After the 162-game slog, there’s nothing better than playoff baseball. It is a significantly different game, however, and that changes the way to best wager on props. With the Dodgers’ loss last night, we unfortunately have just one game tonight. I’ll still find three angles for the Braves and Phillies game, though.
Here are the best PrizePicks plays worth considering for today, Thursday, Oct. 12.
Thursday’s Best MLB PrizePicks Player Predictions
This season: 81-65-9
After the 162-game slog, there’s nothing better than playoff baseball. It is a significantly different game, however, and that changes the way to best wager on props. With the Dodgers’ loss last night, we unfortunately have just one game tonight. I’ll still find three angles for the Braves and Phillies game, though.
Here are the best PrizePicks plays worth considering for today, Thursday, Oct. 12.
Thursday’s Best MLB PrizePicks Player Predictions
This season: 81-65-9
The Braves turn to their ace to save them in Game 4 of the NLDS in Philadelphia. The Philly faithful will be raucous and do their best to get into Spencer Strider's head. But will it be enough? The numbers Strider has facing Philadelphia say it likely won't be.
He has absolutely shut them down in every single outing against them. In Game 1 of this series, Strider went seven strong innings with eight strikeouts while allowing just one earned run and five hits. The Phillies’ roster now owns a 37.2% K% and .267 xwOBA in 183 combined plate appearances against him. Strider has gone at least six innings in all eight starts against them and has recorded nine-plus strikeouts in six of those contests. It's a bit risky to trust any starter to go six innings in a must-win playoff game on the road in Philadelphia, but if there is one player to put your faith in, it’s Strider.
It’s pretty wild to suggest this prop, but that’s the type of pitcher Schwarber is taking on today. Kyle Schwarber has 11 strikeouts in 26 plate appearances against Strider, which equates to an impressive 42.3% K% and 51% Whiff%. Even if Strider were to strike him out just once, the Braves would likely turn to the lefty Brad Hand to get him out. Including Game 2, Schwarber has faced Hand on four occasions this season and has struck out every single at-bat.
There is a clear pinch-hit platoon situation happening between Kevin Pillar and Eddie Rosario in left field for the Braves. With the left-handed Ranger Suarez on the bump tonight, it will be Pillar starting and likely hitting in the 9-hole as he did in Game 1 when Suarez started. Due to how they deployed their bullpen, Pillar only saw one plate appearance against Suarez before being pinch-hit for by Rosario. He did not record a hit and is 2-7 with four strikeouts against Suarez.
It’s reasonable to expect a similar strategy here tonight for Rob Thompson. Suarez was dominating through 3.2 scoreless innings pitched in Game 1, allowing just two baserunners and striking out four. Despite his dominance, Thompson elected to go to the bullpen to play matchups with this treacherous Braves lineup. The Phillies didn’t have to overwork the bullpen last night after Nola went 5.2 innings, so the bullpen is fresh and ready to go. Thompson can utilize every arm if need be, and if there was a Game 5, they wouldn’t play until Saturday, and they would have Zack Wheeler scheduled to go.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Thursday:
Tyler Gentile is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Tyler, follow him @808Paperboi
