3 MLB Studs to Target for Friday 8/4/23

Hitting on value plays in MLB DFS on FanDuel can make or break a lineup on any given day, but locking in strong performances with some of baseball's star players provides the backbone for any good DFS lineup.

These stars rightly come with high salaries as they usually live up to expectations and have the ability to outclass their peers at their position.

Here are three studs to target for Friday's main slate.

All advanced statistics come from FanGraphs. All projections via numberFire.

Luis Castillo, SP, Seattle Mariners ($10,700)

In his seventh Major League season, Luis Castillo is pitching with a purpose for the Seattle Mariners. At the moment, his season strikeout total is still top-10 in MLB (149), which could translate well on Friday night at the Los Angeles Angels, all while these two sides are currently clawing through the heart of the AL Wild Card race.

As mentioned, Castillo has been prolific in the strikeout category this year. With a K-rate of 28.3% in 2023, he is a solid DFS selection almost any time he takes the mound. Castillo's SIERA in 2023 is at 3.51, which is one of the best marks of his career.

Versus the Angels, Castillo has made two prior starts this season -- back on June 9th as well as April 4th. In those two starts, Castillo notched a total of 16 punchouts, including 10 K in the more recent head-to-head meeting. Simply, his average output against the Halos this season has been 42.00 FanDuel points.

numberFire projects Castillo to produce 35.8 points on FanDuel tonight -- the second-highest total of any player on the slate. When you also consider that the Angels strikeout third-most in the American League (at 9.25 K per game), Castillo seems to be in an advantageous DFS spot on Friday.

Juan Soto, OF, San Diego Padres ($4,100)

Highlighting another divisional clash tonight, the San Diego Padres are set to host their northern rival -- the Los Angeles Dodgers -- in a three-game series this weekend. As the Friars club leader in homers (23), RBI (70) and OPS (.951) this season, Juan Soto seems primed for a favorable night at Petco Park.

Against the Dodgers, Soto will first see rookie right-handed starting pitcher Bobby Miller on Friday. When facing righties this year, Soto's OPS jumps up to 1.034 in the split. However, Soto and the rest of the Padres starting lineup have never seen Miller.

Whichever perspective you hold, Soto is undeniably hot right now. In his past four games, he has collected a total of nine hits, three homers, and seven RBI. Of course, he still leads the Majors in bases on balls -- he is drawing 0.9 walks per game in 2023.

Kyle Schwarber, OF, Philadelphia Phillies ($3,800)

Like Soto, Kyle Schwarber is another slugging lefty that earns bases on balls at a high frequency. To date, his 80 walks drawn this season are second-most after Soto's 98. On Friday, Schwarber and the Philadelphia Phillies show a lucrative matchup against the Kansas City Royals.

Immediately, Schwarber will yield the platoon advantage over Kansas City hurler, Jordan Lyles. Not only does Lyles have a lofty 5.17 SIERA in the current campaign, but Schwarber's dominance against right-handed pitching is well-documented; through nearly nine MLB seasons, Schwarber has a lifetime .867 OPS in the split. He also has taken Lyles deep once in his career. At the moment, Schwarber is still displaying a bruising Statcast hard-hit rate of 46.3%, which typically leads to positive outcomes for any batter.

On Friday, Schwarber will be back home at the hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park after a seven-game road trip -- I think Schwarber hits a few right on the screws tonight. Additionally, Friday should be warm in Philly, which will increase the baseball's carry. Considering Lyles is allowing fly balls at an accelerated rate of 49.2% in 2023, Schwarber and the Phils appear poised to do damage.

numberFire sees it the same way, as their model has Schwarber producing 14.9 FanDuel points: most of all eligible DFS batters tonight. Also, numberFire's game projections show the Phillies with the highest nightly run total of all 28 teams in action (5.65).

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.