Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks Today for Sunday 4/26

by Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) Last Updated 2026-04-26 14:07:29 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, Justin has you covered with an extensive deep dive into his favorite MLB DFS picks today on April 26, 2026.

Happy Sunday, Grinders! We have a healthy 11-game slate awaiting us on a Sunday, and I hit the snooze button an extra time or two on my alarm this morning. I have little time to waste and need to get to work in order to get you the analysis for today. There’s no time for nonsense!

The good news is that there don’t seem to be any weather concerns today, so it should be all systems go for the full slate. Let’s see what the day has to offer!

Sunday Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel

TOP TIER PITCHERS

• Nolan McLean vs. Rockies
• Chris Sale vs. Phillies

We have a clear dividing line between the “aces” and the rest of the pitching pool today, with a pair of arms sitting at the top of the board. I was going to wait until next week to switch to using 2026 data for the pitchers, but that doesn’t make much sense with Nolan McLean being a rookie. As such, I have made the executive decision to switch to 2026 statistics starting today. Here is a look at how McLean and Chris Sale have fared through their first 5 starts of the year:

McLean – 2.67 ERA, 2.62 xFIP, 33.3% K, 7.0% BB
Sale – 2.79 ERA, 3.77 xFIP, 25.2% K, 6.1% BB

There is not a whole lot separating these pitchers other than age. Chris Sale is 37 with a world of MLB experience, while Nolan McLean is a 24-year-old rookie. However, the early returns do favor McLean with his sub-3.00 ERA, xFIP, and SIERA to go along with an elite 33.3% strikeout rate. McLean also benefits from a super favorable home matchup against the Rockies, and he is also pitching in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The Mets aren’t going to want to burn through their bullpen with the scuffling Kodai Senga going in the nightcap, so McLean should have a long leash. Sale has a tougher matchup against a Phillies team that finally broke their 10-game losing streak last night, but he will have the L/L splits edge against the more dangerous power bats in Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.

The one caution I will throw out with McLean is that his swinging strike rate sits at 10.8% for the year, which is actually lower than Chris Sale’s despite the fact that McLean has a 33.3% strikeout rate. That does suggest negative regression on that front, but I am not sure the Rockies are the opponent that will provide that. Given the matchups, I am treating McLean like my SP1 in GPP builds, though there is not a whole lot separating them. Sale is actually cheaper than McLean on both FD and DK, and I would have no issue moving Sale into my lineups if the savings help make the rest of your lineup work.

In short, both of these pitchers are fine options, and I like pairing both of them together on DK if you are going cheap with bats. The pitching pool drops off considerably from here, as you will see in a moment.

SECONDARY ARMS

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