This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
There won't be a lot of baseball played Thursday with just seven games on the schedule. Some of them also come with early start times. Still, there are some appealing options to target on PrizePicks. Let's dig into four of them to consider.
Juan Soto, NYY vs. HOU: More Than 8.0 Hitter Fantasy Score
Soto is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now. Over his last 14 games, he is 20-for-54 (.370) with four home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored. His first season in the Bronx has been a smashing success with his .248 ISO and .442 wOBA.
Tasked with trying to slow down Soto will be Ronel Blanco. Blanco has a sparkling 2.09 ERA, but his 3.96 FIP isn't nearly as impressive. He has been aided by his .179 BABIP allowed, which likely won't hold up over the course of the season. Look for Soto to have another special performance at the plate.
Sonny Gray, STL at MIL: More Than 17.5 Pitching Outs
Gray was scheduled to start Wednesday against the Mets, but the game was postponed because of rain. That leaves him with additional day of rest heading into this matchup against the Brewers. He has lights out through his first five starts, registering a 0.89 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP.
When Gray initially came off the injured list, he was on a pitch limit that contributed to him logging just five innings in his season debut against the Phillies. Since then, he has thrown at least six innings in each of his last four starts. In each of his last three outings, he threw at least 92 pitches. With no limitations moving forward, Gray has an excellent opportunity to log at least six innings again. In his last meeting with the Brewers, he allowed two runs over 6.1 innings.
Jose Ramirez, CLE at CWS: More Than 7.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
It has been a disappointing start for Ramirez, who has a .308 wOBA. He's still not striking out much, but his walk rate has fallen to 5.7 percent. Better days are likely on the horizon for him, though, given his unlucky .224 BABIP. He has a .280 BABIP for his career.
Ramirez will try to get back on track in a matchup against Erick Fedde, who has a 3.46 ERA over seven starts. His 4.54 FIP is concerning, though, as well as his 9.3 percent barrel rate allowed. When he faced the Guardians earlier this season, he allowed five runs (four earned) over five innings. Given his career 5.25 ERA and 5.12 FIP, the Guardians could have plenty of success against him again. If they do, Ramirez will likely be right in the thick of the action.
Michael Conforto, SF at COL: More Than 7.0 Hitter Fantasy Score
Conforto has provided more power this season, recording a .200 ISO. That's more in line with his career .204 ISO, compared to the .145 ISO that he produced last season. His quality of contact has been very good with his 9.6 percent barrel rate and 45.2 percent hard-hit rate. Last season, he has a 7.9 percent barrel rate and a 39.8 percent hard-hit rate.
A player hitting for hard contact getting a game at Coors Field has the potential to lead to a juicy stat line. In the first two games of this series, Conforto went 4-for-8 with a home run, two walks, two RBI and two runs scored. Expect him to be a difficult out for Cal Quantrill, who has a 5.02 FIP this season and doesn't miss many bats, leaving him with a career 17.6 percent strikeout rate.
