This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Baseball starts off the week with 13 games on the schedule. We have the beginning of some fun series, including the Braves hosting the Mets. Let's dig into all of the options on PrizePicks and highlight some particularly appealing ones to consider.
Shohei Ohtani, LAD at MIN: More Than 1.5 Total Bases
Ohtani is off to a great start with his new team. He has recorded at least two hits in each of the last four games and he has six multi-hit games this season. Overall, he is batting .320 with a .364 OBP. Not only is he getting hits, but many of them have been for extra bases. He already has two home runs, five doubles and a triple.
Trying to slow Ohtani down will be Bailey Ober, who was supposed to start Sunday against the Guardians. That game was postponed due to inclement weather, pushing Ober back a day. Ober has had difficulties keeping hitters inside the ballpark, allowing 1.5 HR/9 for his career. He has limited right-handed hitters to a .236 batting average against him for his career, but lefties have hit .255 against him. This is a great spot for Ohtani to remain productive and record at least two total bases.
Christian Walker, ARZ at COL: More Than 8.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
Walker brings plenty of power to the plate, hitting a total of 69 home runs across the last two seasons. He has already gone deep three times this season, which has helped him record 10 RBI and seven runs scored. He did plenty of damage in the first series of the season against the Rockies, hitting 5-for-16 with two home runs, five RBI, two walks and four runs scored.
Kyle Freeland will start for the Rockies, which could set up Walker for another big night at the plate. In his two starts this season, Freeland has given up 17 runs and three home runs over 5.2 total innings. That comes on the heels of his 5.03 ERA and 1.47 WHIP last season. This game will also be played at hitter-friendly Coors Field, which should further help Walker.
Ketel Marte, ARZ at COL: More Than 9.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
Walker isn't the only member of the Diamondbacks to target in this great matchup against Freeland. Marte is also swinging a hot bat out of the gate, hitting .333 with a .619 slugging percentage. He already has five multi-hit games, two of which came against the Rockies.
Facing a lefty should also help Marte. For his career, he has a .329 wOBA and a .158 ISO against right-handed pitchers, compared to a .371 wOBA and a .215 ISO versus lefties. When the Diamondbacks faced Freeland earlier in the season, Marte finished the game 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI. More is the way to go here.
Daulton Varsho, TOR vs. SEA: Less Than 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI
Varsho's first season with the Blue Jays wasn't great. He only hit .220 with a .293 wOBA. He saw his power numbers decline, as well, with his ISO dropping to .169. One of the biggest differences was that his barrel rate decreased to 7.3 percent. The season prior, he had a 10.2 percent barrel rate with the Diamondbacks.
Varsho is off to a horrible start this season, batting .133 with no home runs. That has left him with four total runs scored and no RBI. Things won't get any easier for him Monday against Luis Castillo. While Castillo did give up four runs in both of his fist two starts, he is coming off back-to-back seasons with a WHIP of 1.10 or lower. Expect Varsho's struggles to continue.
