this season, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that continue.

Jonathan Aranda - 1B/2B, TB vs. Carlos Carrasco ($4.4K DK; $3.2K FD)

Jonathan Aranda has been red hot to start the season. He has nine hits in his last six games and two of those for homers. He has been mashing RHP this season with an absurd .761 SLG and a .491 wOBA. He gets the benefit of a hitter-friendly park and a poor pitcher whose SwStr% is 9.6% and a Z-Contact% of 89.7%. I could see Aranda on base multiple times in this one.

Also consider: Corey Seager (TEX), Bryce Harper (PHI), Junior Caminero (TB)

DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Nick Castellanos - OF, PHI vs. Cal Quantrill ($4.6K DK)

Castellanos has at least one hit in five straight games and gets a beautiful matchup against the poor Cal Quantrill. Quantrill has a 45.7% HardHit%, and RHH have slugged .714 with a .516 wOBA against him.

Castellanos has hit all three of his homers at home and two of them against RHP. He's not hitting as well against righties as he is against lefties, but I'm not worried about strikeouts here with Cal and his very low 13% K%.

Oneil Cruz - OF, PIT vs. Ben Lively ($5.6K DK; $3.7K FD)

Cruz has a homer in three straight games and gets another solid opportunity here against Ben Lively. Ben has been getting smacked hard by Lefties this season. Teams are slugging .563 and have a wOBA of .421 against him. Oneil is batting against RHP extremely well this season with a .625 SLG and a .414 wOBA. As long as Cruz is up against an RHP, I'll be all over him.

With how hot Cruz has been, I'm going to keep riding the hot hand. Especially on FanDuel, where he is a bit more reasonably priced.

In 17 games this season for the @Pirates, Oneil Cruz has 11 walks, nine stolen bases and four homers.

He's the only MLB player in the modern era to reach all three marks through his first 17 games of a season. pic.twitter.com/3UKepv2IYi

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) April 18, 2025

Austin Hays - OF, CIN vs. Brandon Young ($3.4K DK; $2.7K FD)

Austin Hays has been on fire in his debut for the Reds this season. Has six hits in the first four games of his season and is now getting a matchup against the MLB debuting Brandon Young.

Brandon Young has been solid in the minors so far this season, but with the way Hays is hitting the ball right now, it might not matter much. Hays is still fairly cheap on both sites, so I'll ride the hot hand going up against the rookie pitcher.

Also consider: Kyle Schwarber (PHI), James Wood (WSN), Brendan Donovan (STL)

DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks

1. Tampa Bay Rays vs. Carlos Carrasco (4.9 implied run total)

Tampa Bay gets a solid matchup in a hitter-friendly park against Carlos Carrasco. Tampa Bay is currently hitting .350 wOBA with a solid 129 WRC+ against RHP, and with how poor Carrasco has been this season. He has given up 11 runs in four starts and has barely made it five innings in two of those starts. Tampa Bay could end up getting to the bullpen early in this one.

Fave combo - Aranda, Misner, Caminero, Lowe

2. Phillies vs. Cal Quantrill (6.1 implied run total) (DK Only)

Cal Quantrill has gotten smacked up on two occasions this season. He gave up three runs against the Nationals and six runs against the Mets. The Phillies have the highest run total on the slate. Cal has been horrible in the strikeout field this year and has a Z-Contact% of 92.3%! The Phillies should have no issue blowing Cal out of the water in this matchup.

Fave combo - Castellanos, Turner, Schwarber, Harper, Sosa

3. New York Mets vs. Matthew Liberatore (4.9 implied run total)

The wind is blowing out to right field for this one. The Mets take on the Cardinals' Lefty in Matthew Liberatore, who has been mediocre to start the season. The Mets haven't seen much work against Lefties this season. Righties have hit him much harder this season with a .303 wOBA and a .400 SLG. This is a prime spot for someone like Alonso to mash in.

Fave Combo - Alonso, Marte, Vientos, Soto

Also consider: Pirates vs. Ben Lively, Rangers vs. Roki Sasaki, Red Sox vs. Shane Smith, Tigers vs. Seth Lugo (DK Only)

Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!

More Fantasy Baseball Analysis