Best Bets in Sports: One of Baseball’s Shakiest Pitchers Starts on Friday

The streak is up to 13 consecutive wins after a 2-0 day on Thursday. It’s a full slate tonight with every team in action. The Braves and Dodgers meet again tonight in a battle of the top two teams in the National League. Mookie Betts and Ronald Acuña, the top-two favorites for National League MVP, both homered on Thursday. There are a few bad pitchers on the mound — I’ll attack two of them with props — in addition to one of the hottest hitters in baseball.

Jordan Lyles OVER 2.5 earned runs allowed (-140 on bet365 Sportsbook)
I play this prop almost every time Lyles pitches. He has gone over 2.5 earned runs allowed in seven consecutive starts, and has gone over in 21 of 25 starts. The Royals right-hander faced the Red Sox on August 9 and allowed seven hits and four earned runs over eight innings. He has allowed 26 earned runs over his last 29.1 innings. Lyles has a 6.51 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 16% strikeout rate and is allowing 2.09 HR per 9 innings. The Red Sox have scored at least four runs in seven of the last eight games.

Bryce Harper OVER 1.5 total bases (+130 on bet365 Sportsbook)
Another day of Harper’s total base prop at plus-money. The matchup is difficult against Freddy Peralta, who has been dominant lately; in his last 36 innings, the Brewers right-hander has allowed 21 hits, six earned runs, 10 walks and struck out 59. But Harper has homered six times in the last nine games, and has gone over his total-bases prop in eight of the last nine games. He’s batting .361 with 10 home runs and a 1.236 OPS in August.

Cal Quantrill UNDER 4.5 strikeouts (-145 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
Quantrill hasn’t pitched in the majors since July 5 due to a shoulder injury. He threw 89 pitches in his last rehab start. Quantrill isn’t a strikeout pitcher; he has four strikeouts or fewer in 12 of his 13 starts and a 12.4% strikeout rate. The Rays bats are heating up again; Tampa is batting .295 over the last 10 games.

Yesterday’s record: 2–0 (+1.3 units)
All-time record: 20–3 (+14.5 units)