3 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target for Thursday 6/8/23

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 today's main slate.

Zack Wheeler, SP, Philadelphia Phillies ($10,800)

Zack Wheeler has been one of the better pitchers in the National League since joining the Philadelphia Phillies. His ERA is up from what it's been in previous seasons, but there are reasons to believe that positive regression is coming.

Wheeler is currently sporting a 4.33 ERA, his highest since 2017. However, when looking at his peripheral numbers, Wheelers' strikeout rate is identical to what he had last season, when he posted a 2.82 ERA. His fielding independent pitching (FIP) is the second-lowest of his career at 2.85.

He definitely can lower that ERA today when he faces the Detroit Tigers. Detroit is the worst offense in baseball against right-handed pitching, sitting in last in both weighted on-base average (wOBA) and weighted runs created plus (wRC+). They also strike out at the sixth-highest rate versus righties.

Detroit's implied team total is the lowest on today's slate. Wheeler carries the third-highest salary for a pitcher on the main slate but has the best projection, according to numberFire's model. Wheeler is definitely the top pitcher to target, as he and the Phillies are the night's biggest favorite, per the MLB odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Yordan Alvarez, OF, Houston Astros, ($4,300)

We liked Yordan Alvarez earlier this week, and he delivered with a home run. Why not go back to him today? He's one of the best power hitters in the game and is dangerous whenever he steps up to the plate.

Alvarez currently ranks fourth in the majors in isolated slugging percentage at .308 and has 17 homers. He's also fifth in wOBA and fourth in home runs. A few years ago, it may have been surprising to learn that Alvarez would turn out to be the best hitter in a loaded Houston Astros lineup, but it's basically an accepted fact at this point.

Alvarez and the Astros wrap up their series against the Toronto Blue Jays tonight. The ever-erratic Jose Berrios will be on the mound for Toronto. He's started to turn things around this season but can struggle with control issues. He gave up the third-most homers per nine innings last season, so he is prone to giving up the long-ball.

Sitting at the top of numberFire's hitter projections, Alvarez is always fun to roster as he has the potential for multiple home runs in any game.

Matt Olson, 1B, Atlanta Braves ($4,000)

Matt Olson did an admirable job of filling in for Freddie Freeman last year in his first season with the Atlanta Braves. This year, he's doing even better.

Like Alvarez, Olson also has 17 dingers this season. His wOBA and wRC+ are both better than last season. Olson's Statcast data is also elite. He is barreling the ball -- meaning getting the proper exit velocity and launch angle for a home run -- at the second-highest clip in the major leagues. Only Aaron Judge has done that at a higher rate than Olson this season.

The Braves are once again hosting the division-rival New York Mets. The Mets are using Justin Verlander as their starter tonight, and he's finally begun to show that he's not ageless. The 40-year-old has his highest ERA since 2014 and has allowed six home runs in just 36 innings so far.

The Braves have the highest-implied team total on the slate, and Olson makes for a great play in any format.

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.