Payton Tolle Underdog MLB Picks Today, 8/31: Baseball Projections + More

Monday's top two Underdog plays feature two of baseball's better rookie stories this season, both pitching in favorable strikeout environments tonight, for Underdog Fantasy. Before you lock in your Higher or Lower calls, cross-check the numbers with our MLB Player Prop Tool and track how our staff is doing on the board with the MLB Expert Picks Tracker.

Payton Tolle MLB Underdog Fantasy Pick: Higher than 6.5 Strikeouts

Tolle has been excellent in his rookie season, backing an 8-6 record and a 3.09 ERA with 141 strikeouts across 125.1 innings, a 10.1 K/9 pace among the better marks in the American League. His last outing against Miami produced two runs allowed over 5.1 innings, keeping his season-long consistency intact. Seattle carries a 24.2 percent strikeout rate against left-handed pitching, a favorable matchup for a pitcher who has missed bats at an elite level all season. Pitching at home at Fenway Park, where his numbers have been especially strong, gives him a clear path to clearing this number.

Michael King MLB Underdog Fantasy Pick: Higher than 5.5 Strikeouts

King has quietly been one of the more durable arms in the National League, backing an 8-9 record and 3.23 ERA with 135 strikeouts across 156 innings this season. His last outing was a gem, working seven scoreless innings against Paul Skenes and the Pirates while striking out seven and escaping a bases-loaded jam in the first inning. Cincinnati carries a 25.5 percent strikeout rate against right-handed pitching, an excellent matchup for his sinker-cutter mix. That combination of a dominant recent outing and a premium strikeout environment gives him a clear path to clearing this number.

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