Kris Bubic gets to take on a struggling Baltimore Orioles offense tonight. Below, I highlight why he's poised to rack up at least seven strikeouts in the game. Then, I discuss why Patrick Corbin is in for a huge night, and why I expect Byron Buxton to struggle against the New York Mets.
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Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook | This Season: 5-4-0 (+1.89 units)
Kris Bubic Over 6.5 Strikeouts (+108)
Pitching only 4.2 innings in his last start, Kris Bubic struck out just three batters while allowing five earned runs. However, he's struck out at least eight batters in two of his last three starts, and he put together an 11-strikeout performance against the Chicago White Sox. He's averaging more than one strikeout per inning pitched, as he has 26 in 22.2 innings.
It's been a very rough start for the Orioles' offense. They have struck out 224 times, which is the second-most in the league. And while the current lineup only has 18 at-bats against Bubic, they've struck out seven times. The key will be Bubic not getting chased early, but he's already proven he can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time, as he struck out eight Milwaukee Brewers in just 5.0 innings earlier this season.
Patrick Corbin Over 4.5 Strikeouts (+114)
The Angels have scored 117 runs this season, which is tied for the fifth-most in the league. However, this is a lineup that really struggles to make contact, striking out 241 times this season. That's 17 more than any other team, and an average of more than 10 strikeouts per game.
Corbin has struck out nine batters in two starts. While he only struck out three Minnesota Twins in his season debut, he followed up that performance with a six-strikeout performance against the Brewers. The Brewers have struck out the seventh-fewest times this season, while the Twins rank 18th, and both teams have at least 48 fewer strikeouts than the Angels this season.
Plus, Corbin has struck out 33 Angels in 104 at-bats, allowing just three earned runs. I don't see him exiting this game early, giving him plenty of chances against this lineup.
Byron Buxton Under 0.5 Hits (+140)
Byron Buxton has hit safely in three consecutive games, but he's only 3-of-13 during that span. He's also gone hitless in eight games this season, as he's hitting just .235.
Tonight, Buxton is tasked with extending his hitting streak to four games against Mets' starter Nolan McLean. McLean has been outstanding this season, allowing just 10 hits in 23.2 innings. He hasn't allowed more than three hits in any of his last three starts, and his most recent appearance saw him hold the Los Angeles Dodgers to just two hits in 7.0 innings.
Buxton has a hit in three consecutive games, but he's not exactly hitting well. And he's about to run into one of the hottest pitchers to start the season.
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.