Daily Strikeout Leader: Cristian Javier Can Get Back on Track
Each day on FanDuel Sportsbook, there is no shortage of MLB odds to sift through, and you're likely familiar with a lot of them. That includes strikeout props, which are entertaining because they add importance to each pitch.
FanDuel Sportsbook has cranked that up a few notches with its daily strikeout leader market. Not only do you need your guys to rack up Ks -- you need them to get more punchouts than any of the day's other starting pitchers.
Here are today's odds in that market along with some key strikeout numbers -- including strikeouts per start (K/Start), strikeout rate (K%), and called-strike-plus-whiff rate (CSW%).
The Top Tier
We have four hurlers listed at +850 or shorter to lead the day in punchouts. While none of them is my favorite wager today, all four check some boxes.
Of the four, Zack Wheeler (+550) makes the most sense. The matchup isn't an easy one against the Toronto Blue Jays, but Wheeler has the best strikeout numbers on the slate, leading all of the night's starters in strikeout rate (27.2%) and Ks per start (6.7). He's a deserving favorite.
Bailey Ober (+750) definitely has a better matchup and is worth a look, too. The Detroit Tigers have been miserable versus righties all year, and nothing has changed of late as the Tigers have the seventh-highest K rate (25.3%) over the last 14 days. Ober faced the Tigers in his last start and fanned nine. He's struck out at least eight in three of his past eight starts.
The Midrange
I really like this next tier because they come at bigger numbers but aren't extreme long-shots. I'm particularly drawn to Cristian Javier (+1000) and Jordan Montgomery (+1200).
Javier came into the year in the AL Cy Young conversation after recording a 33.2% strikeout rate and 3.14 skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) in 2022. Things haven't gone well for him as he's struggled to a 4.77 SIERA and 22.4% K rate. He can come through tonight, though, in a matchup with the Miami Marlins, a team that is just 24th in wOBA (.303) versus right-handers.
Montgomery is facing the Los Angeles Angels. The Halos are slumping hard, sitting dead last in wOBA (.252) in August with the second-highest strikeout rate (28.2%) in that time. With a 21.3% strikeout rate, Montgomery isn't usually a high-strikeout pitcher, but the matchup undoubtedly gives his K outlook a big boost.
An Enticing Long-Shot
Rookie Bobby Miller (+2400) catches my attention. The stuff is there as his average fastball velocity is 99.2 MPH. The gas hasn't translated to big strikeout numbers (22.6% K rate), but he can have a day against the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee owns the 12th-highest strikeout rate (23.3%) versus righties along with the sixth-worst wOBA (.303) in the split.
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