The Boston Red Sox are set to battle it out against NL Cy Young contender Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
With the Pittsburgh Pirates struggling to give Paul Skenes the support he needs to rack up Pitcher Wins, Zack Wheeler has the opportunity to create some separation on the oddsboard for the NL Cy Young award.
While a matchup against the Boston Red Sox offense seems daunting on paper, Wheeler possesses more than enough individual production to neutralize their lineup.
With fifteen games taking place on Monday night, there are plenty of prop bets to groom through which you can read a detailed breakdown of them below.
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Boston Red Sox vs Philadelphia Phillies (6:45pm, EST)
Zack Wheeler Over 7.5 Strikeouts: (-125) at FanDuel Sportsbook
After narrowly winning the NL Cy Young award last season, Zack Wheeler is once again firmly in contention for the title this year as the Philadelphia Phillies star pitcher is averaging an ERA of 2.36, a WHIP of 0.861, and a FIP of 2.69.
His dominance on the mound can be attributed to his command as Wheeler also leads the league in Strikeouts while averaging less than one Hit Allowed per Inning Pitched.
Against the Boston Red Sox, Wheeler is in a great position to continue to rack up Strikeouts as he faces off against one of the most aggressive lineups in the league.
Even though the Red Sox excel at making contact, they also rank top-3 in Strikeout Rate. For some more exposure, escalator bet Wheeler’s Strikeout prop by placing smaller wagers on his alternate overs.
Boston Red Sox First Five Innings Team Total Under 1.5: (-140) at BetMGM Sportsbook
With negative regression looming large over the Red Sox, their offense will struggle to get into scoring position while Wheeler is on the mound.
Especially with the Phillies back end excelling in coverage as their defense ranks near the top of the board in Fielding Percentage. Expect Wheeler to put together a dominant performance and hold the Red Sox under their team total in the first five innings.
Los Angeles Angels vs New York Mets (7:10pm, EST)
Tyler Anderson Under 15.5 Outs: (-170) at Caesars Sportsbook
While Zack Wheeler has thrived this season, Tyler Anderson has severely underwhelmed as the Los Angeles Angels pitcher is currently averaging an ERA of 4.34 and nearly two runners on base per Inning Pitched.
His inability to avoid contact has played a major role in his struggles as Anderson is also averaging more than five Hits Against per game.
Unfortunately for Anderson, his struggles on the mound are poised to persist as he is set to face off against the New York Mets who excel at getting on base at a consistent rate.
As of writing, the Mets offense ranks above league average in Slugger Percentage, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, and in On Base Percentage. Should Anderson’s Outs prop drop down to 14.5, then pass on this market.
Pete Alonso Over 1.5 Total Bases: (+110) at FanDuel Sportsbook
Since signing a massive contract extension, Pete Alonso has lived up to his pay as the Mets slugger is averaging over one Hit per game, a .275 Batting Average, and a .890 OPS.
With the Angels defense ranking near dead last in Defensive Efficiency, as well as Anderson struggling with his command, expect Alonso to continue to make contact at a high rate and clear the over on his Total Bases prop.
Minnesota Twins vs Los Angeles Dodgers (10:10pm, EST)
Los Angeles Dodgers First Five Innings Team Total Over 2.5: (-125) at BetMGM Sportsbook
Speaking of productive offenses, the Los Angeles Dodgers star studded lineup have arguably been the best unit in the league as the reigning World Series champions currently rank top-4 in the same previously mentioned metrics.
Heading into Monday night’s contest against Minnesota, the Dodgers offense will have the opportunity to light up the scoreboard from the opening pitch as they face off against David Festa who averages an ERA of 5.25 and a FIP of 4.36.
Especially with his back end failing to give him the support he needs to mask his struggles on the mound as the Twins defense ranks 24th overall in Defensive Efficiency.
About the author
Kody Malstrom
Kody Malstrom is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with six years of experience covering a vast majority of sports. He covers football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and the UFC in written and video form.
Born and raised in Michigan, Kody is a Detroit sports fan who spends all of his Sundays in the fall rooting for the Detroit Lions and Saturdays watching as much College Football as possible. In the winter, he shifts his focus to the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons while simultaneously rooting for his North Carolina Tar Heels.
When he is not staring at betting markets, you can find Kody at the beach or snowboarding down a mountain, depending on the time of the year.
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