Time to spice things up a bit, so for today’s bets, we are going to be focusing on player props, attacking bad teams with little to play for while focusing on players who have been showing out of late:
Twins @ Red Sox Pitcher to Record a Win
Chris Sale has come right in and been a beacon of light for the Red Sox in his two starts since returning from a two-year hiatus on the IL. The talented lefty has picked up a win in each start and has allowed just two ERs in 10 innings with 13 strikeouts. Now he faces a Minnesota team that has exploded for 18 runs in the first two games of this series, but prior to that hadn’t exactly hit the cover off the ball. Without Nelson Cruz and Byron Buxton, the Twins lineup just doesn’t have that dynamic presence to it, especially against an electric LHP like Sale.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox offense has been heating up as of late, scoring 25 runs in its last three games. On Thursday they get to face John Gant, who struggled in a start against the Yankees on August 19th allowing four ERs in 3.1 innings. Gant has spent most of the year as a reliever and really anytime he has to pitch more than two innings he struggles. As long as Sale makes it through the 5th inning the Red Sox should hold a lead and set him up nicely for a third win in three starts. Boston can’t afford to take any games off right now in the tight AL East race so I am looking for them to win easily against the last-place Twins.
Pick: Chris Sale to Record a Win (+110 DK)
Patrick Corbin Total Strikeouts O/U 5.5
In his last start against first-place Milwaukee, Patrick Corbin had one of his best starts in a disappointing season, allowing just one ER in 6.1 IP with seven strikeouts. While his ERA might not reflect it, Corbin has actually pitched very well during the month of August. His K% this month is at a season-high 25.8% and his BB% is easily the lowest of the season at 4.1%. The Marlins offense presents a perfect opportunity for Corbin to continue his recent run of success. Miami has a 27.1 K% over the last two weeks, the 3rd highest in baseball, and has put up just a .285 WOBA and 81 wRC+ in that span. As long as the 32-year old lefty can avoid the big blowup innings, he projects to easily eclipse the 5.5 strikeout total that DraftKings has set for him. While it is always a risky proposition, I think betting on Patrick Corbin’s upside today will pay off handsomely.
Pick: OVER 5.5 Ks (-110 DK, -135 FD)
Joey Gallo to Hit a Home Run
James Kaprielian was probably very excited to see Joey Gallo get traded out of the AL West, considering Gallo has four hits, including three home runs, against the righty in seven career at-bats. Unfortunately for Kaprielian, he has to face Gallo and the newly vaunted New York Yankees lineup on Thursday night. It has been a full ten days since Gallo’s last home run and he typically does not go that long without putting one out. Batting in between similarly powerful home run hitters in Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, who have been extremely hot of late, should give Gallo plenty of good pitches to hit. At +350 on DraftKings, I’ll take that payout for a Gallo homer and I think he continues to terrorize Kaprielian in Oakland tonight.
Pick: YES (+350 DK, +200 FD)
Kyle Stanzel Overall Record: 44-53-3
Net Money (Assuming all wagers are $100): –$392.82
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)