Following a fun weekend in Major League Baseball, we're back for another Monday evening of MLB player props and MLB picks! We have plenty of interesting matchups and series starting up tonight with tons of ways to go for MLB bets and MLB Underdog picks. Tonight's top MLB picks on Underdog Fantasy feature Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan taking on the Texas Rangers and Miami Marlins pitcher Jesus Luzardo facing the St. Louis Cardinals. Check out these free MLB player props and MLB daily picks on Underdog Fantasy for “Pick'Em” contests tonight. Don't forget to check out the latest MLB weather report and the confirmed MLB lineups when placing those MLB betting picks. Plus, the MLB daily projections and MLB Batter vs Pitcher page will help you find the best matchups for MLB player props and MLB DFS lineups. Let's dive into the top MLB player picks on Underdog Fantasy for Monday, July 17th.

 

MLB Underdog Fantasy Top Picks July 17

Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays – UNDER 5.5 Strikeouts

Shane McClanahan will return to the Tampa Bay Rays’ rotation for the first time since exiting his June 30 start early due to back tightness. That alone should give us some pause when it comes to his player props. The time off could end up being a great thing for McClanahan, but this is still a guy who’s had his last two outings cut short. We may see him have a short leash again or have the back flare up. In terms of strikeouts, the left-hander’s K’s have been down recently anyway. McClanahan has gone under 5.5 K’s in five straight starts coming into tonight. Plus, he isn’t as dominant on the road with a 25.8% K rate away from the Trop and a 30.0% K rate at home. He’s gone under 5.5 K’s in four of the last six road outings. Then there’s this matchup against a lefty-smashing Texas Rangers lineup. This Rangers offense boasts a .362 wOBA, .295 BA, and a low 20.7% K rate vs left-handed pitching this season. Over the past two weeks of games, they have a .383 wOBA, .319 BA, and 20.3% K rate vs lefties as well. It’s tough to see McClanahan get to 6+ strikeouts with so many signs pointing to the under. 

Jesus Luzardo, Miami Marlins – OVER 6.0 Strikeouts

This strikeout line is weirdly low for someone who’s been consistently punching out more lately. Maybe Underdog Fantasy and the sportsbooks have it this low for a reason, but the over still looks like good value. Jesus Luzardo has 7+ strikeouts in nine of his past 11 starts. The Miami Marlins left-hander also has 8+ K’s in four straight outings and six of his last eight. Even though he has better K stuff at home, he’s still gone over this prop in three of his last five road starts. As for this matchup, Luzardo will face a St. Louis Cardinals offense that can hit lefties well but also strikes out plenty. The Cards have a 23.9% K rate vs left-handed pitching this season (10th-worst). Since June 18th, their strikeout rate vs lefties has jumped to 28.4% despite also having a .347 wOBA in the split. We’ll take the strikeouts here and pounce on this over for Luzardo. He punched out eight vs St. Louis earlier this month and could easily replicate that number. 

 

MLB Best Bets

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