It’s officially that time of year, time for me to get into my MLB bag and find some winners. We’ve got a big slate of games today, so let’s get right into the best pitcher and batter matchups.
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Pitcher Report | June 9th
Yak City
Right off the bat, Aaron Civale stands out like a sore thumb with his 2.1 HR/9. He’s allowed opposing batters to hit .269 and tonight he faces a lineup full of big hitting lefties. It’ll be his first time facing the Braves, but at least he’ll do it on his own field. Civale’s got a 1.80 ERA at home this year and has yet to give up a HR at his own park.
Next, Emerson Hancock. Hancock’s in his 3rd year in the big leagues, 2nd year as a proper part of this rotation. He’s got a 5.19 ERA this year, allowing opposing batters to hit .289 and giving up 1.6 HR/9. Hancock’s on track to have his worst year ever and set to face the red hot Diamondbacks.
Lastly, we’ve gotta talk about Andre Pallante. His 4.91 ERA doesn’t look terrible until you dive deeper into his numbers. His ERA balloons to 5.68 at home this year and he’s had his fair share of struggles against this Blue Jays lineup. He’s allowed 1.5 HR/9 and he’s given up 5 HR in his L5 games.
Weather Man, Weather Man
Today’s weather report starts in Anaheim, California. Winds are blowing out toward left field at Angel Stadium and with both Jeffrey Springs and Yusei Kikuchi on the mound, the ball might see some distance today. Low air pressure combined with blowing winds and bad pitchers; usually a great recipe hitters on both sides.
Next let’s take a trip to St. Louis. The Blue Jays are in the Lou and it’s Game 1 of a 3-game series against the Cardinals. Weather’s blowing toward right field and out of the stadium and with Andre Pallante taking the mound, the Blue Jays might put up some runs.
Lastly, two dome games that I’m liking; the Brewers/Braves in Milwaukee, and the Mariners/Diamondbacks in the dessert.
Our Best Bets on the Diamond for Monday, June 9th
Freddie Freeman o1.5 Total Bases (+130 via BetOnline)
Nick Pivetta’s having a great year but he’s struggled against this Dodgers lineup. Pivetta’s given up HR to both Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani (2), allowing both hitters to hit (.333) over the course of their careers. Freeman’s been great against righties this year, hitting .367 with 7 of his 9 HR coming against right-handed pitchers.
Freddie’s recorded 36 at-bats against Pivetta in his career, he’s recorded 12 hits; 7 singles, 3 doubles, 1 triple, and 1 HR. He’s hitting .309 on the road this year with a (.315) batting average against the Padres, since coming to Los Angeles.
Freeman’s got 0/9 in his L2 games from the plate, failing to record a hit in the team’s last two games against St. Louis. Tonight, back on the West Coast and in a ballpark he’s familar with; against a pitcher he’s got great history against. Feels like a good time for Freeman to bust out of the slump.
Bonus: Freddie Freeman Home Run (+440)
Ketel Marte o1.5 Total Bases (+120 via BetOnline)
Ketel Marte is on fire, right now. He’s hit a HR in 4 of his L6 games and tonight he faces off with Emerson Hancock for the Mariners. Marte’s batting .294 this season with 12 HR and a .603 SLG. Marte’s played in just 39-games this year but since returning to the lineup, the Diamondbacks offense has come alive.
Over the L15 days, Arizona sits in the top-10 in runs, RBI and HR. He’s batting (.391) in the month of June and (.333) against right-handed pitchers all season. He’s 0/2 in his career against Hancock but with such a small sample size and Hancocks’s recent struggles; I’m tapping in today.
Bonus: Ketel Marte Home Run (+310)
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