Last Sunday was a success as we rolled through our second 3-0 PrizePicks day in article history. The wins put our overall record back above .500, a place I hope it will stay. Major thanks have to go out to Gerrit Cole, who dominated his strikeout total, a gem hurled by Bobby Miller, and a late-game first-inning run by Mauricio Dubon to seal the deal. Going forward, as a rule of thumb, any 3-0 day will garner a fourth pick in the succeeding article. Now, let's get four out of four correct.
Overall record: 23-21-2
Saturday’s Best MLB PrizePicks Player Predictions
Max Scherzer + James Paxton Under 0.5 First Inning Runs Allowed
Feeling good following the betting finish to last week, we're going bold and brash to kick things off. I couldn't find a better choice on the slate for an Under on 1st inning runs than in the Boston/New York duel this evening for the first combo bet in article history,
Last Sunday was a success as we rolled through our second 3-0 PrizePicks day in article history. The wins put our overall record back above .500, a place I hope it will stay. Major thanks have to go out to Gerrit Cole, who dominated his strikeout total, a gem hurled by Bobby Miller, and a late-game first-inning run by Mauricio Dubon to seal the deal. Going forward, as a rule of thumb, any 3-0 day will garner a fourth pick in the succeeding article. Now, let's get four out of four correct.
Overall record: 23-21-2
Saturday’s Best MLB PrizePicks Player Predictions
Max Scherzer + James Paxton Under 0.5 First Inning Runs Allowed
Feeling good following the betting finish to last week, we're going bold and brash to kick things off. I couldn't find a better choice on the slate for an Under on 1st inning runs than in the Boston/New York duel this evening for the first combo bet in article history,
As readers know by now, I'll do some pretty sick things to be able to bet against the Mets. Saturday night presents a perfect opportunity on this front, as the New York Mets currently rank dead last across the MLB in first-inning runs scored (0.32). On the flip side, they will be squaring off against SP James Paxton, who has been solid in 2023 and has allowed a run in the first inning in just two of his 11 starts this season.
On the Met’s side of things, they'll be sending out longtime stud Max Scherzer to square off in the 7:10 affair. Scherzer is 8-3 with a 3.99 across 17 starts in 2023 and is coming off his best one – a seven-inning one-hitter against the Dodgers last week.
The Mets and Red Sox are scheduled to resume a suspended game at 2:10 PM on Saturday, which could lead to some fatigue and/or strange lineup insertions for the nightcap. This leads me to believe scoring could be down in the second half of the semi-double header. All we care about are no players crossing the plate in that initial frame.
Matt Manning Under 5.5 Hits Allowed
The Tigers are set for game two of a three-game series against the Padres on Saturday, with Detroit's Matt Manning toeing the rubber. San Diego ranks 25th in baseball, averaging just over seven team hits per game, allowing Manning to push for the under on his current line.
Another factor going in the "Unders" favor for this prop is Manning's 2023 pitch count total. The 25-year-old averages just over 87 pitches per game and just over five innings tossed. He typically does not pitch for length and will almost certainly be pulled regardless of how he performs prior to inning number seven.
Additionally, Manning has allowed north of five hits in just two of his appearances this season, both of which occurred back in April. Over his last four starts, he is allowing an average of just three hits per game. This includes a no-hitter showing across 6 2/3 innings versus Toronto back on July 8th.
I'll be honest, I had to remind myself who Nick Allen was while researching this pick for Saturday. For those who share my curiosity, he is a 5-foot-8 third-year infielder picked back in the third round of the 2017 Amateur Draft. His two-year career stats include a .203 batting average and .547 OPS.
In 2023, Allen is touting a .193 average and is currently amidst a 6-for-33 drought. He should find himself batting out of the nine-hole on Saturday, which could (should?) also decrease his plate appearances in total.
The Astros will be sending Cristian Javier to the mound on Saturday, and while he has not been great this season, he should still be able to feast against the worst lineup in the MLB. Picking Saturday for a strong Javier performance simply lessens Allen's prospects of reaching base even further.
Ketel Marte Over 7.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
With numerous aces set to hurl on Saturday, scouring the numbers for solid hitter overs is a tad more difficult than usual. That said, I'm willing to double down on Ketel Marte's prospects following a massive performance from him on Friday.
Marte homered twice on Friday and has also been tearing the cover off the ball since returning from the break. He is 8-for-24 (.333) over his past six games, with seven XBHs and 10 RBI. On Saturday, he will likely lead off for Arizona and face Brandon Williamson and his 4.96 season ERA.
Marte has surpassed his PP Hitter Fantasy Score total in four of his last five affairs, and he has done it easily in three of those. I fully expect him to make that five of six against the Reds in Cincinnati on Saturday.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:
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