The 2026 MLB regular season is in full-swing. There’s another jam-packed slate on the books for Thursday, so there is no better time to dive right into the Daily Fantasy 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 have my own DFS rankings for the top 10 starting pitchers in the seven-game Thursday afternoon contest that locks at 12:15 p.m. ET.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $30K BatFlip [$10K to 1st]
1. RHP Paul Skenes, PIT (vs. STL)
Salary: $10,300
2025 Stats: 32 G, 32 GS, 187.2 IP, 10-10, 1.97 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 216 K, 42 BB, 6.5 WAR
2026 Stats: 6 G, 6 GS, 29.0 IP, 4-1, 2.48 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 30 K, 7 BB, 0.8 WAR
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 26 G, 26 GS, 153.0 IP, 11-7, 2.97 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 184 K, 43 BB, 4.4 WAR (Steamer)
2. LHP Cristopher Sánchez, PHI (vs. SF)
Salary: $9,200
2025 Stats: 32 G, 32 GS, 202.0 IP, 13-5, 2.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 212 K, 44 BB, 6.4 WAR
2026 Stats: 6 G, 6 GS, 33.2 IP, 2-2, 2.94 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 43 K, 10 BB, 1.0 WAR
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 26 G, 26 GS, 161.0 IP, 11-8, 3.07 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 160 K, 44 BB, 3.9 WAR (Steamer)
3. RHP Bryce Elder, ATL (vs. DET)
Salary: $8,600
2025 Stats: 28 G, 28 GS, 156.1 IP, 8-11, 5.30 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 131 K, 51 BB, 0.9 WAR
2026 Stats: 6 G, 6 GS, 37.0 IP, 3-1, 1.95 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 31 K, 10 BB, 0.9 WAR
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 20 G, 20 GS, 112.0 IP, 7-7, 4.45 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 92 K, 40 BB, 1.0 WAR (Steamer)
4. LHP Framber Valdez, DET (@ ATL)
Salary: $8,000
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: 6 G, 6 GS, 34.1 IP, 2-1, 3.41 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 24 K, 14 BB, 0.6 WAR
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 25 G, 25 GS, 153.0 IP, 9-8, 3.55 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 137 K, 54 BB, 2.8 WAR (Steamer)
5. LHP Freddy Peralta, NYM (vs. WSH)
Salary: $9,300
2025 Stats: 33 G, 33 GS, 176.2 IP, 17-6, 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 204 K, 66 BB, 3.6 WAR
2026 Stats: 6 G, 6 GS, 32.1 IP, 1-3, 3.90 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 36 K, 13 BB, 0.5 WAR
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 25 G, 25 GS, 144.0 IP, 9-8, 3.78 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 159 K, 57 BB, 2.3 WAR (Steamer)
6. RHP Michael Soroka, ARI (@ MIL)
Salary: $8,200
2025 Stats: 22 G, 17 GS, 89.2 IP, 3-8, 4.52 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 95 K, 29 BB, 1.1 WAR
2026 Stats: 5 G, 5 GS, 27.2 IP, 4-0, 2.60 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 34 K, 7 BB, 0.7 WAR
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 29 G, 20 GS, 117.0 IP, 7-7, 4.13 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 118 K, 44 BB, 1.4 WAR (Steamer)
7. RHP Brandon Woodruff, MIL (vs. ARI)
Salary: $9,000
2025 Stats: 12 G, 12 GS, 64.2IP, 7-2, 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 83 K, 14 BB, 1.8 WAR
2026 Stats: 5 G, 5 GS, 28.2 IP, 2-1, 3.77 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 23 K, 6 BB, 0.5 WAR
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 23 G, 23 GS, 136.0 IP, 8-8, 3.97 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 138 K, 39 BB, 2.2 WAR (Steamer)
8. RHP Logan Webb, SF (@ PHI)
Salary: $8,500
2025 Stats: 34 G, 34 GS, 207.0 IP, 15-11, 3.22 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 224 K, 46 BB, 5.5 WAR
2026 Stats: 6 G, 6 GS, 37.0 IP, 2-3, 4.86 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 32 K, 13 BB, 0.7 WAR
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 26 G, 26 GS, 164.0 IP, 10-9, 3.36 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 152 K, 43 BB, 3.3 WAR (Steamer)
9. RHP Peter Lambert, HOU (@ BAL)
Salary: $8,000
2025 Stats: 21 G, 21 GS, 116.1 IP, 3-11, 4.26 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 104 K, 52 BB (NPB)
2026 Stats: 2 G, 2 GS, 11.0 IP, 1-1, 3.27 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 16 K, 4 BB, 0.4 WAR
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 28 G, 11 GS, 77.0 IP, 4-5, 4.55 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 67 K, 32 BB, 0.3 WAR
10. RHP Hunter Dobbins, STL (@ PIT)
Salary: $6,500
2025 Stats: 13 G, 11 GS, 61.0 IP, 4-1, 4.13 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 45 K, 17 BB, 1.0 WAR
2026 Stats: 5 G, 5 GS, 22.2 IP, 3-0, 4.37 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 19 K, 9 BB (AAA)
2026 FanGraphs ROS Projections: 31 G, 13 GS, 90.0 IP, 5-6, 4.40 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 65 K, 32 BB, 0.5 WAR (Steamer)
