There’s a full slate of afternoon baseball on this lovely Wednesday, but guess what? I was too lazy to write this article last night. So now we’re just going to focus on the few games taking place this evening. Deal? Deal.
We’re 8-4 (+3.6u) on article plays in 2024. Let’s try and keep the good times rolling.
Bet at a top rated Sportsbook!
View the latest odds and bet online legally at a top rated Sportsbook! Place a bet now at DraftKings Sportsbook!*
*Odds and lines are for illustrative purposes only.
Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays
Under 8.5 (-115)
While neither of Reid Detmers or Zack Littell is a household name, both pitchers have been throwing the ball exceedingly well to start 2024. Detmers, in particular, has been sensational, posting a 1.04 ERA and a 1.46 FIP across his 17.1 innings. The secret to the left-hander’s success? Almost completely negating opponent contact. Detmers currently owns a 16.4% swinging strike rate and has translated that into a league-leading 40.6% strikeout rate. Littell hasn’t been racking up the strikeouts with the same ferocity, yet he has conceded only two earned runs over his 15.1 innings of work, instead leaning on his ability to suppress hard contact. Littell sits in the 85th percentile of the league in average exit velocity (85.7) and the 91st percentile in hard hit rate (25.0%). If you’re going to allow batted ball events, that’s how you do it.
Then there’s the matter of these lineups. The Rays have been underwhelming in general to begin the season, as they currently sit 22nd in wOBA (.302) and 24th in ISO (.124). Injuries to Brandon Lowe, Jonathan Aranda and Josh Lowe have taken their toll. On the other side, Mike Trout is healthy and looking like himself, which has been enough to carry Los Angeles to roughly league-average run production. However, the Angels have managed to scape together just a 98 wRC+ against RHPs like Littell through three weeks. I think we’ve got a pitcher’s duel on our hands, people.
Cleveland Guardians at Boston Red Sox
Triston Casas Over 1.5 Total Bases (+130)
Casas has been on fire lately, with three home runs across his last four games. Honestly, the hulking first baseman has been one of the best hitters in all of baseball if you remove a nightmarish opening series against the Mariners. To wit, since April 1, Casas is slashing .314/.407/.667 with a 195 wRC+ in 59 plate appearances. A lot of people were predicting a breakout campaign for the 24-year-old in 2024. Needless to say, he’s making those who showed confidence in his talent look quite smart at the moment.
Casas’ matchup on Wednesday night will be Ben Lively, making his first appearance of 2024 after starting the season on the 15-day injured list. However, Lively did throw 88.2 innings for the Guardians in 2023, so we have a pretty good sample on the RHPs’ strengths and weaknesses. My first takeaway? He doesn’t like facing left-handed bats. Lefties combined for a .570 slugging percentage and a .387 wOBA against Lively last year, as the journeyman surrendered 2.64 home runs per nine within the split. Casas should be licking his chops at the prospect of seeing Lively a few times this evening.
Place your MLB bets at DraftKings Sportsbook and bet online by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is theglt13) and I may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
