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Zach's top DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks for today, Thursday, 6/12/25. His favorite daily fantasy baseball lineup sleepers and value picks for DFS on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Welcome back, RotoBallers! This Thursday night, Major League Baseball provides five games under the lights. FanDuel uses all five games on their main slate, while DraftKings leaves off the Tigers-Orioles matchup at 6:35 p.m. ET, and starts their contests at 7:40 p.m. ET with games in Milwaukee and Kansas City.
Whichever site you're focused on, plenty of strong fantasy options exist. It looks like the weather should be mostly cooperative, but it's always worth double-checking before lock. There are a few top arms on the slate, and a few good offensive matchups, along with an exciting MLB debut that should provide plenty of excitement.
This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 6/12/2025, with the slate starting at 6:35 p.m. EDT on FanDuel and 7:40 p.m. EDT on DraftKings. 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.
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DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Tarik Skubal - DET - P (N/A DK; $11.2K FD)
One advantage to the FanDuel slate is that it includes Skubal as the top arm of the night. The reigning AL Cy Young winner has posted even stronger numbers this season. He is 6-2 through 13 starts with a 2.15 ERA, 1.85 FIP, and 11.3 K/9. His K% is up from 30.3% last year to 33.4% this year, and he has cut his walk rate from 4.6% to 2.2%.
In his last three starts, Skubal has allowed a total of just one run on 12 hits with 26 strikeouts. He earned 48, 46, and 76 FanDuel points in those three outings, and will look to keep cruising in a favorable spot against the Orioles, who rank in the top 10 in the majors in strikeout rate against lefties while hitting only .206 in the split.
Framber Valdez - HOU - P ($9.8K DK; $10.6K FD)
Valdez is in a great matchup against the White Sox, and he has also been putting up great numbers this season, especially over his last six outings. He is 5-0 during that stretch with 47 strikeouts in 44 innings, a 1.84 ERA, 2.42 FIP, and just a 0.86 WHIP. He has gone at least six innings in each of those starts, including a complete game against the Rays.
His curveball has been virtually unhittable and truly a thing of beauty to watch.
Framber Valdez's 18 Swings & Misses on Curveball last night. 😳 pic.twitter.com/sc1qyWGVsr
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 6, 2025
He has averaged 29.1 DraftKings points per outing over that six-game stretch and will look to keep dealing at home against the White Sox in the series finale on Thursday night. Chicago's offense has been better since adding more youth to the lineup, but over the last 14 days, they still have scored the second-worst team batting average in the league at .225 and the fifth-fewest runs in the majors.
Jacob Misiorowski - MIL - P ($8K DK; $7.7K FD)
One of the most exciting things to watch on Thursday night's slate will be the MLB debut of Jacob Misiorowski. Misiorowski is the Brewers' No. 4 prospect and the No. 68 prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, but the 23-year-old righty has had such a dominant year at Triple-A that he could be one of the most exciting rookie pitchers of the season.
The Brewers top pitching prospect is 6'7" righty Jacob Misiorowski. He hit 103 MPH on a strikeout today 🔥
He's got a 1.46 ERA at Triple-A this year 👀 pic.twitter.com/VwtqSCoR64
— MLB (@MLB) May 15, 2025
The big righty has an outstanding fastball and a great curveball that plays off it. He racked up 80 strikeouts in 63 1/3 innings in his 13 games for the Nashville Sounds and allowed just a .172 batting average. He had a sparkling 2.13 ERA and 3.39 FIP in his work at Triple-A and brings an extremely high ceiling both short-term and long-term. He's worth adding immediately in all fantasy baseball formats, and he's a strong DFS option against the Cardinals in his debut, especially since he's so affordable, especially on FanDuel.
Also Consider: Jameson Taillon - CHC - P ($8.2K DK; $9K FD)
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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Jeremy Pena - HOU - SS ($4.6K DK; $3.3K FD)
Pena has been on an impressive roll since taking over as the Astros' primary leadoff hitter and brings both power and speed potential at this very reasonable salary. He has gone 27-for-66 (.409) over his last 16 games with six doubles, three homers, 12 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in eight attempts.
He has been much more aggressive on the bases while posting multiple hard-hit events in nine of his last 16 contests. The combo of power and speed from an elite lineup spot makes him a great play to build around on Thursday's slate. He and the Astros face Davis Martin, who has been serviceable for the White Sox this season. Righties have hit .288 against Marton, though, who has a 4.36 road ERA and has allowed five homers in his last three starts.
Maikel Garcia - KC - 3B/2B (FD only)/OF (FD only) ($4.5K DK; $3K FD)
Another power/speed combo play that makes sense on this slate is Royals 25-year-old Maikel Garcia. Garcia is hitting .337 over his last 23 games with 10 extra-base hits, including three home runs. Two of those three home runs and two stolen bases have come in his last seven games, and he has settled into the third spot in the lineup just behind Bobby Witt Jr., giving him plenty of run production opportunities.
The Royals' offense hasn't been great this season, but Garcia's a strong mid-range play with a high ceiling to consider against Will Warren and the Yankees. Garcia can fit in multiple lineup spots on FanDuel, but he makes sense on either site since he has been hitting so well lately.
Salvador Perez - KC - C/1B ($3.1K DK; $2.8K FD)
One value to consider, either behind the plate or at first base, is Garcia's teammate, Salvador Perez. The veteran is a bargain on both sites since he started so slowly, but he has come around in the early part of this month, going 12-for-39 (.308) with two homers in his last nine games, averaging 8.2 DraftKings points per game over that stretch. He hit this moonshot in the ninth inning on Wednesday:
KC - Salvador Perez 2-run HR (6)
📏 Distance: 404 ft
💨 EV: 107.2 mph
📐 LA: 38°
⚾️ 94.3 mph sinker (NYY - RHP Mark Leiter Jr.)
🏟️ Would be out in 30/30 MLB parksNYY (6) @ KC (2)
🔻 9th#FountainsUp pic.twitter.com/4ZYywVkq1G— MLB Home Runs🚀 (@MLBHRs_) June 12, 2025
Also Consider: Ben Rice - NYY - 1B/C (FD only) ($4.7K DK; $3.2K FD), Isaac Paredes - HOU - 3B ($4K DK; $3.3K FD), Spencer Torkelson - DET - 1B (N/A DK; $3.5K FD)
DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks
Aaron Judge - NYY - OF ($6.6K DK; $5K FD)
Aaron Judge is on a whole different level right now. It doesn't matter whether it's the matchup or the environment; he's always a strong pay-up option because he hits the ball so well and so regularly. He has four homers in his last three games and 10 homers in his last 20. In those 20 games, he's hitting .375 with a .541 wOBA, a 56.9% hard-hit rate, and a 21.6% barrel rate.
He leads the league in almost every hitting measure invented, breaking the scale in most cases. If you're saving up for a big bat to build around, there isn't one better.
Aaron Judge through 66 games:
.394 AVG
25 HR
59 RBI
1.269 OPS (248 wRC+)
6.0 WAROn pace for the greatest season in MLB History. pic.twitter.com/HrbHmGBh4I
— C (@CSmittyNY) June 12, 2025
Jose Altuve - HOU - 2B/OF ($4.2K DK; $2.9K FD)
Altuve is a great mid-range value in his favorable matchup against Martin. While he may have lost a step from his prime, he still has strong numbers this summer. He's hitting .351 over his last nine games with five homers, two stolen bases, and a .399 wOBA. He has a 102 wRC+ on the season, but over those 19 games, he has a 162 wRC+, showing how much he has picked up his play after a slow start to the season.
He's also hitting .331 with seven of his nine homers coming at home, so this is a great spot to target him as a mid-range option with upside.
Jac Caglianone - KC - OF/1B (FD only) ($3.5K DK; $2.4K FD)
Caglianone has been in the majors just over a week, but is already starting to settle in at this level. He has hit safely in four straight games, highlighted by his 4-for-4 performance against the White Sox last Sunday. He has a 55.6% hard-hit rate and has already caught three barrels, although he's still searching for his first major league homer.
Before his promotion, the 22-year-old hit .322 across three levels of the minors with 15 homers in 50 games with a .322 batting average and .427 wOBA. He has a very well-rounded plate approach and should continue to produce from this bargain salary, especially on FanDuel, where he's one of the cheapest outfielders on the board.
Also Consider: Oneil Cruz - PIT ($5.7K DK; $3.9K FD), Ian Happ - CHC - OF ($4.1K DK; 3.5K FD), Parker Meadows - DET - OF (N/A DK; $3K FD),
DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks
Houston Astros vs. Davis Martin (White Sox)
Pena, Paredes, and Altuve are a strong stack to consider starting your roster with against Martin, and you can even mix in Jacob Melton or Cam Smith as young outfielders with good potential. If they hit at the bottom of the order, it creates good wraparound potential back to Pena at the top of the order.
Martin is 2-6 in his 13 games with a low 15.6% K% and a 47.1% hard-hit rate. His ERA of 3.62 isn't horrible, but his 5.56 xERA and 4.33 SIERA indicate he has gotten a little fortunate that it isn't higher. Righties have done most of the damage against him, but lefties have five homers and a good wOBA against him, so there is potential on both sides of the plate in this matchup.
Kansas City Royals vs. Will Warren (Yankees)
The Royals are looking to avoid being swept at home by the Yankees as they take on Warren. Despite his impressive strikeout upside, Warren has struggled in his last couple of outings, getting knocked around by the Dodgers and Red Sox. He walked four batters in each of those starts while giving up a total of 11 runs in 6 2/3 innings. Lefties have five of the six homers he has surrendered this season and a very solid .348 wOBA.
The Royals are a sneaky stack with Caglianone, Garcia, and Perez all coming in with very affordable price points. Witt always brings a high ceiling and is a star to build around, while Vinnie Pasquantino can be a "boom-or-bust" power producer as well.
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