Following a handful of days off across the league, the MLB schedule is once again packed on Friday. All 30 clubs are taking the field, so there is no better time to dive right into the action. Pitchers are already ranked by price, with the ones who are projected to perform better eating up more of your budget, but I am here to add my two cents. I’ll be sharing my own rankings for the top 10 starting pitchers for DFS in the 10-game Friday afternoon contest.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $300K Mega 8’s ($100K to 1st)
1. RHP Dylan Cease, TOR (@ CHW)
Salary: $9,900
2025 Stats: 32 G, 32 GS, 168.0 IP, 8-12, 4.55 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 215 K, 71 BB, 3.4 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 5.1 IP, 0-0, 1.69 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 12 K, 2 BB, 0.4 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 30 G, 30 GS, 171.0 IP, 12-9, 3.45 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 208 K, 64 BB, 3.8 WAR (Steamer)
2. LHP MacKenzie Gore, TEX (vs. CIN)
Salary: $8,800
2025 Stats: 30 G, 30 GS, 159.2 IP, 5-15, 4.17 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 185 K, 64 BB, 2.9 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 5.1 IP, 1-0, 3.38 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 7 K, 3 BB, 0.1 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 28 G, 28 GS, 155.0 IP, 10-9, 3.75 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 179 K, 61 BB, 2.7 WAR (Steamer)
3. LHP Framber Valdez, DET (vs. STL)
Salary: $8,900
2025 Stats: 31 G, 31 GS, 192.0 IP, 13-11, 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 187 K, 68 BB, 4.0 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 0-0, 1.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 5 K, 1 BB, 0.2 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 30 G, 30 GS, 183.0 IP, 12-10, 3.42 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 172 K, 61 BB, 3.6 WAR (Steamer)
4. RHP Michael King, SDP (@ BOS)
Salary: $8,200
2025 Stats: 15 G, 15 GS, 73.1 IP, 5-3, 3.44 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 76 K, 26 BB, 0.8 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 5.0 IP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 6 K, 4 BB, 0.1 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 28 G, 28 GS, 160.0 IP, 10-9, 3.75 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 170 K, 58 BB, 2.8 WAR (Steamer)
5. RHP Kyle Bradish, BAL (@ PIT)
Salary: $8,300
2025 Stats: 6 G, 6 GS, 32.0 IP, 1-1, 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 47 K, 10 BB, 1.1 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 4.2 IP, 0-1, 3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 4 K, 3 BB, 0.0 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 27 G, 27 GS, 148.0 IP, 10-8, 3.70 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 158 K, 48 BB, 3.0 WAR (Steamer)
6. RHP Sonny Gray, BOS (vs. SDP)
Salary: $8,500
2025 Stats: 32 G, 32 GS, 180.2 IP, 14-8, 4.28 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 201 K, 38 BB, 3.6 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 4.0 IP, 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 5 K, 1 BB, 0.0 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 30 G, 30 GS, 173.0 IP, 11-10, 3.63 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 184 K, 47 BB, 3.8 WAR (Steamer)
7. RHP Aaron Nola, PHI (@ COL)
Salary: $8,600
2025 Stats: 17 G, 17 GS, 94.1 IP, 5-10, 6.01 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 97 K, 28 BB, 0.9 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 5.0 IP, 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 7 K, 2 BB, -0.1 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 30 G, 30 GS, 173.0 IP, 11-10, 3.91 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 172 K, 46 BB, 3.0 WAR (Steamer)
8. RHP Eury Perez, MIA (@ NYY)
Salary: $8,100
2025 Stats: 20 G, 20 GS, 95.1 IP, 7-6, 4.25 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 105 K, 32 BB, 1.9 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 7.0 IP, 0-0, 3.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 8 K, 1 BB, 0.0 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 27 G, 27 GS, 149.0 IP, 9-9, 3.95 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 169 K, 52 BB, 2.6 WAR (Steamer)
9. RHP Cade Horton, CHC (@ CLE)
Salary: $8,000
2025 Stats: 23 G, 22 GS, 118.0 IP, 11-4, 2.67 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 97 K, 22 BB, 2.2 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 6.1 IP, 1-0, 2.84 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 4 K, 1 BB, 0.0 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 23 G, 23 GS, 130.0 IP, 8-8, 4.27 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 115 K, 45 BB, 1.3 WAR (Steamer)
10. RHP Will Warren, NYY (vs. MIA)
Salary: $7,700
2025 Stats: 33 G, 33 GS, 162.1 IP, 9-8, 4.44 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 171 K, 65 BB, 2.1 WAR
2026 Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 4.1 IP, 0-0, 2.08 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 3 K, 2 BB, 0.1 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 41 G, 20 GS, 128.0 IP, 8-8, 3.98 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 127 K, 46 BB, 1.4 WAR (Steamer)
