Penned By: @Ryan_Humphries on Twitter/X and LineStar Chat.

• Rate LineStarApp on the App store and get a shoutout on Twitter from the @LineStarApp official account!

• Have questions? Check out the LineStar Tutorial Wiki.

• ⚾ LineStar’s 2026 MLB DFS Primer & Strategy Guide ⚾

LineStar MLB DFS Show w/ Tyler Wiemann 🎙️

Like, Subscribe, and Comment @ LineStar YouTube channel! You never know when we’ll shout you out or give you something cool. New episodes drop Mon-Fri feat. host Tyler Wiemann!

⚾ You can also find Tyler’s MLB props located on the LineStar YouTube Shorts page! ⚾

Main Slate Rundown 🏟

Depending on your site of choice, you’ll be working with either an eight-game main slate on DraftKings or a 12-game main slate on FanDuel, which includes the four 6:40 ET games. As usual, I’ll focus primarily on the overlapping games, but I’ll also call out some “FanDuel only” options from that early window. There are quite a few volatile arms on this slate and not many true aces, so things could tilt toward the offensive side, especially with temperatures rising across some parts of the country. Weather looks mostly cooperative, with just a couple spots worth monitoring. Let’s try to crack the code. Best of luck!

Also, Happy Jackie Robinson Day!

Main slate match-ups with implied run totals and moneyline odds:

💣4/15 Dinger Report💣

Today’s Top Dinger Odds (sorted by LineStar projected HR odds)

Main Slate Weather Outlook 💨🌦️☁️

Check LineStar's MLB Daily Dashboard to see an overview of the most up-to-date game forecasts. Note: I’m not a meteorologist so don’t treat these forecast previews as gospel! It’s always best to run a pre-game weather check for any at-risk games.

Weather Key: 🟡 Chance for delay | 🟠 Elevated delay / PPD risk | 🔴 High PPD risk
🔵 Favorable for pitchers (cold/wind in) | 🟢 Favorable for hitters (warm/wind out)

• KC at DET (6:40 ET, 8.5 O/U): FD slate only. Storms move through earlier in the afternoon but should clear out around first pitch. Some additional rain is possible later in the evening, but there appears to be a workable window to get this game in. Check radar closer to lock. Around 70 degrees with 10 mph winds IN from right.

• WAS at PIT (6:40 ET, 9.5 O/U): FD slate only. The same system impacting Detroit should stay north of Pittsburgh and avoid the ballpark, but it’s still worth a quick radar check closer to first pitch.

• CHC at PHI (6:40 ET, 9.0 O/U): FD slate only. Mid-80s temps with 10 mph winds OUT to right. Strong hitting conditions.

• LAA at NYY (7:05 ET, 10.5 O/U): Around 80 degrees with 5–10 mph winds OUT to left. Bump for bats.

• TB at CWS (7:40 ET, 8.5 O/U): Like yesterday, this is the main spot to monitor. Rain will be around pregame and again later in the evening, but there is a projected window where the game could play cleanly. Check radar closer to first pitch for clarity. Temps around 70 with 10 mph winds IN from right.

• TEX at ATH (9:40 ET, 9.5 O/U): Not exactly warm with temps in the 60s, but there will be 10 mph winds OUT to left, which is always a plus for the bats in this hitter-friendly ballpark.

Pitchers to Consider ⚾

Shohei Ohtani (RHP), LAD | DK: $9.5k, FD: $10.9k | vs. NYM

Most of the top arms draw tougher matchups today, but Ohtani gets a Mets team that is in the middle of a major slump while Juan Soto remains sidelined with a calf injury. Ohtani has cleared six innings in both of his starts, has yet to allow a run, and got up to 96 pitches his last time out. His WHIP sits at a clean 0.75, and he currently ranks in the 92nd percentile in pitching run value. The swing-and-miss hasn’t fully materialized yet (9.3% SwStr%, 17.0% kRate), though he has faced two tougher-to-strikeout offenses in Toronto and Cleveland up to this point.

As mentioned, this Mets lineup is in a rough stretch, dropping seven straight games and managing just one run last night on a Francisco Lindor solo shot. During that span against RHPs (153 PAs), they’ve posted a .178 AVG, .435 OPS, .198 wOBA, .055 ISO, and a 24 wRC+ with a 23.5% kRate. Just brutal production across the board, and the strikeout rate has been decently high as well, which usually isn’t the case for this Mets lineup even when they’re not getting many hits. Ohtani’s seven-pitch mix gives him plenty of ways to keep this lineup off balance, and with the Dodgers (-207 ML) once again checking in as the heaviest favorites, another quality outing for the do-it-all superstar should be well within reach.

Randy Vasquez (RHP), SD | DK: $8k, FD: $9.8k | vs. SEA

It’s always tough to determine if a pitcher has truly turned a corner based on just a few starts, but Vasquez has been impressive out of the gate. Through three outings, he owns a 1.02 ERA, 3.11 xFIP, 1.08 WHIP, 48.9% GB%, and a 27.5% kRate. The swing-and-miss has been especially notable, as his 14.3% SwStr% ranks second among today’s starters, trailing only Dylan Cease, who has posted an insane 19.4% SwStr%. Petco Park is typically pitcher-friendly, and that’s held true for Vasquez, who has averaged +31.8% more FPPG at home.

The matchup presents an interesting contrast. Vasquez has leaned heavily on his fastball mix, with his four-seamer, cutter, and sinker accounting for 66.2% of his pitches. The Mariners have handled fastballs well, posting a .389 wOBA (5th) and .236 ISO (1st), but they also bring swing-and-miss tendencies with a 26.4% whiff rate (2nd-highest) and their HardHit% isn’t particularly notable at 38.3% (4th-lowest). Vasquez has also shown early reverse splits, posting stronger numbers against left-handed hitters, including a 32.5% kRate. That could play well against a Seattle lineup likely to feature seven lefties tonight. If he can limit the barreled balls (six allowed so far, but just one HR) and keep the ball in the yard, he sets up as a solid mid-range option.

Spencer Arrighetti (RHP), HOU | DK: $7k, FD: $7.3k | vs. COL

The Rockies haven’t been complete pushovers this season, but they’re still a team to target, especially away from Coors Field. Arrighetti will make his first MLB start of the season tonight after making just seven appearances with the big club last year, where the results were underwhelming. That said, he logged a larger sample in 2024 (28 starts, 145.0 IP) and posted a 4.53 ERA, 4.01 xFIP, 1.41 WHIP, and a strong 27.1% kRate. Nothing flashy outside of the strikeouts, but a solid enough baseline. He’s also looked sharp across three Triple-A starts this season, recording a 1.26 ERA, 3.48 xFIP, 0.77 WHIP, .109 opponent AVG, and a massive 36.4% kRate. While those numbers won’t always translate directly to the MLB level, it’s hard to ignore that kind of production.

The matchup lines up well. The Rockies did some damage against LHP Colton Gordon yesterday, but they’ve struggled much more against righties. Across 335 PAs versus RHPs on the road, they’ve hit just .206 with a .610 OPS and a 70 wRC+, along with a 29.0% kRate. With the Astros (-194 ML) checking in as the second-heaviest favorites on the slate, Arrighetti has a clear path to the win bonus if he can get through five or six innings while taking advantage of the strikeout upside.

Other Pitchers to Consider

Dylan Cease (RHP), TOR | DK: $9.7k, FD: $10.4k | at MIL

Bryce Elder (RHP), ATL | DK: $8.3k, FD: $8.9k | vs. MIA

Sean Burke (RHP), CWS | DK: $6.5k, FD: $8k | vs. TB (Monitor weather)

FanDuel Main Slate Only

Jesus Luzardo (LHP), PHI | $10,600 | vs. CHC

Shota Imanaga (LHP), CHC | $10,000 | at PHI

Team Stacks to Target 🎯

Disclaimer: Stacking in MLB DFS is not a requirement but it is a very common strategy used to take down GPPs. This strategy is covered in more detail in the MLB DFS strategy guide linked in the header at the top of this newsletter. Check out the MLB StackFinder on LineStar.

New York Yankees vs. Jack Kochanowicz (RHP), LAA

The Yankees project as major chalk today (five hitters at 24%+ pOwn%), which does take away some appeal, but it’s hard to ignore this spot. Their struggles against lefties were on display last night with Reid Detmers dealing, but they’ll be back on the positive side of the split against a righty here. Kochanowicz has looked sharp in his last two starts and enters with a 3.24 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, but the underlying numbers point toward regression (6.07 xERA, 5.02 xFIP, 5.40 SIERA). His 15.3% walk rate nearly matches his 16.7% strikeout rate, and while he’s kept the ball on the ground (55.1% GB%), he’s already allowed six barrels, good for a 12.2% Barrel% – one of the worst marks on the slate. He’ll also be backed by an Angels bullpen that owns a 1.55 WHIP and a 4.74 xFIP (8th-worst).

As noted, the Yankees are in a much better spot against right-handed pitching. They’ve been awful versus lefties (.147 AVG, .485 OPS, 41 wRC+), but rank top-seven in OPS, wOBA, ISO, and wRC+ against RHPs. Kochanowicz relies on a sinker, changeup, four-seamer, and slider mix, and the Yankees have crushed those pitch types, ranking 6th in wOBA (.365), 1st in ISO (.225), 1st in exit velocity (91.7 mph), and 2nd in HardHit% (51.7%). Add in warm temperatures and winds blowing out to left at Yankee Stadium, and it’s easy to see why expectations are high. They lead the slate with a 5.9 implied run total.

Favorite NYY Bats: Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger

Bargain Bats: Trent Grisham, Austin Wells

Atlanta Braves vs. Chris Paddack (RHP), MIA

I may sound like a broken record recommending the Braves for a third straight day, but many of these bats remain modestly priced despite this offense being one of the best against RHPs. Chris Paddack is also arguably the weakest Marlins starter they’ve faced in this series. Through 14.2 innings, he owns a 6.14 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, and an 88 Stuff+ rating. The underlying numbers (4.30 xERA, 3.98 xFIP) suggest he hasn’t been quite that bad, but they’re still below average. He also struggled for much of last season, posting a 5.35 ERA, 4.69 xFIP, and a 16.7% kRate across 158.0 innings.

Over the past two weeks against RHPs, Atlanta ranks top-two in AVG (.290), OPS (.841), wOBA (.374), and wRC+ (135), and they’ve hit .330 with runners in scoring position during that stretch. Against Paddack’s primary pitch mix (four-seamer, changeup, cutter), they’ve produced a .307 AVG, .415 wOBA, .246 ISO, and a 50.0% HardHit%. The one concern is a strong Marlins bullpen that leads MLB in opponent AVG (.164) and kRate (28.9%) with a 2.88 ERA, though a 4.19 xFIP (17th) suggests some regression is likely.

Favorite ATL Bats: Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin

Bargain Bats: Mauricio Dubon, Dominic Smith, Mike Yastrzemski

Low-Owned Stack That Just Might Work Out 🤔

Colorado Rockies vs. Spencer Arrighetti (RHP), HOU

Every hitter in the confirmed Rockies lineup comes in at 7% pOwn% or lower. With a weak pitching pool on this slate, many will gravitate toward Spencer Arrighetti as an affordable option in a favorable matchup against the road Rockies. I even highlighted him above. That said, he’s still largely unproven at the MLB level, which creates a clear leverage opportunity by going the other way with Colorado bats. As noted earlier, the Rockies’ splits versus RHPs on the road have been poor, but there are still a few hitters in this lineup with respectable individual splits.

There’s also real appeal in targeting the Astros bullpen, which has struggled badly and still doesn’t have closer Josh Hader (15-day IL) available, along with a couple of other relievers. Houston’s relief unit owns the worst WHIP (1.70) in MLB along with the second-worst ERA (6.35), xFIP (5.10), and HR/9 rate (2.04). They also used five relievers yesterday, so at least a couple of those arms should be unavailable tonight. So, not only is this a weak bullpen, it’s also a taxed one. If Colorado can generate some early offense and force Arrighetti out after about five innings, there’s legitimate late-game upside here.

Favorite COL Bats: Mickey Moniak, Hunter Goodman, TJ Rumfield

Bargain Bats: Edouard Julien, Troy Johnston

One-Off Bats ☝️

A maximum of one hitter per team will be listed below. Feel free to use these players as one-off options, one-half of a two-man mini-stack, or a core piece to a full team stack.

OF Aaron Judge, NYY vs. Jack Kochanowicz (RHP), LAA

OF Yordan Alvarez, HOU vs. Jose Quintana (LHP), COL

2B Bruce Turang, MIL vs. Dylan Cease (RHP), TOR

OF Mike Trout, LAA vs. Luis Gil (RHP), NYY

1B Vlad Guerrero Jr., TOR vs. Chad Patrick (RHP), MIL

1B Nick Kurtz, ATH vs. Kumar Rocker (RHP), TEX

SS Corey Seager, TEX vs. JT Ginn (RHP), ATH

1B/3B Yandy Diaz, TB vs. Sean Burke (RHP), CWS

OF Andy Pages, LAD vs. Clay Holmes (RHP), NYM

1B Matt Olson, ATL vs. Chris Paddack (RHP), MIA

OF Jackson Merrill, SD vs. Emerson Hancock (RHP), SEA

1B Munetaka Murakami, CWS vs. Jesse Scholtens (RHP), TB

1B/C Liam Hicks, MIA vs. Bryce Elder (RHP), ATL

SS Francisco Lindor, NYM vs. Shohei Ohtani (RHP), LAD

C Hunter Goodman, COL vs. Spencer Arrighetti (RHP), HOU

3B Brendan Donovan, SEA vs. Randy Vasquez (RHP), SD

FanDuel Main Slate Only

OF Oneil Cruz, PIT vs. Jake Irvin (RHP), WAS

OF Kyle Schwarber, PHI vs. Shota Imanaga (LHP), CHC

SS Bobby Witt Jr., KC vs. Jack Flaherty (RHP), DET

OF James Wood, WAS vs. Mason Montgomery (LHP), PIT

1B Sal Stewart, CIN vs. Tyler Mahle (RHP), SF

2B Nico Hoerner, CHC vs. Jesus Luzardo (LHP), PHI

3B/SS Kevin McGonigle, DET vs. Seth Lugo (RHP), KC

SS Willy Adames, SF vs. Rhett Lowder (RHP), CIN

Bargain Bats 💸

Note: Additional hitting value may open up once all official starting lineups are released. For now, here are some cheap hitters who are already confirmed or currently expected to be on the field tonight and find themselves in a good spot to pay off their modest DFS salaries.

To qualify as a bargain bat, hitters must be ≤ $4,000 on DraftKings.

OF Trent Grisham, NYY vs. Jack Kochanowicz (RHP), LAA

2B Ozzie Albies, ATL vs. Chris Paddack (RHP), MIA

OF Jesus Sanchez, TOR vs. Chad Patrick (RHP), MIL

1B/OF Dominic Smith, ATL vs. Chris Paddack (RHP), MIA

OF/SS Mauricio Dubon, ATL vs. Chris Paddack (RHP), MIA

OF Mickey Moniak, COL vs. Spencer Arrighetti (RHP), HOU

1B/C Gary Sanchez, MIL vs. Dylan Cease (RHP), TOR

OF Joc Pederson, TEX vs. JT Ginn (RHP), ATH

OF Mike Yastrzemski, ATL vs. Chris Paddack (RHP), MIA

1B Connor Norby, MIA vs. Bryce Elder (RHP), ATL

3B Josh Jung, TEX vs. JT Ginn (RHP), ATH

C Austin Wells, NYY vs. Jack Kochanowicz (RHP), LAA

C Kyle Higashioka, TEX vs. JT Ginn (RHP), ATH

FanDuel Main Slate Only

3B Matt Chapman, SF vs. Rhett Lowder (RHP), CIN

2B Luis Arraez, SF vs. Rhett Lowder (RHP), CIN

3B Brady House, WAS vs. Mason Montgomery (LHP), PIT

1B Spencer Horwitz, PIT vs. Jake Irvin (RHP), WAS

OF Marcell Ozuna, PIT vs. Jake Irvin (RHP), WAS

1B/3B Curtis Mead, WAS vs. Mason Montgomery (LHP), PIT

3B/SS Edmundo Sosa, PHI vs. Shota Imanaga (LHP), CHC

Home Run Calls of the Day 💣

Make sure you’re following @LineStarApp on Twitter/X. Repost the Home Run Calls of the Day tweet for your chance to win prizes!

🔥📊 Props AI 📊🔥