FanDuel Pitching Primer: Thursday 6/29/23

Nailing the pitcher slot is the first step to having success in MLB DFS on FanDuel.

While it's possible to cash if you get a bad outing from a starter, it's markedly easier to do so when you get a good or excellent showing from your pitcher, and it's darn near impossible to take down a contest without a big score from your hurler.

Weighing the importance of a pitcher's skill, salary, matchup, and park factors is the game within the game in MLB DFS. This piece is your home for a breakdown of the top pitching options on today's slate.

All betting references come from the MLB odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Top Option

Max Scherzer ($9,700)

Max Scherzer is unquestionably the best option of tonight's slate.

The New York Mets starter is set to take on the Milwaukee Brewers and should be able to continue his recent good stretch. In Scherzer's last two starts, the right-handed pitcher has allowed one and two runs with eight strikeouts to go along with it in each game. He's had a few blemishes this season but otherwise has remained the dominant pitcher we've come accustomed to.

While he is sporting a 3.95 ERA, Scherzer has been better than that with a 3.70 skill-interactive ERA (SIERA). Scherzer's strikeout rate of 26.2% is the lowest it's been since 2011 but still would rank top 25 amongst starters this season. Taking on the Brewers, he should be able to push that number higher.

The Brewers have a 25.8% strikeout rate, the third highest in baseball. Mix in the team's 27th-ranked weighted on-base average (wOBA) of a .298 to know that Scherzer registers as the only clear top option of the night.

numberFire's model has Scherzer projected for 36.2 FanDuel points, which is the most out of any pitcher on tonight's slate.

Value Play

Chris Bassitt ($8,900)

The top value on the night will be Toronto Blue Jays hurler Chris Bassitt.

Bassitt hasn't been the usual great middle-of-the-rotation option that we're used to seeing in 2023, but he remains a solid option for both DFS lineups and the Blue Jays. The righty is sporting a 4.31 expected fielding independent pitching (xFIP) and a SIERA that is up to 4.52.

The San Francisco Giants are a good offensive team this season but they strike out a lot. San Francisco's 25.0% strikeout rate is the fourth most in the majors, giving a guy like Bassitt a chance to get some big numbers.

We know who Bassitt is as a pitcher even if this season hasn't been his best, so the Giants' .324 wOBA shouldn't scare DFS players if they want a value who can come through tonight.

Bassitt is projected for the second-most points according to numberFire, sitting at 27.7 FanDuel points.

Tournament Option

Taijuan Walker ($9,500)

The only other option worth considering for the slate today is Taijuan Walker.

Walker has had a fine season in his first season with the Philadelphia Phillies but has not pitched to the level they were expecting when they went out of their way to sign him in the offseason. The Phillies starter has a 4.58 SIERA on the season but his performances in June have made him at least an option worth considering against the Chicago Cubs.

In the month of June, Walker has a 24.3% strikeout rate -- higher than any other month so far -- and a 3.37 fielding independent pitching (FIP) through 30 innings pitched. He'll want to end the month on a high note.

The Cubs are striking out the eighth most in the majors at a 24.1% rate but do have a respectable offense based on their .320 wOBA (14th) and 100 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) (15th), but are by no means an elite offense either.

Walker is projected for 25.8 FanDuel points, the third highest per numberFire's model.

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.