Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks Today for Saturday 7/26

by Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) Last Updated 2025-07-26 17:00:13 Premium Content Part of the product MLB DFS

Long-time grinder, Justin Van Zuiden (aka stlcardinals84), is here to cover the bases for the upcoming MLB DFS slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Whether you are looking for the top pitchers or the best stacks, Cards has you covered with an extensive deep dive into his favorite MLB DFS picks.

Welcome to the final weekend of July, MLB Grinders! In what seems like a wildly fortunate turn of fate, this is the second straight Saturday where we have had a slate that is heavily tilted toward the evening games. I feel extremely well rested after being able to sleep in a little bit once again!

(Spoiler Alert: I peeked ahead to next Saturday’s schedule, and that won’t be the case again. All good things must come to an end.)

We will focus today’s article on the 11-game main slate, which looks to be a fun one with a nice mix of pitching and offense. FanDuel is excluding the second game of the CLE/KCR doubleheader, so we have a 10-game slate over there. I am going to write this article assuming every game plays, but we do have a few games with potential weather issues (primarily the CHC/CHW game, which Roth has given an ORANGE/YELLOW designation as of the morning hours). Be sure to keep tabs on any updates by using our MLB weather page to make sure you are up to date before lock.

Let’s dig in and see what this Saturday evening has to offer!

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Saturday Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on FanDuel & DraftKings

TOP TIER PITCHERS

Garrett Crochet vs. Dodgers
Hunter Brown vs. Athletics
Joe Ryan vs. Nationals
Robbie Ray vs. Mets
Kris Bubic vs. Guardians (DK Only)

We have a solid group of top arms throwing tonight, with matchups perhaps being the determining factor on whom we want to prioritize. Before I get there, let’s peek at the 2025 data:

Crochet – 2.19 ERA, 2.71 xFIP, 30.6% K, 6.7% BB
Brown – 2.57 ERA, 2.90 xFIP, 31.2% K, 7.8% BB
Ryan – 2.63 ERA, 3.49 xFIP, 29.2% K, 5.1% BB
Ray – 2.92 ERA, 3.94 xFIP, 26.2% K, 9.8% BB
Bubic – 2.38 ERA, 3.40 xFIP, 24.9% K, 7.6% BB

It would seem based on name recognition that Garrett Crochet would clearly be the best pitcher in this tier. I don’t think it’s “clear” by any stretch. In fact, Hunter Brown actually has a higher strikeout rate this year, and Brown only has a slightly higher xFIP and walk rate. I consider them very close to equal, and matchup will be the determining factor for me. That makes Brown the preferred choice given his home matchup against the Athletics, while Crochet has a tougher matchup against the Dodgers. I will say that the Athletics are a bit tougher of a matchup than we would have expected at the beginning of the year, as they do rank 7th in team wOBA and 6th in ISO against RHP in 2025. However, there are some strikeouts in this lineup.

You can absolutely play either Crochet or Brown, as both are capable of being matchup proof when they have their “A” stuff. I’ll be keeping an eye on projected ownership, but right now, I plan to be more overweight on Brown.

The other options I have listed in this tier are also viable, with Joe Ryan being the one I have the most interest in. He gets to face a Nationals lineup that ranks in the bottom third of the league in wOBA and ISO against RHP, and Ryan’s strikeout rate is approaching 30% too. However, for all their flaws, the Nationals aren’t a high-strikeout team. He is perfectly fine but doesn’t quite have the ceiling potential that Crochet and Brown have.

Robbie Ray and Kris Bubic are simply MME leftovers for me on a deep pitching slate. Ray has the worst xFIP of the group and is nowhere near a priority option against a Mets team that lit up Logan Webb on Friday. Bubic is only available on DK, is quite expensive at $10,000, and has the lowest strikeout rate of the group. I will have minimal exposure to these two.

SECONDARY PITCHING OPTIONS

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