The MLB season is humming along. There are far more ways to get involved in the action than just via traditional betting. One of the more unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Baseball!
Here are my top Pick6 plays for today’s MLB slate.
DraftKings MLB Pick6 Plays
Framber Valdez More Than 4.5 Strikeouts Thrown (Promo Pick)
There is a great promo pick for the Friday MLB slate. Instead of Framber Valdez needing to throw six strikeouts to go over his Pick6 number, he just needs to throw five. At 32 years old, this is Framber Valdez’s first season with any organization besides the Houston Astros. His first start as a Detroit Tiger went well, allowing just one earned run over six innings of work. Valdez struck out five in that game against the Padres. Valdez has never been an off-the-charts strikeout pitcher, but has been incredibly consistent with solid strikeout numbers over his career. In the seven seasons of his career since his rookie year, Valdez has finished the season with somewhere between 8.4 and 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings. His career average is 8.8 K/9, right around a strikeout per inning. If he maintains those numbers, he would need to go just five innings against St. Louis to get to five strikeouts. Valdez should be able to replicate his solid first start with the Tigers in this game against the Cardinals.
Freddie Freeman More Than 2.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs
The Dodgers should hang a considerable number on the Nationals today. Miles Mikolas was a solid starter who made a couple of All-Star Games in his first few seasons with the Cardinals. However, he had a quite poor 2024 season, finishing with a 5.35 ERA. The 2025 season wasn’t much better, finishing with a 4.84 ERA. There was growing speculation that Mikolas had mostly lost his stuff. That was evident in his first start as a National last week. He gave up six runs, only four of which were earned, in five innings against the Cubs. The Dodgers are a team that has always given Mikolas issues. Obviously, they have had a great lineup for most of Mikolas’ career, but he has a brutal 6.20 ERA in a decent sample size of 10 appearances against Los Angeles.
Freddie Freeman, in particular, has given Miles Mikolas a hard time. Freeman is 8/19 with three home runs in his career against Mikolas. That comes out to a 1.376 career OPS against Mikolas. Both Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani both have a lifetime OPS over 1.200 against Mikolas. That top half of the Dodgers’ lineup should all be getting on base and driving each other in. After a bit of a slow start over the first five games of the season, Freddie Freeman hit a home run last time out. Against a very vulnerable opposing pitcher, Freeman should keep the momentum going.
Juan Soto More Than 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs
Juan Soto has been one of the best hitters in baseball through the start of this season. He has certainly been the Mets’ only consistent offensive threat. Soto recording more than 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs has been one of my favorite plays to make this season. He just went over this number in the first game of the series against the Giants last night. Soto has now gone over this number in six out of seven games so far this season. He also has at least one hit in all seven games this season, so his bat is on fire. Soto is 4/11 with a double and two home runs in his career against Tyler Mahle. Mahle didn’t look very convincing in his first start this season, giving up a couple of runs in just four innings of work. While the rest of the Mets’ bats are struggling to warm up, Juan Soto should keep his early-season success going against the Giants.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of 2+ players and select whether or not you believe each will outperform their listed stat projection. Enter your Pick Set in Pick6 contests to compete against other users. Get enough picks correct and win a share of cash prizes.
How to Play
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing 2+ players from the same sport and Pick Group (a set of picks available from a group of competitions). For each player, simply select if you think they’ll have more or less than their listed stat projection. In each Pick Set, you can not pick the same player twice, and you must pick players from at least two different teams.
Enter an Amount
Once you finalize your Pick Set, choose your entry fee amount. Your entries will be automatically distributed into available contests, subject to your confirmation.
Sweat Your Picks
When the games go live, use the My Picks tab to follow your picks in real time to track how your players are performing against their projections and how they stack up against other users.
Compete for Prizes
Make enough correct picks and win a share of the contests’ guaranteed prizes. Any prizes won will be credited to your DraftKings account after contests are finalized.
Play at DraftKings Pick6 or by downloading the DraftKings Pick6 app on Apple or Google!
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be at least 18 years or older. Higher age limits may apply in some states. Eligibility restrictions apply. Valid only in states where DraftKings Pick6 operates. Void where prohibited. For entertainment purposes only. Winning a contest on DraftKings depends on knowledge and exercise of skill. See terms at pick6.draftkings.com.
