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Wednesday brings a busy slate of MLB games and Monkey Knife Fight has contests for all of them, offering many chances to play and win!
- Top pitching prospect Alek Manoah is making his major league debut for the Toronto Blue Jays after the 2019 first-round pick had a 0.50 ERA and 0.56 WHIP in his first three starts at AAA Buffalo.
- There are a few aces on the mound Wednesday, including Carlos Rodon, Aaron Nola, Tyler Glasnow, and Trevor Bauer but, overall, it is more mid and back-end of the rotation starters taking the bump on hump day.
- Cleveland’s Triston McKenzie (6.89 ERA), the Cubs’ Trevor Williams (5.97 ERA), Washington’s Joe Ross (5.72 ERA), Kansas City’s Brad Keller (5.79 ERA), and the Angels’ Griffin Canning (5.56 ERA) are among the Wednesday starters that have struggled this season.
- The best pitching matchup looks like it could be the Dodgers sending Trevor Bauer to the mound against Houston’s Luis Garcia.
Here are some angles to keep in mind when playing Wednesday’s MLB schedule on Monkey Knife Fight.
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STAR SHOOTOUT - MAIN GAMES
MORE OR LESS
Tyler Glasnow MORE THAN 8.5 STRIKEOUTS
Tampa Bay’s ace is coming off a season-low two-strikeout performance against Toronto but has at least nine strikeouts in six of 10 starts this season, including in all four of his starts at home. He is going against a Kansas City Royals lineup with an average road strikeout rate (24.3%).
Trevor Bauer LESS THAN 7.5 STRIKEOUTS
The Dodgers right-hander has whiffed at least nine batters (not eight, nine!) in seven of his 10 starts this season. He is facing a Houston Astros lineup that has the lowest home strikeout rate (17.3%) in MLB and that ought to be enough reason to not like Bauer’s chances.
Mike Minor MORE THAN 6.5 STRIKEOUTS
Overall, Minor has struck out seven or more batters in four of his nine starts this season but that includes each of the past three starts so he is having a sudden strikeout surge and is set to face a Tampa Bay Rays lineup that has the highest home strikeout rate (28.9%) in MLB.
Domingo German LESS THAN 5.5 STRIKEOUTS
German has been exceeding expectations for the Yankees, allowing two earned runs fewer in five of the past six starts while also striking out at least six in five of the past six starts. He is going against a Toronto Blue Jays lineup with a lower-than-average road strikeout rate (22.6%).
Marcus Stroman MORE THAN 5.5 STRIKEOUTS
Although Stroman has been efficient and effective for the Mets this season, he is not a huge strikeout guy and has six or more strikeouts in three of his nine starts. He does face a Colorado Rockies lineup, though, that has a 27.8% road strikeout rate, the third highest rate in MLB.
Ronald Acuna Jr. LESS THAN 1.5 RUNS + RBI
As great as Acuna is, he has been slumping lately and has 23 runs plus RBI in 17 road games this season so counting on two in Boston, with Nick Pivetta on the mound, is probably a bit optimistic for a player who is 3-for-17 in his career against Pivetta.
Drew Smyly LESS THAN 16.5 PITCHING OUTS
After a rocky start to his Braves tenure, Smyly has gone six innings in each of his past three starts. He is facing a Boston lineup that is better-than-average against left-handed pitching and that might be enough reason to be skeptical that Smyly can get through 5 2/3 innings.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. MORE THAN 1.5 TOTAL BASES
You want to pick against Vladdy right now? He has multiple total bases in nine of his past 11 games. He has four home runs, eight doubles, and is slugging 1.022 in those 11 games. He is also 2-for-7 in his career against Yankees starter Domingo German, but those hits are a double and a home run. Maybe that stops tonight but you’re not going to catch me picking against a bat running this hot.
Freddie Freeman MORE THAN 1.5 HITS + WALKS
Even though his batting average is a mediocre .241 it has been climbing and Freeman can get on base whether he’s hitting or not, putting up a .386 on-base percentage against right-handed pitching and a .360 OBP on the road heading into Wednesday’s game at Boston.
Juan Soto MORE THAN 1.5 HITS + WALKS
While the Nationals outfielder has not been as productive as expected this season, he still gets on base at an elite rate, running a .410 on-base percentage against right-handed pitching and a .380 OBP at home going into Wednesday’s matchup with Jeff Hoffman and the Cincinnati Reds.
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