After having just five games on last Thursday’s slate, we’ve got a big increase a week later with 13 games on tap today. As always, the focus will be on pitchers, so let’s jump right into it and get back on track after Monday’s 1-2 result.
Here are three of my favorite MLB player predictions via PrizePicks for Thursday, June 5th.
Our PrizePicks Cheat Sheet helps bettors by comparing lines from PrizePicks vs. our daily MLB projections >>
Thursday’s Best MLB PrizePicks Player Predictions
PrizePicks Record: 30-25-1
After having just five games on last Thursday’s slate, we’ve got a big increase a week later with 13 games on tap today. As always, the focus will be on pitchers, so let’s jump right into it and get back on track after Monday’s 1-2 result.
Here are three of my favorite MLB player predictions via PrizePicks for Thursday, June 5th.
Our PrizePicks Cheat Sheet helps bettors by comparing lines from PrizePicks vs. our daily MLB projections >>
Thursday’s Best MLB PrizePicks Player Predictions
PrizePicks Record: 30-25-1
Taking on the Pirates is a welcome sight for most pitchers, but especially lefties. They are 26th in wRC+ (74) and tied for fourth in strikeout rate (27%) against lefties this year. Nine of the 13 lefties to face them have recorded at least six strikeouts. Framber Valdez has found at least six strikeouts in five of his last six starts. He ranks in the 74th percentile in CSW% and 71st in strikeout rate among starters.
At the bare minimum, Dylan Cease should find six strikeouts. He has struck out six in 10 of his 12 starts this year, 20 out of 33 starts last year and 23 out of 33 starts in 2023. Add that all up, that’s six strikeouts in 68% of his previous 78 starts. Cease has a 34.8% strikeout rate across 69 plate appearances against the Giants.
Slade Cecconi didn’t bring the same strikeout stuff he had in his first two starts, with just three in his last start, but the ceiling for Cecconi is there. The Guardians traded for him in the offseason and are known for transforming subpar pitchers into superb pitchers. Cecconi flashed his potential in his first two starts with eight and six punchouts.
We’re only asking for five from him today against a fairly strikeout-prone Yankees lineup, especially with Jazz Chisholm Jr. back in the starting nine. The Yankees are ninth in strikeout rate against righties over the past 30 days, and we just saw Luis Ortiz finish with seven punchouts against them last night.
Tyler is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from him, follow @808Paperboi
