Thursday is a travel day in Major League Baseball, which means there are a number of games in the afternoon to prepare us for the long weekend.
There are several games in the betting market that intrigue me, but this article will focus exclusively on player bets. I really liked a bet on San Diego Padres starter Michael King to start with, and there are two other betting opportunities – one for a starter and one for an All-Star hitter – that I’m focusing on tonight.
Dive into these pieces for August 29th!
Opportunities about DraftKings Sportsbook.
Brady Singer OVER 2.5 Earned Runs Allowed (-135)
Kansas City Royals starter Brady Singer has struggled recently, allowing three or more earned runs in four of his last five starts.
Singer has a 6.23 ERA in August and faces a tough matchup against the AL West-leading Houston Astros on Thursday.
With the Royals on the road, Singer has been a candidate for relegation all season, posting a 4.04 ERA away from Kauffman Stadium. He has just a 3.38 ERA overall, but his effectiveness has waned this month.
Opponents have an incredible .358 batting average against Singer in August, and I don’t expect him to be able to knock off a Houston team that ranks eighth in the MLB in OPS against right-handed pitchers.
Mookie Betts OVER 1.5 total bases (-110)
Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts has a dream matchup on Thursday against Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Cade Povich.
Povich, a left-hander, has a 6.10 ERA, 5.90 FIP and 1.62 WHIP in 10 starts for the O’s this season. Baltimore is somehow 4-6 in those games, but I expect Betts to have a big day at bat tonight.
The Dodgers star has a .299 batting average this season, but that average rises to .324 against left-handed pitchers. In addition, Betts has 11 extra-base hits in just 105 at-bats against lefties this season.
Despite missing some time with an injury, Betts returned this month and started right away, facing one of the weaker pitchers on the Baltimore team.
Michael King OVER 5.5 Strikeouts (-115)
San Diego Padres starter Michael King continues to be undervalued on the strikeout market.
Although King has had at least six punchouts in seven consecutive starts, his percentage is 5.5 on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
St. Louis averages just 8.17 Ks per game, but King isn’t just any pitcher. He ranks in the 87th percentile in strikeout percentage, the 99th percentile in average exit velocity counterattack, and the 77th percentile or higher in whiff percentage and chase rate.
I’m a little concerned that the Padres right-hander has thrown just five innings in two of his four starts this month, but given his recent winning streak, that rate is simply too low.
The odds are updated regularly and are subject to change.
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