Underdog Fantasy MLB Picks July 30: Tarik Skubal Faces The Miami Marlins
Yesterday is behind us, and it’s time for a great Sunday. After crunching the numbers and sifting through the data, I’ve identified my favorite MLB player props for Sunday, July 30. My best bets of the day on Underdog Fantasy feature Tarik Skubal on the mound for the Detroit Tigers, Yan Gomes facing Steven Matz and the St. Louis Cardinals, and phenom infielder Elly De La Cruz. Don't forget to check out the latest MLB weather report and the confirmed MLB lineups when placing those MLB betting picks, and our MLB daily projections and MLB Batter vs Pitcher page will help uncover the best matchups for MLB player props and your MLB DFS lineups. Let's dive into the top MLB player picks on Underdog Fantasy for Sunday, July 30th.
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers - LESS than 1.5 Walks Allowed
Since returning from injury, Skubal has been great for Detroit, posting a 3.71 ERA (1.28 FIP) with a 23:3 K/BB ratio across four starts (17 IP). The southpaw has walked more than one batter in just one start this season, and he’s been great at not only filling up the zone, but generating swings outside of the zone as well. In the month of July, while the Marlins have hit lefties very, very well, they haven’t taken many free passes, posting the ninth-lowest walk rate (7.1%) this month versus southpaws. For the 2023 season as a whole against lefties, no team has a lower walk rate than the Marlins, coming in at 6.6 percent.
Yan Gomes, Chicago Cubs - MORE than 0.5 Singles
Gomes is seeing a beach ball at the plate right now, as he’s slashing .353/.389/.676 over his last nine games, hitting safely in eight of them. The key here is the matchup, as Gomes gets to face a lefty, and one that hasn’t been all that good in Steven Matz. Gomes has hit lefties at a .287 clip this season with a .363 wOBA and 129 wRC+. Matz has pitched better of late, but righties have a .292 average and .351 wOBA against him this season. Gomes is making a ton of contact of late, he’s on the best side of his splits, and all we need is one single from the veteran backstop.
Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds - MORE than 1.5 Total Bases
De La Cruz may be slumping a bit of late, but this is a gut call, as all the numbers point to De La Cruz having the upper hand, even if he’s not streaking at the moment. He’s hit safely in five of his last six, and when his bat finds the ball, the chance for high quality contact is always in play. Michael Grove gets the ball for the Dodgers today, and he’s been bludgeoned by left-handed hitters this season, to the tune of a .333/.415/.556 slash line, not to mention only a 17.1 percent strikeout rate.De La Cruz has an .827 OPS and .231 ISO against right-handed pitching this season, and over his last six games, he’s posting a 22 degree launch angle and 18.8 percent barrel rate. We love left-handed bats against Michael Grove, and that remains the case today with De La Cruz.
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