FanDuel MLB DFS Picks: Thursday 7/24/25

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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

Sonny Gray ($9,500)

Sonny Gray continues to offer a wide range of outcomes on a start-by-start basis, but the upside is clearly there. He's cracked 55 FanDuel points (FDP) four times this season -- once even climbing to a slate-breaking 70 FDP.

Sure, Gray is coming off an atrocious outing in which he failed to make it through the 4th inning. But the season-long numbers remain rock-solid. The righty has the lowest skill-interactive ERA (3.07) and highest strikeout rate (27.2%) among main slate pitchers.

He's again been significantly better at home, continuing a trend which started in last season -- his first with the St. Louis Cardinals. Across 28 home starts for St. Louis, Gray owns a 2.81 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 28.6% strikeout rate. That's translated to 36.8 FDP per game.

Our MLB DFS projections peg him for 29.7 FDP -- our second-highest projection for the slate. But I'm bullish there's a higher median outcome than we think. Tonight's opponent, the San Diego Padres, have quietly been an uber-soft matchup for righties in 2025. They're just 24th in wRC+ (98) against this split for the season and second-to-last in ISO (.121) against righties since the beginning of June.

On a small slate, Gray's proven upside in a solid matchup is hard to ignore.

Reese Olson ($8,600)

Based on our MLB DFS projections, Reese Olson is the main slate's SP1 tonight. We project him for 30.2 FDP even in a tough home date with the Toronto Blue Jays, and his performance to date supports grouping him right alongside Gray as Thursday's top arms.

Through 12 starts, Olson has a shining 2.71 ERA and 23.6% strikeout rate. Though his ERA indicators (3.94 SIERA; 3.66 xERA) aren't quite as friendly, the results speak for themselves. The 25-year-old has notched at least 29 FDP in seven of 12 starts, creeping past 35 FDP in five of those.

Olson is coming off his best start since returning from the injured list, earning 33 FDP after tossing 5.0 shutout innings against the Texas Rangers. He worked up to 90 pitches in that one, allowing just two hits and a single walk while striking out six.

Tonight's opponent is tough -- the Blue Jays lead the league in wRC+ (121) against righties dating back to June 1st, and they have baseball's lowest strikeout rate (17.2%) versus that split on the season.

Even so, Reese Olson does benefit from hurling at pitcher-friendly Comerica Park. With a lack of high-end options on a four-game slate, Olson's median outcome is worth banking on at a mid-range salary.

Jason Alexander ($5,500)

Am I a major believer in Jason Alexander? Not exactly.

Am I a major fan of his $5,500 salary? Absolutely.

Alexander is slated to make his second start of the season -- though he's totaled 15 innings with a handful of relief outings. The righty permitted 14 runs in those 15 innings, maintaining an ugly 11:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

That's less-than-ideal, but we're dealing with small samples here. The bulk of that damage (9 runs) came in a relief outing against the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers all the way back in May. He's bounced back in two appearances since then, allowing just 5 hits and 2 earned runs across his last 9.0 innings. That includes his lone 2025 start in which he went for 34 FDP against the Athletics.

The Athletics are back in town for Alexander's second start, so I do think we can consider him in hitter-heavy lineups. Dating back to June 1st, the Athletics rank 18th in wRC+ (102) and have the ninth-highest strikeout rate (22.4%) against right-handed pitchers.

We project Alexander for 20.4 FDP -- enough to make him the slate's best point-per-dollar value (3.71x) on the bump.

Stacks to Target

Detroit Tigers

Players to Target: Spencer Torkelson ($3,300), Gleyber Torres ($3,200), Zach McKinstry ($2,900), Wenceel Perez ($2,800), Javier Baez ($2,700), Jahmai Jones ($2,400)

The Detroit Tigers get a lefty at home tonight -- a scenario they've thrived in. Detroit ranks fifth in wRC+ (112) against lefties, and they're second in home batting average (.273) versus southpaws.

Though Eric Lauer has a 3.38 ERA this month and has flashed strong strikeout stuff, he also gives up a boatload of hard contact. The lefty is in the bottom-10th percentile for average exit velocity and has allowed the fourth-highest fly-ball rate among pitchers with 60+ innings.

That's not a great combination, and it's one Detroit could take advantage of. They have the slate's highest implied total (4.9 runs), after all.

Spencer Torkelson (.420 wOBA vs. LHP) and Gleyber Torres (.398) are my top priorities in this stack. Neither carries an especially damaging salary, though Wenceel Perez (.456), Jahmai Jones (.381), Zach McKinstry (.378), and Javier Baez (.351) have all performed well in this split and carry sub-$3,000 tags.

Seattle Mariners

Players to Target: Cal Raleigh ($4,500), Randy Arozarena ($3,400), Julio Rodriguez ($3,200), J.P. Crawford ($2,800)

Not only are the Seattle Mariners up against a left-handed pitcher -- against whom they rank eighth in wRC+ (106) -- but they're also playing at Angel Stadium -- a top-10 hitting venue for right-handed bats according to Statcast Park Factors.

Now, LA's Yusei Kikuchi does have a 3.13 ERA this season, and he's allowed more than three runs just three times across 21 starts.

But the southpaw has also outperformed his ERA indicators (4.11 SIERA; 4.26 xERA) and is serving up quality contact left and right. He's 6th-percentile in average exit velocity, 23rd-percentile in barrel rate, and 35th-percentile in hard-hit rate.

Kikuchi has been significantly worse against righties, and the Mariners have several that could do damage. Cal Raleigh has a bonkers .488 wOBA in this split, and he's in a tier of his own among hitters tonight. Otherwise, Randy Arozarena (.366 wOBA vs. LHP) is the clear second-best Mariner against lefties, though Julio Rodriguez certainly has upside and J.P. Crawford projects as the second-best value among hitters (4.71x).

Los Angeles Angels

Players to Target: Zach Neto ($3,500), Mike Trout ($3,300), Nolan Schanuel ($3,200), Jo Adell ($3,100), Yoan Moncada ($2,900), Travis d'Arnaud ($2,600)

This Mariners-Los Angeles Angels matchup is my favorite for offense tonight, and that's reflected in an over/under (9.5) a full run higher than any other game.

The fun likely won't just be had by the visitors, however, as Logan Evans is slated to toss for Seattle. The rookie right-hander has a 3.88 ERA through his first 10 big-league starts, though his 5.51 xERA suggests he's punched a bit over his weight to this point. Evans only has a 17% strikeout rate, plus he's 15th-percentile or worse in xBA, hard-hit rate, and barrel rate allowed.

Yoan Moncada, Mike Trout, Zach Neto, and Nolan Schanuel all have north of an .800 OPS against righties this season. Travis d'Arnaud has mashed in this split at home, though his spot in the lineup isn't guaranteed. Jo Adell's, however, is -- and he's blasted 9 of his 21 homers at home against right-handed pitchers.

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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.