It’s difficult to explain how stacked the pitching is for this 12-game MLB DFS slate. Paul Skenes ($9,000) is somehow only the sixth-most expensive starter, as this is a night that will also feature Tarik Skubal ($10,500), Garrett Crochet ($10,000) and Cristopher Sanchez ($9,700).
If that wasn’t enough, Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($9,500), Cam Schlittler ($8,500) and George Kirby ($8,200) are all toeing the rubber, as well, and that’s not even mentioning former Cy Young award winners Sandy Alcantara ($8,300) or Robbie Ray ($8,000).
I’m not sure I can ever remember anything like this, but for the purposes of this article, none of it matters. We’re talking values. Get all those big names out of your mind. We’re going dumpster diving, people.
Set your DraftKings MLB DFS lineups here: MLB $250K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
SP Taj Bradley, Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers, $7,300
The Taj Bradley trade didn’t stand out too much at least year’s trade deadline, though it remains interesting that the Rays were willing to give up on the 25-year-old so quickly. It now appears that the Twins are reaping the benefits. Bradley has looked almost unhittable in his first two starts of 2026, pitching to a 0.87 ERA and a 2.01 FIP. The biggest development? The right-hander’s average fastball velocity is up a tick from where we saw it in 2025, with Bradley even touching 100 mph with a pitch in his last outing against the Royals. Everyone might be throwing harder in this era of baseball, but it’s still a rare sight to see a starter flirt this consistently with triple digits.
As a result of this increase in stuff, Bradley has struck out 27.9% of the batters he’s faced, and he’s in possession of a very intriguing 12.5% swinging strike rate. I’d expect the swing and miss success to continue in tonight’s matchup with the Tigers, who rank in the upper-half of MLB in strikeout rate as a team (24.5%). Detroit’s also already been shutout twice in 2026. This isn’t a lineup that you have to fear too much.
OF Cam Smith, Houston Astros at Colorado Rockies, $3,900
Even when Smith was struggling as a rookie last season, his tools and upside were obvious. Through the first two weeks of 2026, we’re now starting to see those tools translate into tangible results. It’s only been 45 plate appearances, but Smith enters play on Tuesday in possession of a 92nd percentile barrel rate (19.2%) and the 90th percentile expected wOBA (.411). These are small samples, but they are both backed up by 98th percentile bat speed (77.4). Need I say more?
Specific to this slate, Smith and the Astros will get to square-off with Kyle Freeland ($5,500) at Coors Field. Smith was at his best in his rookie campaign against LHPs, posting a 130 wRC+ within the split. He also showed that he likes the altitude on Monday, blasting a mammoth 462-foot home run in Houston’s 7-9 loss. Like I said, the former first-round pick is brimming with talent.
3B Brady House, Washington Nationals vs. St. Louis Cardinals, $3,500
The Nationals will face the left-handed Matthew Liberatore ($6,300) on Tuesday and there’s a couple different ways you can go about finding value in the team’s lineup. Curtis Mead ($2,300) is priced just above the minimum and will likely hit second for Washington in his platoon role. There’s also Joey Wiemer ($3,500), who is another platoon bat, and who just so happens to be 6-for-10 (.600) in his first 13 plate appearances within the split this season. Of those six hits, one is a triple and two are home runs, which is how you get a 432 wRC+. Fun with small samples!
However, I’ll single out House, as he has less of a chance of getting pinch-hit for later on in this contest — and thus gets an opportunity to hit against a St. Louis bullpen that currently sports a ghastly 6.15 ERA. House is the Nationals’ first-round pick from 2021, and the 22-year-old has hit the ground running in 2026, slashing .333/.400/.583 with a 175 wRC+. House possesses an 87th percentile hard hit rate (54.2%) and an 86th percentile barrel rate (16.7%). There’s some pop in this young bat.
