Covering The Bases: MLB DFS Picks Today for Sunday 7/12

by Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) Last Updated 2026-07-12 14:08:36 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 July 12, 2026.

Happy Sunday, Grinders! Thanks to Cheese for covering for me last Sunday and yesterday so I could enjoy a family vacation. We hit up several stops along Lake Michigan and got some gorgeous sunset pictures along the beach. We now have come to the “first day after vacation,” which in my experience tends to be quite brutal. The travel lag is never fun for me, and a late morning nap after I finish writing is probably in the works in order to perk myself up for the GrindersLive show before lock. In any case, I’m happy to be back talking baseball again, and we have a large 11-game Sunday slate on tap.

This looks to be a slate that is heavily skewed toward pitching, headlined by the Zack Wheeler vs. Tarik Skubal matchup in Detroit. Things look pretty clear on the MLB Weather front today, so it should be all good for lineup building. Let’s dig in and see what this Sunday has to offer!

Sunday Pitching: MLB DFS Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel

TOP TIER PITCHERS

• Tarik Skubal vs. Phillies
• Zack Wheeler at Tigers

There are two aces that stand alone at the top of the board today, and they just happen to be facing each other in Detroit. As usual, I will begin the proceedings with a look at the 2026 data for them.

Skubal – 3.06 ERA, 2.47 xFIP, 30.4% K, 3.6% BB
Wheeler – 2.28 ERA, 2.89 xFIP, 29.4% K, 6.0% BB

While both Tarik Skubal and Zack Wheeler have missed portions of the 2026 season due to injury, both are now at full strength. Skubal got up to 96 pitches in his most recent start, and he should be all systems go at this point. Both are also fantastic pitchers, but Skubal generally gets the edge. He has the lower xFIP, the higher strikeout rate, and the lower walk rate, and we can’t explain it away with limited sample size as an excuse, as his 2025 numbers were just as good (if not better) than this.

Some may worry a bit about the matchup, expecting Wheeler to get the better of that portion of things. However, I don’t agree with that. Skubal will have the L/L advantage over the bigger power hitters in Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. The Phillies rank in the bottom third of the league in team wOBA and have a top-10 strikeout rate against lefties, and Skubal is matchup-proof when he has his best stuff.

Another factor that we can throw into the mix is that Skubal is CHEAPER than Wheeler on both FD (by $300) and DK (by $600). I’d put Skubal ahead of Wheeler even if their prices were identical, so this is just another benefit. Give me Skubal as the SP1.

SECONDARY ARMS

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