3 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target for Thursday 6/15/23

In daily fantasy baseball on FanDuel, finding and utilizing productive high-salary players is integral to building a successful lineup.

In terms of hitters, we're looking for individuals with big numbers, favorable matchups, and fellow players around them who are likely to produce, as well, increasing our chances for runs and RBI. For pitchers, we want high strikeout totals. Still, the ability to labor deep into a game while earning a win is also valuable.

With high-salary picks playing such a crucial 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.

Thursday's main slate features seven games.

Sonny Gray, SP, Minnesota Twins ($10,100)

At age 33, veteran right hander Sonny Gray is enjoying one of the finest seasons of his career.

From the jump, his 2.25 ERA certainly stands out; that is the third-best mark in the Majors right now. Additionally, Gray has been proficient in the strikeout department, punching out 9.5 hitters per nine innings. On Thursday, Gray and his Minnesota Twins are facing the Detroit Tigers.

Detroit has been one of the worst offensive sides in MLB this season, currently sporting a league-worst .660 OPS. numberFire's model projects Gray for 31.8 FanDuel points on Thursday evening, which is the fourth-highest number from any of today's scheduled players. Worth mentioning: Gray went 2-0 versus the Tigers last season in two games started, combining for 17 strikeouts and only 1 earned run.

Gray will also get the benefit of pitching at home on Thursday. Inside Minneapolis' Target Field, his K/BB rate is much better, showing 5.56 at home versus 1.53 on the road.

Matt Olson, 1B, Atlanta Braves ($3,800)

One of the most feared left-handed hitters in Major League Baseball, Matt Olson and the Atlanta Braves are set to take on Kyle Freeland and the Colorado Rockies. With the Braves playing at home, the big first baseman is a reliable selection for DFS on Thursday.

numberFire's model projects Olson to net 14.3 FanDuel points, which is the best on today's board among all position players. When you consider his home run and RBI production in 2023 (both within top-10), that makes complete sense. Against Freeland, Olson does not have jaw-dropping success, but he does have a homer over eight lifetime at-bats.

As an added boost, Olson is walking at the highest frequency of his career (14.9% rate). That has helped contribute to his 46 runs scored this year, which is currently ninth-most in MLB. He is also clobbering the baseball right now. With 18 home runs, Olson boasts a staggering overall hard-hit rate of 55.4% in 2023, per Statcast, which is another career-best mark if the campaign ended today.

Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros ($3,900)

Slugging second baseman Jose Altuve sustained a fractured thumb in the World Baseball Classic last March. Because of that, his 2023 season with the Houston Astros was delayed until mid-May. We are now roughly a month into Altuve's return, and his plate appearances have begun to look sharp as of late as he's combined for six hits -- including two doubles -- and six runs across his past four games.

Altuve will be facing Washington Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore on Thursday. The veteran second baseman showcases a career OPS of .891 versus left-handed pitching (1,881 plate appearances).

Gore isn't having a bad year, but he leaves the platoon advantage in Altuve's favor. For his career, Gore gives five times more home runs to right-handed hitters than he has lefties.

With the game set for Houston's Minute Maid Park (providing that shortened left-field Crawford box), Altuve could have a big night in this matchup. numberFire predicts him to total 11.7 FanDuel points.

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.