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Thunder Dan's top DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks for today, Friday, 4/4/25. His favorite daily fantasy baseball lineup sleepers and value picks for DFS on DraftKings and FanDuel.
We have another early-season split slate on a Friday, which we won't see too often once the season gets going in full swing. I'll be covering the seven evening games tonight, and if you need help with the early slate, I'd recommend jumping in our RotoBaller Discord to chat with our staff and hardcore MLB DFS players.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/4/2025, with the slate starting at 6:45 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.
DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Spencer Schwellenbach vs. MIA ($9.8K DraftKings; $10.6K FanDuel)
Everyone's favorite sleeper for season-long fantasy baseball didn't disappoint in his debut - unless you wanted more strikeouts, as he only whiffed four Padres. However, he was still brilliant, allowing only one hit and one walk against one of the hottest offenses in the league to start the season.
Schwelly gets a great matchup today against Miami, who, as a team, already have a 25% strikeout rate against righties and only a 79 wRC+. He's my top play on the slate in any format as he brings a very high floor and ceiling - don't be surprised if he piles up eight to 10 strikeouts tonight.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto at PHI ($9.0K DraftKings; $10.4K FanDuel)
Yamamoto is a GPP pivot for me, as he has a much more difficult matchup against a loaded Phillies lineup. Philly is striking out the least of any team against RHP so far this season (13.3%) and has power up and down the lineup.
However, Yamamoto has been outstanding through two starts, especially his last time out when he fanned 10 Tigers. He's sporting a 34% K% and 14.6% SwStr% and has the stuff to dominate any lineup. Fire him up at a lower roster than Yamamoto with a similar ceiling.
Brandon Pfaadt at WAS ($7.2K DraftKings; $7.8K FanDuel)
Pfaadt is a guy I was very high on coming into the season. He had a tough matchup in his debut against the Chicago Cubs but managed to log a quality start and strike out five while walking just one.
Brandon Pfaadt, Wicked 85mph Slider. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/m3AH0Aylct
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 30, 2025
Washington's offense is a target for me early this year. They have some power in this lineup, but also some very K-prone hitters, too, as they are striking out nearly 30% of the time against RHP so far this year.
Pfaadt's price allows you to pay up for some more expensive stacks. I love him as an SP2 on DK tonight in either cash or GPPs.
Also consider: Jesus Luzardo vs. PHI, Max Meyer at ATL
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Jackson Holliday - 2B/SS, BAL vs. Seth Lugo ($3.9K DK; $2.7K FD)
We are still getting a nice discount on Holliday here, mainly because he hits out of the nine-hole. But he looks like he's breaking out this year.
He's been on base in every game and has collected at least one hit in five of six. We know he has the pop in his bat to go yard and the speed to swipe some bags, too. Toss him in an Orioles stack to wrap it around to the top of the lineup!
Jonathan Aranda – 1B/2B, TB vs. Tyler Mahle ($3.4K DK; $2.6K FD)
Aranda isn't a typical hitter for the middle of the lineup. He's not a big home run hitter, but he does make quality contact and has ripped four doubles already this year while hitting .407 through the first two series.
This Tampa lineup of hitters could be a nightmare for Tyler Mahle tonight if they are going to work deep into counts, force walks, and then beat him to death with singles and doubles.
Josh Naylor – 1B, ARI vs. Jake Irvin ($4.7K DK; $3.1K FD)
Naylor is already hitting .320 as the cleanup man for his new team, and I want multiple pieces of this red-hot Arizona team with a solid 4.7-run implied team total.
Also consider: Ketel Marte (ARI), Brandon Lowe (TB), Ryan O'Hearn (BAL)
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Cedric Mullins - OF, BAL vs. Seth Lugo ($4.0K DK; $3.2K FD)
Mullins has been one of the most productive hitters in the Baltimore lineup so far this season. He's hitting over .300 with three home runs and two stolen bases.
Cedric Mullins leadoff home run! His third homer of the year pic.twitter.com/Ql8eZODKLr
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 3, 2025
Mullins has had some down years, but he is only a few seasons removed from a huge year at the plate. He is reminding all of us early on this year of his skills and that he's not done being a 25-25 threat just yet.
Jake Mangum - OF, TB vs. Tyler Mahle ($3.8K DK; $2.3K FD)
Mangum is hitting over .500 so far and showing very high-quality contact skills at the plate. He's a 29-year-old former prospect without much ceiling, but he has hit over .300 the last two years in the minor leagues and has proven that he can hit at the big league level, too.
He's dirt cheap and rounds out a Tampa stack quite nicely, especially if he ends up in the middle of the lineup somewhere.
Pavin Smith - 1B/OF, ARI vs. Jake Irvin ($3.5K DK; $2.6K FD)
I could have written up Corbin Carroll here just as easily, but I like touting the value picks as often as I can, and Smith offers a ton of value at his price points on both sites, as well as dual eligibility at 1B and OF.
He's another quality lefty bat that the Snakes can throw at righties this year, and despite hitting down in the order, he still has some solid power. I often like stacking the bottom of the Arizona order and bringing it around to Carroll and Marte at the top to be different in tournaments.
Also consider: Corbin Carroll (ARI), Gavin Lux (CIN), Joc Pederson (TEX)
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
1. Arizona vs. Jake Irvin
Arizona's offense is off to a great start. They rank third in all of MLB in wRC+ against righties so far, and just scored a bunch of runs against the Yankees in taking two of three from them.
Irvin is a very mediocre pitcher who lacks any real swing-and-miss stuff. That could be trouble against such a deep lineup of hitters. I am loading up on the lefties here.
Fave combo - Marte, Carroll, Naylor, Smith
2. Rays vs. Tyler Mahle
Mahle is trying to come back from multiple years of injuries, and his first start was concerning. He walked four and allowed two hits while not making it out of the second inning.
Tampa has shown some nice plate discipline so far and ranks sixth in wRC+ against righties this year. There are a lot of affordable bats here, too, which can help us fit in a high-priced ace like Yoshi or Schwelly.
Fave combo - Lowe, Mangum, Caminero, Aranda
3. Orioles vs. Seth Lugo
Lugo had a great first season in KC, but he's already showing some signs of regression. He had just a 5.8% SwStr% in his debut and a 15% BB%.
I think he pitched way above his head for most of the season last year, and we will get a much more mediocre version of Lugo this season. Baltimore is loaded with big bats (including the return of Gunnar Henderson) and ranks fourth in wRC+ vs. RHP.
Fave Combo - Henderson, Rutschman, O'Hearn, Mullins, Holliday
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