MLB PrizePicks Player Predictions: Sunday (6/23)

We were mostly right once again on Saturday, recording a 2-1 day for what seems like the umpteenth time of the year. Zack Wheeler smashed his strikeout total while Justyn-Henry Malloy fell well short of his line as expected. Somehow, I missed on Nick Castellanos terribly (and the entire Phillies line for that matter). Vegas and PrizePicks must have known something the public did not, as Philadelphia eviscerated Arizona to the tune of 12 runs backed by the core of their lineup. Castellanos himself homered and drove in five runs, taunting me on my couch as he rounded the bases. Nothing we can do now but pick ourselves up from that one and try to bounce back with a perfect Sunday weekend finish.

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Sunday’s Best MLB PrizePicks Player Predictions

Current Overall Record: 39-24-2

Cristopher Sanchez More Than 4.5 Strikeouts

If Zack Wheeler can do it, why not Cristopher Sanchez? Sanchez has proven to be a hidden gem for the Phillies this year and a darling fantasy asset for owners who snagged him in the final rounds of their drafts. He currently sits in the top 15 in league ERA backed by his great stuff that limits batters and allows him to pitch deep into games. The Phillies just rewarded the 27-year-old with a four-year contract extension on Saturday. He will surely want to reward his team as he steps up to face the Diamondbacks later today.

A combination of Philadelphia being big favorites and Arizona's lineup scuffling (and striking out a ton) of late should help culminate success for the southpaw on Sunday. Sanchez has eclipsed 4.5 strikeouts in eight of his 14 starts in 2024. He has a great shot of adding to that total in this one.

Logan Webb More Than 5.0 Strikeouts

I try to save my Logan Webb picks as this guy has yet to let me down on a player prediction, but a 5.0 strikeout total for Sunday is too juicy to pass up. Webb is a model of consistency and a rare hurler in today's age who is a near auto-lock for extended innings each appearance he makes. For reference, Webb has lasted at least six innings in each of his last eight starts dating back to May 10.

The veteran's strikeout numbers have also been right in line with his innings as he's gone six, five, six, eight, six, six, five and five across that timeframe. The Cardinals are another team that has been scuffling lately when it comes to the swing and miss, averaging over 10 punchouts as a team across their last three games. A tried-and-true veteran like Webb should have no issue eclipsing this mark on Sunday as the Giants will look to split the quick two-game series.

Nick Senzel More Than 0.5 Hitter Strikeouts

Journeyman Nick Senzel is in year one with the Washington Nationals but not much has changed with his bat. He has been getting plenty of opportunities lately but has produced poor results with an emphasis on the swing and miss. Through 55 June at-bats, Senzel has already struck out 15 times, including at least once in each of his last three games played.

Senzel has been a perennial "swing-and-misser" since entering the big leagues in 2019, posting north of a 20% strikeout rate in three of his six seasons. His 2024 mark of 22.8% is the second-worst of his career, while his accompanying hitting metrics are amongst some of the lowest ranked in the league.

All that said, Senzel has been batting in the middle of the order for the Nationals for some time now. Playing in Coors Field on Sunday should benefit his chances of striking out. More offense naturally leads to more at-bats, and Senzel needs to be able to put the bat on the ball if he is going to do anything with it against the Rockies. There doesn't seem to be much hope for Senzel to escape Sunday's affair punchout-free with the way he's been swinging in 2024.

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Sunday: