MLB DFS: Top DraftKings, FanDuel daily Fantasy baseball picks, lineups, advice for Friday, July 18, 2025
SportsLine's Mike McClure, a daily Fantasy pro with over $2 million in winnings, gives optimal MLB DFS lineup advice for Friday, July 18

After Kyle Schwarber stole the show at the 2025 MLB All-Star Game after going a perfect 3-for-3 with home runs in the extra-inning swing-off to win the All-Star Game MVP Award, the Phillies outfielder could be a popular option from the MLB DFS player pool as the 2025 MLB season resumes on Friday. With a full slate of MLB games for daily Fantasy baseball players to pick from when forming MLB DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings for the unofficial beginning of the second half of the 2025 MLB season, there are plenty of well-rested options for Friday MLB DFS picks.
Schwarber was one of five players with at least 30 home runs before the All-Star Break, as the slugging outfielder has already secured his fourth straight 30-home run campaign. He has a .946 OPS with 14 of his 30 homers at home this season as the Phillies resume their season in Philadelphia against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, making him a viable factor in creating a Friday MLB DFS strategy. Before locking in any MLB DFS picks for Friday, be sure to check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine's daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure.
McClure is a daily Fantasy pro who has won more than $2 million in his career. And when it comes to daily Fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Recognized in the book "Fantasy Football (and Baseball) for Smart People: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Fortune" as a top MLB DFS player, McClure's proprietary projection model simulates each game 10,000 times, taking factors such as matchups and recent results into account. This allows him to find the best values on every site.
On Friday, July 11 (when McClure last made MLB DFS picks), McClure highlighted Reds pitcher Chase Burns as one of his top starting pitchers for MLB DFS picks on both sites. The result: Burns allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts over six innings, returning 25.3 points on DraftKings and 46 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups could have been well on the way to a profitable day.
Now, with the 2025 MLB season continuing on Friday, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for July 18. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Friday, July 18
One of McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Friday is Orioles second baseman/shortstop Jackson Holliday, who is $3,800 on DraftKings and $3,200 on FanDuel for MLB DFS lineups. Holliday had at least one hit in six of his last seven games entering the All-Star Break, hitting .345 with a 1.008 OPS over that span. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft is hitting .259 with a .722 OPS in his second MLB season, a vast improvement over a tough rookie season with a .189 batting average and .565 OPS over 60 games. He has 12 home runs over 88 games this year, compared to five home runs last season, as he's showing signs of performing to the level of a No. 1 overall pick.
The Orioles play the Rays, who are starting right-handed pitcher Taj Bradley. The Rays starter has been hit-or-miss lately, allowing five runs or more in three of his last seven games while also allowing one run or fewer in three of those contests. Baltimore scored five runs in 5 1/3 innings against Bradley on June 29. McClure expects more Baltimore offensive success on Friday, making Holliday a quality option at a reasonable price for MLB DFS lineups.
McClure is also rostering Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers ($4,700 on DraftKings and $3,400 on FanDuel). Jeffers entered the MLB All-Star Break on a five-game hitting streak with five RBI over his last four contests. Jeffers had a career-high 21 home runs last season in his fifth MLB season last year, and despite just seven home runs this year, the 28-year-old catcher has a higher OPS (.742) this season.
Jeffers and the Twins resume their season with an ideal matchup against the historically poor Rockies at Coors Field in Colorado. The Rockies are starting Kyle Freeland, who is 1-10 with a 5.44 ERA this season, including a 6.69 ERA at home. Freeland is allowing a .367 batting average and .947 OPS at Coors Field this season, and right-handed hitters like Jeffers are hitting .327 overall against Freeland this season. See McClure's full MLB DFS player pool right here.
How to set your MLB DFS lineups for July 18, 2025
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Friday. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value and he comes at a price that won't break the bank. You can only see who it is, and get the rest of McClure's MLB DFS picks, here.
So who are the top MLB DFS picks for Friday? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure's complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, all from the DFS expert who has won more than $2 million.