This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Baseball begins the week with 12 games on the schedule Monday. There are some exciting series among them, including the Phillies hosting the Yankees. Let's dig into the options on PrizePicks and highlight a few of them that could prove to be profitable.
Zack Wheeler, PHI vs. NYY: More Than 17.5 Pitching Outs
Wheeler dominated the Twins in his last outing, throwing seven shutout innings. He only allowed three hits to go along with two walks, striking out seven batters along the way. For the season, he has a stellar 2.55 ERA and 3.22 FIP. One of the keys to his success has been him keeping hitters off base, which has left him with a 0.98 WHIP.
With Wheeler doing such a good job of limiting baserunners, he has been able to pitch deep into most of his starts. He has logged at least six innings in 15 of his 20 outings. The Yankees have a more dangerous lineup with Jazz Chisholm in the fold, but this is still an appealing option to target.
Alex Verdugo, NYY at PHI: Less Than 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI
Verdugo had a good series against his former team, going 7-for-15 with three doubles over three games against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Prior to that, he was 4-for-42 (.095) with just one double and no home runs over his previous 11 games. For the season, he only has a .292 wOBA.
Verdugo doesn't strike out much, but he only has a .146 ISO and a .324 wOBA for his career. He has bounced around the Yankees' lineup, and if he continues to struggle, he could find himself on the bench more once Jasson Dominguez gets healthy. With how well Wheeler has been pitching, look for Verdugo to produce another underwhelming stat line.
Mitchell Parker, WAS at ARI: More Than 5.5 Hits Allowed
Parker doesn't have great numbers, producing a 4.34 ERA and a 4.01 FIP with the Nationals. After getting off to a hot start, he has allowed 24 runs (23 earned) over 27.2 innings in his last six starts. He has a 1.21 WHIP for the season, but he produced a bloated 1.52 WHIP over the disappointing six-start span.
Going back even further, Parker has given up at least six hits in five of his last seven starts. This is a difficult matchup against the Diamondbacks, who have the eighth-most hits in baseball. The Diamondbacks have a .727 OPS against right-handed pitchers, but they have produced a .765 OPS versus lefties. More than is the way to go here with Parker's hits allowed.
Ketel Marte, ARI vs. WAS: More Than 8.0 Hitter Fantasy Score
Staying with the Diamondbacks facing off against Parker, Marte is one of the top hitters in their lineup to target. He is locked in at the plate right now, hitting 33-for-93 (.355) with a .656 slugging percentage over his last 26 games. There are two big splits working in his favor for this matchup. First, he has a .956 OPS at home this season, compared to a .844 OPS on the road. Second, he has a 1.116 OPS versus left-handed pitchers, compared to .774 OPS against righties. Marte has the potential to produce a gaudy stat line.