FanDuel MLB DFS Picks: Thursday 4/17/25

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Let's check out the top options on today's main slate.

Note: All MLB odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook. All stats come from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant unless noted otherwise.

Top MLB DFS Picks

Pitcher Breakdown

Taj Bradley ($10,000)

Despite the stiff matchup versus the New York Yankees, Taj Bradley stands out on a smaller slate, ranking in the 66th percentile in xERA (3.26), 84th percentile in strikeout rate (30.9%), and 75th percentile in hard-hit rate (35.0%) through his first 3 starts and 17.0 innings pitched in 2025. While Bradley certainly possesses the highest upside in the strikeout department among the pitchers available on Thursday's main slate, I don't mind at least using mini-stacks from the Yankees if you're making multiple lineups.

Andre Pallante ($9,100)

Pitching options are thin on today's main slate, making me gravitate toward a ground-ball pitcher like Andre Pallante, who is in the 97th percentile in ground-ball rate (69.6%) across his first 3 starts and 16.1 innings pitched. Even though Pallante doesn't provide us with much upside when it comes to Ks, the New York Mets have been a bit underwhelming at the plate thus far, registering the 9th-worst wOBA (.299), 11th-worst wRC+ (95), and 12th-lowest fly-ball rate (37.4%) in the majors through their first 18 games this season.

Reese Olson ($7,700)

Another team that has surprisingly gotten off to a slow start is the Kansas City Royals, who are currently sporting the worst wOBA (.262), third-worst wRC+ (66), and worst ISO (.101) in all of baseball, which puts Reese Olson on our radar. Olson undoubtedly has some risk with his 33rd percentile xERA (4.59), 33rd percentile strikeout rate (19.4%), and 14th percentile hard-hit rate (51.1%), but FanDuel Research's projections have him forecasted for the most FanDuel points (FDPs) among all pitchers on Thursday's main slate.

Stacks to Target

Tampa Bay Rays

Players to Target: Yandy Diaz ($2,700), Brandon Lowe ($3,000), Junior Caminero ($3,000), and Jonathan Aranda ($3,000)

Will Warren has flashed strikeout potential with his 92nd percentile whiff rate (35.9%) and 69th percentile strikeout rate (26.3%), but his 26th percentile xERA (4.97), 11th percentile barrel rate (14.3%), and 19th percentile hard-hit rate (48.6%) could spell trouble against a Tampa Bay Rays team that has the seventh-best wOBA (.330) and third-best wRC+ (122). Of the batters on the Rays, I'd prioritize Jonathan Aranda, as the hard-hitting lefty is logging the 4th-best exit velocity (95.6 MPH), 9th-best barrel rate (20.5%), and 11th-best hard-hit rate (59.0%) across his first 56 plate appearances.

Los Angeles Angels

Players to Target: Taylor Ward ($3,500), Mike Trout ($4,000), Jorge Soler ($3,100), and Nolan Schanuel ($2,900)

Many people will likely flock toward stacking the Texas Rangers given their implied team total, but I have a little more interest in the Los Angeles Angels, especially after some people could be hesitant playing them after they disappointed against Patrick Corbin on Wednesday. Not only do the Angels have the 10th-best wRC+ (109) and 3rd-best ISO (.198), but they'll face Kumar Rocker, who resides in the 7th percentile in xERA (6.90), 5th percentile in strikeout rate (10.9%), 25th percentile in barrel rate (11.4%), and 5th percentile in hard-hit rate (56.8%) over his first 3 starts and 11.1 innings pitched.

Texas Rangers

Players to Target: Corey Seager ($3,000), Josh Smith ($2,800), Adolis Garcia ($3,200), and Joc Pederson ($2,500)

Jack Kochanowicz is sitting in the 38th percentile in xERA (4.38), 12th percentile in strikeout rate (13.6%), and 35th percentile in barrel rate (9.8%) across his first 3 starts and 15.2 innings pitched for the Angels, so the Rangers are still worth mentioning despite their woeful offensive numbers. If the Rangers become the most popular team to stack with the 8th-worst wOBA (.283), 8th-worst wRC+ (85), and 13th-worst ISO (.144) in the league up to this point, then I'll limit my exposure to them and use more players from the Yankees and Cleveland Guardians.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.