As you enjoy some afternoon baseball on this Wednesday, let's take a look at the top MLB Underdog picks and MLB player props for tonight's Major League Baseball schedule. Our top MLB picks on Underdog Fantasy feature strikeout props for New York Mets pitcher Justin Verlander and Minnesota Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda. 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 Wednesday, July 19th.

 

MLB Underdog Fantasy Top Picks July 19

Justin Verlander, New York Mets – UNDER 6.5 Strikeouts

If you’ve been following our Underdog plays this season, you know we’ve faded Justin Verlander a few times already. It seems like age is finally catching up to the 40-year-old pitcher and taking the under on his strikeout props is a profitable strategy. Verlander’s 20.2% K rate and 7.56 K/9 ratio this season are his lowest since 2014. Digging a bit deeper, his 9.5% swinging strike rate, 22.7% whiff rate, and 28.8% chase rate are all the lowest they’ve been in years. The New York Mets right-hander has still been a serviceable starter but he’s not overpowering hitters like we’re used to and, as a result, the strikeouts are down. That brings us to this 6.5 strikeout prop tonight. Verlander has gone under this in seven straight starts and 11 of 13 outings this season. He’s also averaging just 4.8 K’s per start. The Chicago White Sox are about a league-average matchup in terms of strikeout rate vs right-handers this year (23.4%). Verlander may still limit the runs and baserunners, but getting to 7+ strikeouts is a tall task for him in 2023. 

Kenta Maeda, Minnesota Twins – OVER 5.5 Strikeouts

We’ve picked on the Seattle Mariners with strikeout props all season and we’ll do it again tonight. The Mariners’ 25.6% K rate vs right-handed pitching is the MLB’s second-highest this year. Since the All-Star break, their K rate is still at 25.3% vs righties this past week with a low .300 wOBA and .215 BA. Meanwhile, Kenta Maeda has the swing-and-miss-stuff to take advantage of this matchup. Since returning from the IL in late June, Maeda has gone over 5.5 strikeouts in three of his four starts while averaging 6.7 K’s per outing. The Minnesota Twins right-hander also has some strong numbers on the road this season with a 3.15 ERA, 12.15 K/9 ratio, and a 32.5% K rate. Plus, he’s put up the strikeout numbers in similarly favorable matchups. Maeda struck out 9 vs the Royals, 8 vs the Tigers, and 6 vs the Athletics in his recent stretch of starts. 

 

MLB Best Bets

If you are looking for some MLB Best Bets today, check out our MLB betting picks for today's slate of games.

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