A week after the MLB trade deadline, and the contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the pretenders. While most teams are off on Thursday, six clubs will be in action this afternoon. That includes the Mariners, hoping to earn a playoff berth, the red-hot Marlins, and the scrappy Reds.
Although it’s a modest three-game featured slate, there’s still value available for fantasy baseball managers. Let’s dive into the matchups and take a look at my top MLB DFS picks today.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $100K Relay Throw [$25K to 1st]
Pitchers
Stud
SP Eury Perez, Miami Marlins at ATL ($7,800): The top two arms on tonight’s slate are Paul Skenes ($10,700) and Logan Gilbert ($10,300). For those not looking to pay five figures, Eury Perez offers a nice alternative. The 22-year-old is in a groove, bouncing back after a difficult first few starts. Over his last five appearances, the Dominican owns a stellar 1.29 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 30 strikeouts. During his last time out, Perez tossed six scoreless innings against a formidable Yankees lineup.
It’s no secret that the Braves have underperformed, especially at the plate. Atlanta is averaging just 4.14 runs per game, the eighth-lowest mark in all of baseball. That number doesn’t even reflect the current state of this lineup. Both Austin Riley (abdominal) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (calf) are currently injured. That leaves the home team with a depleted offense going into a matchup with an outstanding arm. Add it all up, and Perez is poised for yet another dominant performance on Thursday.
Infield
Stud
2B/SS Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins at ATL ($4,500): Let’s stay in Georgia, where the Marlins will attempt to earn their 11th win in 15 games. Key to Miami’s recent hot streak has been middle infielder Xavier Edwards. The speedster doesn’t offer much in terms of power; he’s slugging .369 this season. However, a mix of on-base skills and speed make him a nuisance for opposing pitchers. Since July 21st, Edwards is batting .344 to go with ten runs scored.
Surprisingly, the 25-year-old only has two steals during that 15-game stretch. However, he’s snagged 18 bags through 97 games this season. More could be on the way tonight. The Braves have surrendered the fifth-most stolen bases to opponents this year. Over 16 career meetings with Atlanta, Edwards is hitting .292. That includes a stellar three-hit showing when these clubs last met in June. Another productive day could be in the works with struggling veteran Carlos Carrasco on the mound.
Value
SS J.P. Crawford, Seattle Mariners vs. CWS ($2,900): The Mariners upgraded their lineup last week, acquiring infielders Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez. One name that has been with the team for years is J.P. Crawford, and for good reason. The shortstop is one of the best gloves in the American League, helping limit the damage for an elite Seattle pitching staff. Unfortunately, his offensive contributions can be somewhat erratic. That’s been the case yet again in 2025; Crawford is hitting just .187 since July 10th.
With that being said, Thursday’s matchup presents an opportunity for the veteran to get back on track. The visiting White Sox will be sending staff ace Shane Smith to the mound. Despite making his first career All-Star Game, the righty has struggled in recent weeks. Over his last six starts, the rookie owns a ghastly 9.93 ERA. Crawford, meanwhile, has been fairly busy recently. During his previous six outings, the ninth-year pro has averaged 9.8 fantasy points per game. Anything close to that tonight would make him a steal at $2,900.
OUTFIELD
Stud
OF Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners vs. CWS ($5,200): Speaking of the Mariners, don’t forget about Julio Rodriguez. Despite all the new additions, the outfielder is still a building block for this franchise going forward. Granted, 2025 hasn’t been a banner year by any means. The slugger is slashing .254/.310/.441 with 21 home runs, 62 RBIs and 21 steals. Those numbers, while very good, aren’t quite at the level M’s fans were hoping for entering this season.
Still, J-Rod is poised to do some damage during Thursday’s matchup. As previously mentioned, White Sox hurler Shane Smith has been awful over the past few weeks. In comparison, Rodriguez is hitting .286 with two homers and six RBIs during his previous five appearances. The 24-year-old has notched three dingers and ten RBIs in just five meetings with Chicago this season. A stat-stuffing performance should be the expectation heading into this matchup.
Value
OF Tommy Pham, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. CIN ($3,400): While he’s known more for off-field fantasy football disputes, Tommy Pham remains a decent major leaguer. On an otherwise dismal Pirates offense, the 37-year-old has posted a .269 batting average with five homers and 32 RBIs. That’s not much to write home about, but the veteran can clearly still swing the bat. A knack for generating walks (.339 on-base percentage) makes the 12th-year pro a pain for opposing pitchers.
Pham has been especially pesky as of late, emerging as one of Pittsburgh’s hottest hitters. Over his last ten games, the outfielder is slashing .351/.432/.541 in addition to a homer and five RBIs. During that stretch, he’s reached double-digit fantasy points in half of those outings. Reds starter Brady Singer isn’t a bad starter, but he does give up baserunners. The 29-year-old has recorded a hits per nine ratio of 8.2 this season. At $3,400, it won’t take much for Pham to return value on this modest investment.
