Best MLB DFS Picks Today: Top Value Plays for June 15

Monday’s MLB DFS main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel features eight games with a 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch, giving you a full evening of action across both platforms. Tonight’s card is headlined by an elite pitching option, a couple of favorable hitter stacks, and a few low-cost value plays that can free up significant salary for your premium spots.

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The approach tonight leans heavily on a dominant ace in a smash matchup, a pair of high-upside stacks in hitter-friendly environments, and a scorching-hot value bat who is barely priced above the minimum. Here are five players worth targeting across cash games and GPPs.

Chase Burns, SP — Cincinnati Reds (DraftKings: $11,000)

Burns is the clear top-tier pitching option on tonight’s board, and there is little debate about it. Through 13 starts in 2026, the right-hander has put together one of the more dominant stretches in the National League, posting a 7-1 record with a 2.14 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 88 strikeouts across 75.2 innings. That works out to better than 10 strikeouts per nine innings with elite command for a 23-year-old who looks completely locked in.

Tonight he draws the New York Mets, and this matchup is one of the reasons DFS analysts have him locked in for cash games. The Mets carry a 23 percent strikeout rate against right-handed pitching on the road this season, making them a prime target for Burns’s high-miss arsenal. His stuff grades out at elite levels, and Great American Ball Park provides a neutral enough environment that the ballpark factor does not work against him. The $11,000 price tag on DraftKings is expensive, but Burns has the floor and ceiling to justify anchoring your pitching slot around him in both cash and tournament formats. If you are new to the platform, snag the DraftKings promo code before locking in tonight’s slate. Expect ownership to settle around 35 to 40 percent, which is high — but not high enough to fade him.

Shota Imanaga, SP — Chicago Cubs (FanDuel: $9,800)

Imanaga’s surface-level numbers have taken a hit over the last month, but the underlying data tells a significantly better story. His 2026 season line reads 4-6 with a 4.44 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 81 innings, which at first glance does not scream value. But his expected ERA sits at 3.69, his xFIP comes in at 3.82, and his SIERA is 3.66 — all pointing to a pitcher who has been somewhat unlucky and is due to stabilize.

The matchup tonight is about as favorable as it gets for a left-handed starter. The Colorado Rockies rank dead last in wRC+ against left-handed pitching at just 66 this season, with a 27.3 percent strikeout rate against lefties. In the previous 30 days, Colorado is posting a 61 wRC+ with a 28.2 percent strikeout rate overall. At Wrigley Field tonight with the Cubs installed as heavy -210 favorites and the game total set at nine runs, Imanaga has genuine strikeout and win-equity upside. Check the FanDuel promo code if you are new to FanDuel and want to take advantage of tonight’s slate. Imanaga at $9,800 on FanDuel is an excellent SP2 option that allows you to pay down slightly from Burns while maintaining elite matchup quality.

Nick Kurtz, 1B — Oakland Athletics (DraftKings: $6,300)

The Athletics are back at Sutter Health Park tonight after a stretch of road games, and that is where things get interesting for DFS purposes. Their temporary home ballpark remains one of the most offense-friendly environments in all of baseball, and tonight they face a starter — Jared Jones — who has struggled significantly in his three starts this season, posting a 4.73 ERA, 5.24 expected ERA, and a 4.00 xFIP. Jones has been especially vulnerable to left-handed batters, surrendering a .505 wOBA to them in 2026. The game total is set at 10.5 runs with the Athletics installed as -130 favorites.

Kurtz has been one of the most productive young bats in baseball this season. In 320 plate appearances, he has launched 16 home runs with 49 runs scored, 52 RBI, and seven stolen bases. His .438 OBP, .250 ISO, .418 wOBA, and 166 wRC+ all rank among the elite hitters in the American League. Keep an eye on the live MLB odds as the Sutter Health Park total has been one of the highest on the board all week. At $6,300 on DraftKings, Kurtz provides premium production at a price that leaves room to spend up at pitcher and fit in mid-tier hitters alongside him. He is the type of player who can go for 30-plus DraftKings points in a plus environment like tonight’s, and the A’s stack as a whole deserves serious attention.

Yordan Alvarez, OF/DH — Houston Astros (DraftKings: $6,200)

Alvarez is one of the most dangerous bats in baseball regardless of matchup, and tonight he enters with momentum on his side. He is riding a five-game hitting streak with two home runs, a walk, and six RBI over that stretch. On the season, the Astros designated hitter leads Houston with a .326 batting average, .433 OBP, and a .651 slugging percentage — which ranks first among qualified hitters in all of baseball. His 24 home runs and 54 RBI through 72 games project to monster full-season totals.

Tonight he bats second in Houston’s order against Detroit’s Troy Melton (3-0, 2.81 ERA), which is not the softest matchup on the board. Melton has been solid out of the Detroit rotation. But Alvarez at $6,200 on DraftKings is actually one of the better value plays at the premium price tier — he was over $6,500 earlier this season, and his current salary has not fully caught up with his production. When you are building around Burns, Alvarez gives you a bat that can win your lineup on his own regardless of what the rest of the field does. You can find more opportunities through our DFS promotions page if you are looking to enter tonight’s slate on a budget.

Royce Lewis, 1B/3B — Minnesota Twins (DraftKings: $2,900)

Lewis was recalled from Triple-A in early June and has done nothing but rake since returning to the big league lineup. From June 6 through June 13, he went 10-for-23 (.435) with three home runs, four runs scored, four RBI, two doubles, and a stolen base over six consecutive games with at least one hit. His .414 OBP, .423 ISO, .503 wOBA, and 225 wRC+ over that stretch are all elite marks that suggest he is locked in at the plate right now.

At $2,900 on DraftKings, Lewis is essentially priced as a seat-filler. The algorithm has not yet repriced him after the hot streak, which creates a rare opportunity where one of the hottest hitters in baseball is available at a punt-tier cost. Even against MacKenzie Gore and the Rangers tonight, the raw production Lewis has shown over the past week makes him a near-lock in GPP lineups and a strong consideration in cash games. Browse our DFS reviews for platform comparisons if you want to see where his ownership is tracking across different sites.

Building Your Lineup

Tonight’s salary structure rewards a straightforward build: anchor with Burns at $11,000, pay down slightly at your second pitcher with Imanaga ($9,800 on FanDuel) or use that slot for a mid-tier arm, and fill your lineup with a core of Kurtz, Alvarez, and Lewis. That combination checks the boxes of elite pitching, a premium stud hitter, a mid-range power bat at a hitter-friendly park, and a punt play generating near-elite production.

For stacking, the Cubs are the most attractive team on the slate given the Rockies’ vulnerability against left-handed pitching and the 9.0-run game total. Pete Crow-Armstrong and other Chicago bats who sit against Michael Lorenzen — who carries a 7.54 ERA and 5.67 xERA this season — are worth considering alongside Imanaga in tournament lineups. The Athletics stack is also compelling given Sutter Health Park’s run environment and a 10.5-run total. In cash games, prioritize confirmed starting lineups before finalizing your roster, and keep Lewis as a near-universal play at $2,900 until his pricing gets corrected.