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Sleeper Fantasy Promo: Paul Skenes only needs 1 strikeout vs. Cardinals for users to win
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Sleeper Fantasy has hundreds of picks available on a nightly basis involving the MLB slate. But a slate in which former LSU star Paul Skenes is pitching only comes along once every few days.
The No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft didn’t take long to reach the majors, making his debut on May 11 of this year. In 5 starts, he’s posted a 3-0 record for the Pittsburgh Pirates to go with a 3.00 ERA and 38 strikeouts in only 27 innings of work.
He’ll be on the mound for Pittsburgh tonight in St. Louis as the Pirates face the Cardinals in NL Central action. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m. ET and can be seen on regional TV affiliates.
Over at Sleeper Fantasy, all Skenes has to do is record 1 strikeout and first-time depositors can win that leg of their contests! Here’s a look at Skenes’ strikeout totals through 5 starts:
- 7 vs. Cubs (May 11)
- 11 vs. Cubs (May 17)
- 3 vs. Giants (May 23)
- 9 vs. Tigers (May 29)
- 8 vs. Dodgers (June 5)
Basically, he’s a near-lock to strike out at least 1 St. Louis hitter tonight.
Use Sleeper Fantasy Promo Code SOUTHXL when you sign up today and you’ll earn a first-time deposit match worth up to $100:
My Picks for Cardinals-Pirates
Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates: Higher than 0.5 strikeouts
As mentioned above, Skenes is a strikeout machine, just like he was at LSU, where he helped the Tigers win the College World Series in 2023. St. Louis is firmly in the middle of the MLB team rankings when it comes to strikeout rate, so the Cardinals might not whiff 10+ times like the Cubs, but at least 1 hitter will likely go down swinging (or looking). If you’re a new users at Sleeper, this promo is a no-brainer.
Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies: Higher than 6.5 strikeouts
The Phillies head to Boston for a game at Fenway Park on Tuesday night. Wheeler has been sharp this season, but hasn’t had great strikeout numbers lately. He’s only reached 7+ strikeouts once in his last 4 outings, but 3 of those starts came against teams with low strikeout rates. The Red Sox, on the other hand, strike out at the third-highest team rate in baseball. I like Wheeler to hit the 7 K threshold tonight.
Triston McKenzie, Cleveland Guardians: Higher than 5.5 strikeouts
To complete this 3-leg strikeout contest, give me the Cleveland starter to look strong in the battle for Ohio against the Cincinnati Reds. McKenzie has been on top of his game lately, recording 9 and 7 strikeouts in his last 2 starts. The Reds are 24th of 30 teams when it comes to strikeout rate. This matchup favors McKenzie, so I’ll ride this pick alongside Wheeler and Skenes.
How Many Picks Should You Make?
Unfortunately, I’m not a first-time Sleeper player, so I don’t qualify for the Skenes free square. Still, I like Skenes to post 8+ strikeouts tonight, so this is the 3-leg entry I’m going with. A $5 entry fee would net $31.75 on a 6.35x multiplier if all of my picks are correct:
Whichever picks you like best, make sure to get them in before first pitch for tonight’s action! And remember to use Sleeper Fantasy Promo Code SOUTHXL when you sign up to score the first-time deposit match worth up to $100:
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.