3 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target for Thursday 7/6/23

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 Thursday's main slate.

All advanced statistics via FanGraphs.

Nathan Eovaldi, SP, Texas Rangers ($9,900)

Sporting a 10-3 record in 2023 with 106 punchouts, Nathan Eovaldi has been on. Considering the absence of Jacob deGrom, Eovaldi is currently the undisputed ace of the Texas Rangers. On Thursday, they are set for a rubber match against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

numberFire projects 32.6 FanDuel points from Eovaldi tonight -- tied (with Tanner Bibee) for most of any player on the slate. In Eovaldi's 12th MLB season, he is on pace to log his most innings pitched over any single year. Currently at 112.1 innings (tops in the American League), Eovaldi is averaging 6.6 innings pitched per start in 2023.

Eovaldi seems like a safe choice against the Bo-Sox. Only one player in Boston's projected starting lineup has lifetime at-bats against Eovaldi: journeyman Adam Duvall. Also, Eovaldi's ground-ball rate of 51.7% is his best mark since 2015.

He has been masterful from a DFS standpoint in five of his past six starts, averaging 35.5 FanDuel points over that span. Let it ride tonight with Eovaldi.

Jose Ramirez, 3B, Cleveland Guardians ($3,800)

Jose Ramirez is still seeing the baseball well in Year 11. Having just received his fifth career AL All-Star selection, Ramirez currently leads all Major League third basemen in OPS at .863. He is also pacing the Cleveland Guardians in homers (13), doubles (22) and slugging percentage (.502).

Ramirez has shown incredible consistency at the plate in 2023. At the moment, he is striking out less frequently than ever: Ramirez' K-rate is only 9.8%, the lowest of his career.

The Guardians will be facing the division rival Kansas City Royals on Thursday, which means Ramirez will see righty starting pitcher Jordan Lyles (6.68 ERA). Ramirez is 4-for-7 against Lyles throughout his career, notching one RBI in that small sample. Additionally, Ramirez's career OPS is 50 points better against right-handed pitching, which can be typical for a switch-hitter.

numberFire's model predicts 13.1 FanDuel points out of Ramirez against the Royals. Among third basemen tonight, Ramirez yields the highest projected total.

Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets ($4,100)

The "Polar Bear" Pete Alonso has had mixed results in the batter's box this year, but his home run and RBI potential warrants DFS consideration on a nightly basis. His 25 long balls are second-most in the Senior Circuit right now.

Still, like his New York Mets, Alonso has endured some frustrations this season. The Metropolitans are in next-to-last in the NL East, and Alonso is having a tough time getting on base (.307 OBP in 2023). But I like his chances against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight in a hitter-friendly venue.

numberFire projects Alonso to produce 12.6 FanDuel points, which is the second-highest total among first basemen on Thursday. As mentioned, Chase Field in downtown Phoenix is a noted hitter's ballpark. At 1,100 feet above sea level, it is the second-highest elevated MLB stadium after Coors Field.

With the young Ryne Nelson on the mound, Alonso seems like a profitable choice.

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.