Ladies and gentlemen, get all your work done early this morning, because we have day baseball games on day baseball games on day baseball games. With just one game starting after 7:00 PM EST on Thursday, we take a look at a few intriguing matinee wagers:
Nathan Eovaldi Total K’s O/U 6.5
It has gotten to the point with the Tigers offense that we are just going to continue to pick on them game after game. If they happen to prove us wrong one night, well hey good for you Detroit, I’ll be betting against you again tomorrow. Their offense is just that bad and they sport the 2nd worst K% in baseball against RHP at 29.4%. Here is a list of the last five RH starters that the Tigers have faced:
- Nick Pivetta, BOS – 5 IP, 3 ER, 8 K’s (2021 K% – 26.2%, Career K% – 24.6%)
- Corey Kluber, NYY – 8 IP, 0 ER, 10 K’s (2021 K% – 22.7 %, Career K% – 27.0%)
- Jameson Taillon, NYY – 5 IP, 1 ER, 8 K’s (2021 K% – 30.5%, Career K% – 21.9%)
- Gerrit Cole, NYY – 6 IP, 0 ER, 12 K’s (2021 K% – 44.3%, Career K% – 28.3%)
- Dylan Cease, CHW – 7 IP, 0 ER, 9 K’s (2021 K% – 32.0%, Career K% – 23.4%)
Nathan Eovaldi (2021 K% – 22.4%, Career K% – 18.6%) is the lucky pitcher that gets to face Detroit on Thursday. He is actually pitching better than his 3.63 ERA would indicate (2.12 FIP) and he even has room to improve in the strikeout department (2020 K% – 26.1%). What better way to pump those numbers up than a lunch date with one of the worst offenses in baseball. The five prior RH starters against Detroit averaged 9.4 K’s in their starts, so I think Eovaldi easily gets to 7 in his outing today.
Pick: OVER 6.5 (+112 DK, +108 FD)
Rangers @ Twins Runline
Michael Pineda is enjoying another very solid year for the Twins and has really settled into his role as a consistent middle-of-the-rotation pitcher. Boasting his best K% (25.2%) since 2016, Pineda gets the luxury of facing the team that strikes out the most in baseball against RHP in Texas (29.8 K%). Opposing Pineda is Jordan Lyles, who has already started his yearly tumble to the bottom of SP rankings everywhere. Lyles has given up 12 ER over 6.2 IP in his last two starts and now he faces a potent Twins offense (.314 wOBA, 104 wRC+ against RHP). The likes of Byron Buxton and Nelson Cruz should give Pineda plenty of run support in this one as Minnesota cruises to a victory.
Pick: Twins -1.5 (+116 DK, +100 FD)
Indians Total Runs O/U 3.5
Danny Duffy is dicing up hitters like its 2016 and he is one of the biggest surprises of 2021, looking like the ace that Kansas City didn’t think they had to begin the year. On Thursday he gets a Cleveland team that he shutout across 6 IP in his first start of the season and is in the bottom third of baseball against LHP (.293 wOBA, 88 wRC+). Duffy has allowed just 2 ER all season and has only gotten better as the season has progressed. A dearth of scoring will continue to plague Cleveland like a midge infestation as the Indians will be hard-pressed to reach three runs on Thursday.
Pick: UNDER 3.5 (-110 DK)
Kyle Stanzel Overall Record: 15-14-0
Net Money (Assuming all wagers are $100): +553.07
Featured Image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)