There are 15 MLB games tonight, and I have my eye on the three best player props for the slate. Below, I explain why Sean Burke should have no trouble striking out plenty of Pirates, though I expect Tanner Bibee to have less success against the Orioles. Then, I highlight why Yordan Alvarez should break out of his current slump. Here are the best MLB player props for Tuesday, September 8th.
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Tuesday’s Top MLB Player Props
(Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Sean Burke 7+ Strikeouts (+124)
Sean Burke hasn't struck out seven or more batters in a single game since August 11th, so this has more to do with the Pirates' hitters than his pitching. The Pirates have struck out 1,362 times, which is the second-most in the league.
While Burke has struggled in recent starts, he's struck out 167 batters in 154.2 innings. He's managed at least seven strikeouts in 11 starts this season. He's also coming off a six-strikeout performance against the Astros, who rank 14th in total strikeouts.
Burke's total is actually set at 5.5 at most sportsbooks, but the over for that is north of -160. That's way too expensive considering how he's pitched lately. Take the extra strikeout at a much better price.
Tanner Bibee Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+124)
Tanner Bibee has struck out at least four batters in three consecutive starts, but I'm still backing his under tonight. This season, Bibee has only 132 strikeouts in 166.1 innings. He's struck out four or fewer batters in 16 of his appearances.
While he gets a great matchup against the Orioles, who have struck out the fourth-most times this season, he just hasn't been consistent enough all year to trust for a price over -160. Additionally, as a team, the Orioles are hitting .327 off of him. Considering he allowed five earned runs in four innings in his last start, I'm worried he could get chased early and never have a chance to come anywhere near this total.
Yordan Alvarez 2+ Hits (+190)
Yordan Alvarez is hitting just .250 this month, but I love him to record at least two hits tonight. Three of his last five games have been multi-hit performances. Tonight, he faces Andrew Painter, a pitcher with a 5.55 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.
Painter actually pitched phenomenally in his last start, allowing zero earned runs in seven innings. But he's allowed at least five hits in two of his last four starts, and he's allowed 107 hits in 105.1 innings this season.
Alvarez and Painter have never faced each other, but even in one of his worst months, Alvarez has still managed at least one hit in three of his six games. He's second in the league with a .314 batting average. And with Painter pitching well his last time out, and Alvarez struggling a bit of late, it seems we've simply hit the perfect time to get this prop at phenomenal value.
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.