3 FanDuel MLB Studs to Target for Wednesday 7/19/23

In daily fantasy baseball on FanDuel, rostering the right high-salaried studs is an important aspect of building lineups.

For hitters, we're looking for guys with big numbers, strong matchups, and players around them who are likely to produce, as well, increasing our chances for runs and RBI. For pitchers, we want big strikeout numbers, while the ability to go deep in a game and pick up a win is also valuable.

With these high-salary picks playing such a big role in your lineup, you can't afford to miss on these guys, so let's take a look at a few top high-salary plays for Wednesday's main slate.

Remember, yesterday showcased 12 different teams scoring 10 or more runs -- a modern era record (over bettors rejoice). Let's see what we will be in store for today ...

All advanced statistics via FanGraphs.

Luis Castillo, SP, Seattle Mariners ($10,500)

Luis Castillo has been up-and-down in the win-loss department (6-7) in his first full season with the Seattle Mariners, however, he is still collecting strikeouts at a proficient clip. Through 19 starts in 2023, Castillo is showing a K% of 26.9%, which has him over 120 total punchouts (122) on the year.

Despite a mediocre pitching record, Castillo's ability to create unproductive outs has led to his stingy skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) of 3.66. That could play favorably in a Wednesday night home game against the Minnesota Twins.

Inside Seattle's T-Mobile Park, Castillo is holding opposing batters to a .592 collective OPS compared to .748 OPS on the road. Additionally, Minnesota goes down on strikes more than any lineup in baseball at the moment. The Twins have struck out 975 times this season, or 10.2 Ks per game.

At numberFire, Castillo is projected to output the highest FanDuel DFS point total of any available player on Wednesday. In an advantageous situation, feel confident about Castillo at any salary.

Ronald Acuna Jr., OF, Atlanta Braves ($4,800)

Showing as a staggering favorite in the 2023 NL MVP odds market at FanDuel Sportsbook, Ronald Acuna Jr. (-650) of the Atlanta Braves has all but won the award. On Wednesday, he is looking close out a fierce series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and righty starting pitcher Ryne Nelson.

Tuesday evening between these sides at Truist Field showcased a historic scoring output, with the D-Backs edging out Atlanta, 16-13. In that contest, Acuna was 2-5 with two runs scored -- I'll take that production any night.

When facing right-handed pitching, the Braves are the most dangerous team in baseball. This season, Atlanta's active roster shows a collective OPS of .824, which is the highest clip in the Majors. Simply, Acuna should be left in favorable spots to both score and drive in runs with high frequency.

Acuna is projected to produce 13.1 FanDuel points against Arizona on Wednesday, per numberFire. Batting atop Atlanta's potent lineup, understand that there is always boom potential.

Kyle Schwarber, OF, Philadelphia Phillies ($3,500)

Salaried modestly at $3,500 on FanDuel, Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies may not appear to be your conventional stud on Wednesday. Still, the slugging lefty is in the midst of an impressive long ball streak that would be foolish to ignore.

Schwarber has homered in four consecutive days, collecting eight total RBI in that span. After smashing the first pitch he saw on Tuesday over the left-center field wall, he will get another look at the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.

Typically in the leadoff spot, Schwarber will get his fair share of at-bats against Milwaukee's righty starter Colin Rea. Showing a lofty SIERA of 4.56, Rea has not been his most productive in 2023.

Receiving both platoon and home field advantages, I believe Schwarber is poised to continue his recent dominance in the batter's box.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.