MLB DFS Picks Today: Daily Fantasy Baseball Strategy and Tips For FanDuel, DraftKings (7/18/25)

July 18, 2025

Jamie's top DraftKings and FanDuel MLB DFS picks for today, Friday, 7/18/25. His favorite daily fantasy baseball lineup sleepers and value picks for DFS on DraftKings and FanDuel.

It's been 84 years (insert Titanic GIF), but baseball is finally back tonight! I find the All-Star break to be distinctly boring, so I hope everyone found ways to pass the time. We have a solid PGA DFS team at RotoBaller, and our staff is also churning out offseason NFL articles like clockwork.

Our RotoBaller Discord channel is already talking about tonight's 11-game slate, so come join our community and pad your bank account for the upcoming NFL season! Keep an eye on Max Fried's blister status, as the Braves' matchup could improve dramatically if he's unable to go. It's also trade season, so follow us for all relevant news.

This article will provide my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 7/18/2025, with the slate starting at 7:07 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

Spencer Strider, SP - ATL ($9,000 DK/$10,200 FD)

Attacking the Yankees right out of the gate is a tough proposition to swallow, but we don't have many other high-octane aces going tonight. Strider brings by far the highest K upside of any pitcher on the slate, and he's been consistently showing it since his return with a 29% K rate and 15.9% swinging strike rate.

The Yankees are full of power bats that could go off on any pitcher, but they also boast the 10th-highest K rate against RHP. Strider has posted double-digit strikeouts in two of his last six starts and hasn't allowed over three runs since 6/3.  His price is fair on FD and is an absolute steal on DK.

Tyler Glasnow, SP - LAD ($8,000 DK/$9,600 FD)

Another underpriced righty stud exists in the form of Tyler Glasnow, who looked strong in his first start since 4/27. Tonight, he faces that same Brewers team, but will do it at home where he'll have a park upgrade. There didn't seem to be any limitations on Glasnow last time out, as he got up to 85 pitches over five innings.

Tyler Glasnow's first start since April 27 is in the books:

5 IP | 2 H | 1 R | 0 ER | 3 BB | 5 K pic.twitter.com/mykZDAOs9E

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 9, 2025

Milwaukee isn't the best K matchup against righties, but Glasnow is someone who has always missed bats at an elite rate. For his career, the Dodgers righty has a 31% K rate, and has struck out batters at an insane 35.3% rate from 2019 to 2024.

For the potential of double-digit K's, you can't beat an $8k price tag on DK, and he can be deployed in both cash and GPP on that site. For cash on FD, I'd recommend finding the $600 to just get up to Strider, or drop down to Luis Castillo.

Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):

• Seth Lugo, SP - KC ($9,300 DK/$9,700 FD)
• Luis Castillo, SP - SEA ($8,500 DK/$8,800 FD)
• Taj Bradley, SP - TB ($7,200 DK/$8,500 FD)

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DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Jose Ramirez, 3B - CLE ($5,500 DK/$3,800 FD)

Few hitters were hotter for fantasy going into the break than Jose Ramirez. Over the final seven games of the first half, he was 9-for-26 with four homers, 11 RBI, and six stolen bases. The Guardians won six of those seven games, which should effectively take Ramirez's name off the trade block (or increase his value by a million).

Ramirez won't get to face the Athletics in the Triple-A park in Sacramento, but that's just fine as he hits like a champ at home. He's also utterly destroyed LHP this year for a .422 wOBA and .285 ISO, and opposing pitcher JP Sears has a 4.88 FIP and a 29.5% GB rate.

Nick Kurtz, 1B - ATH ($4,600 DK/$3,600 FD)

Nick Kurtz was one of the most lauded prospects to be called up in 2025, and it's fair to say he's completely lived up to expectations thus far. The rookie 1B has stormed onto the league with 17 homers, with 16 of them coming over the last 35 games, and he's slammed his name right into the Rookie of the Year race.

Just how good of a rookie season is Nick Kurtz having?

It might be one of the most efficient rookie power seasons in A's franchise history. #Athletics pic.twitter.com/DCu1XCLguI

— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) July 13, 2025

Kurtz will be disappointed to be going away from Sacramento, as he hit five homers in the A's recent nine-game homestand. However, like the aforementioned Ramirez, we can bank our money on talent and platoon splits. Kurtz has blasted righties this year for a .416 wOBA and .340 ISO, and Slade Cecconi has allowed a .360 wOBA and 2.16 HR/9 to lefty hitters.

Carlos Correa, SS - MIN ($4,200 DK/$3,100 FD)

Yes, we have teams playing in Coors tonight, and the visiting Twins are (for the most part) underpriced. Nobody fits the ball better than Carlos Correa, who should hit in a premier spot for Minnesota. The Twins currently have an IRT of 6.2 runs, the highest on the slate.

Correa is not near the hitter he once was when he was peaking with Houston, but we only need him to come through tonight. The veteran shortstop has rediscovered his power in the platoon splits this season, posting a .392 wOBA and .255 ISO against LHP.

Doomed to pitch in Colorado for all eternity, Kyle Freeland has allowed a .363 wOBA and 38% HR to RHB this season.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): 

• Pete Alonso, 1B - NYM ($5,100 DK/$3,900 FD)
• Mookie Betts, SS/2B/OF - LAD ($4,400 DK/$3,200 FD)
• Gleyber Torres, 2B - DET ($4,500 DK/$3,000 FD)

DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Byron Buxton, OF - MIN ($6,500 DK/$4,700 FD)

If you can only afford one top-priced stud hitter in cash tonight, make sure it's Byron Buxton. The Shohei Ohtanis and Aaron Judges of the world offer mountains of GPP appeal, but Buxton is pound-for-pound the top overall hitter of the night. He should lead off in Coors and is having an MVP-caliber year in a season where he's finally healthy.

Buxton is only four stolen bases away from joining the 20/20 club, and his .925 OPS is the highest mark he's posted since 2021 (he's already played 17 more games this year than he did then). Buxton is also mashing lefties to the tune of a .399 wOBA and .267 ISO to go along with a 162 wRC+.

Byron Buxton just hit for the Cycle on his own bobblehead day @StoolBaseball pic.twitter.com/NoSlQpKC9z

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) July 12, 2025

Willi Castro, 2B/OF/3B/SS - MIN ($4,800 DK/$3,500 FD)

Our Twins assault continues with Willi Castro, whose name has popped up recently in the rumor mill for trades. I'm not overly fond of spending this kind of money on Castro in cash, as he's a fairly mediocre hitter when he's not in Coors Field. However, he's perfect for Twins stacks as he'll likely bat cleanup, and as a switch-hitter, he holds the platoon edge when the game gets into the bullpen.

Castro is not a power threat against lefties, but Coors will always heighten a hitter's upside, and Castro DOES have a career-high .180 ISO in the split thus far this year. He also offers multi-position eligibility on both sites, making lineup construction easy if you're looking to fit in certain stacks.

Teoscar Hernandez, OF - LAD ($4,200 DK/$3,300 FD)

We haven't talked about the Dodgers yet! They limped into the break with a 2-7 record over their last nine games, and have opened the door to make the NL West an actual race. So, how does this information benefit us as DFS players? Outside of Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers' hitters are insanely cheap on both sites, and their IRT of 6.1 runs is right up there with the Twins.

Teoscar Hernandez is quietly on pace for yet another 100-RBI season despite missing time with injuries this year, and he gets to face Jose Quintana, who hasn't been able to miss bats for quite some time now (career-low 15.8% K rate this year).

Hernandez has always raked left-handed pitching, and this year is no exception. The Dodgers' slugger has a .402 wOBA, .295 ISO, and 43.1% HHR against LHP this season, and will hit in a premier spot in the Dodgers' order (fourth or fifth).

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): 

• Shohei Ohtani, 1B/OF - LAD ($6,300 DK/$4,500 FD)
• Mickey Moniak, OF - COL ($3,900 DK/$3,500 FD)
• Alec Burleson, 1B/OF - STL ($3,700 DK/$2,900 FD)

DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks

1. Minnesota Twins vs Kyle Freeland

Anytime we have a Coors slate, the visiting team is likely to have the highest IRT on the slate, and tonight is no exception. The Twins are rocking a 6.2, and (outside of Buxton) don't have slate-prohibitive price tags. Freeland has allowed a .360 wOBA to RHB, and the Twins can fill the top of their order with righties.

Favorite Combo: Buxton, Jeffers, Correa, Castro

2. Los Angeles Dodgers vs Jose Quintana

It seems taboo to go against Coors teams for stacking, but the Dodgers are my favorite stack of the night. As pointed out in the Hernandez blurb, their hitters are simply underpriced outside of Ohtani. There was a time earlier in the season when Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman were both up to $6k, and Hernandez was over $5k. With those guys now living in the low-to-mid-4k range, you couldn't ask for better value against Quintana.

Favorite Combo: Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Smith, Hernandez (do a fiver tonight)

3. Colorado Rockies vs Chris Paddack

After the top two stacks above, it gets a bit muddled. You could do Tigers against Patrick Corbin, or dabble in the CLE/ATH series. Both these strategies are fine, but the Rockies' IRT is higher than both at 5.1 runs. Chris Paddack is not a pitcher to be feared, especially in Coors, as he has a 16.4% K rate and 36.5% GB rate.

Favorite Combo: Freeman, Goodman, Estrada, Moniak

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