This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Baseball starts off the week with nine games on the schedule Monday. Let's dig into the matchups and highlight some of the best options to consider on PrizePicks.
Shohei Ohtani, LAD at COL: More Than 0.5 Walks
A trip to Coors Field could lead to come gaudy stats for Ohtani. He is already on a power surge, hitting five home runs over his last 11 games. With him being so locked in at the plate, pitchers have been careful pitching to him. Over his last six games, he has drawn four walks.
Opposing pitchers might have even more of a reason for be careful with Ohtani now that Mookie Betts (wrist) is on the shelf. Starting for the Rockies will be Cal Quantrill, who has a 9.2 percent walk rate and has five starts this season in which he has issued at least three walks. Look for Ohtani to get at least one free pass in this matchup.
Bryce Harper, PHI vs. SD: More Than 1.5 Total Bases
Harper has been locked in at the plate, hitting 17-for-51 (.333) with two home runs and four doubles over his last 14 games. This game being played in Philadelphia could help him remain hot. He only has a .170 ISO and a .329 wOBA on the road this season, but he has a .298 ISO and a .433 wOBA at home.
Taking the mound for the Padres will be Randy Vasquez, who has a 4.93 ERA and a 5.21 FIP over eight starts. While he recorded a 2.87 ERA with the Yankees last season, his FIP was much worse, at 4.98. He only has a 15.4 percent strikeout rate this year to go along with his 1.51 WHIP. With his struggles, slowing down Harper will be a tall order.
Nick Pivetta BOS, at Yusei Kikuchi, TOR: Less Than 0.5 First Inning Runs Allowed
Pivetta has posted a 3.88 ERA and a 3.86 FIP across his first nine starts. He is missing plenty of bats, recording a 29.6 percent strikeout rate along the way. The Blue Jays have struggled to score for much of the season, which has included them recording the ninth-worst OPS in baseball. That puts Pivetta in a favorable position to throw a scoreless first inning.
Yusei Kikuchi will start for the Blue Jays and having this game being played in Toronto could help his cause to not only throw a scoreless first inning, but produce a good overall stat line. He has a 2.76 FIP and a 1.06 WHIP at home this season, compared to a 3.53 FIP and a 1.44 WHIP on the road. Opponents are slugging just .350 against him in Toronto.
Carson Spiers, CIN at PIT: More Than 4.0 Pitcher Strikeouts
Spiers is set to start his first game for the Reds after making his first six appearances out of the bullpen. He logged 5.2 innings and threw 90 pitches in a relief outing June 9 against the Cubs, so he shouldn't be on much of a pitch limit, if any. In that outing, he recorded seven strikeouts.
Spiers has posted a 25.4 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A this year. In each of his last five outings at that level, he finished with at least six strikeouts. The Pirates have struck out the fourth-most times in baseball and they have the second-worst OPS against right-handed pitchers. Spiers could pitch deep into this matchup, leaving him with the potential to surpass four strikeouts.
