I assume you’re here for some MLB bets. That makes sense given the title of this article. Well, I’m not one to disappoint.
There are 15 games on the slate today, with all 30 teams taking the diamond. However, we’re only going to focus on one. How’s that for a twist? Let’s dive in and find some wagers on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels
Under 8.5 (+102)
While I can appreciate the reasoning behind this line, I simply struggle to see where these runs will come from. Yes, both Tyler Anderson and Jose Berrios have expected statistics that suggest their seasons have been nowhere near as good as their ERAs would have you believe. However, in terms of raw results, Anderson enters Wednesday’s action with the eighth-lowest ERA in baseball among qualified arms (2.99) and Berrios sits in a tie for 12th with Tyler Glasnow in quality starts (14). Anderson’s also on quite the recent run of success. Since the beginning of July, the veteran LHP owns a 2.87 ERA and a 2.95 xFIP with a 28.4% strikeout rate and a 3.4% walk rate. I don’t know about you, but that seems pretty good.
Still, the main rationale for siding with the under tonight is these lineups. The first two games of this series both went under despite some early scoring. Heck, the Jays we’re up 3-0 in the top of the first inning on Tuesday, only for that contest to end 6-1. Neither of these squads is generating any power at the moment. In August, Toronto ranks 24th in ISO (.145) and 28th in home runs (9). Meanwhile, in the same span, the Angels sit dead-last in the American League with their .125 ISO. To be frank, these are two young rosters that care more about 2025 than this evening. I expect two veteran pitchers like Anderson and Berrios to take advantage.
Tyler Anderson Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-105)
These two bets go hand-in-hand. If you’re expecting Anderson to pitch well and work deep into this start against the Blue Jays, it makes sense to assume he’ll rack up at least five strikeouts in the process. As mentioned above, the 34-year-old has actually been generating an elite 28.4% strikeout rate over his last six starts — a stretch where Anderson has twice set his season-high in strikeouts with 10.
In terms of matchup, it’s important to note that this current version of Toronto isn’t the same team that owns a 20.1% strikeout rate for 2024 as a whole — the fifth-lowest mark in MLB. No, this is a much younger roster that traded away contact-oriented veterans like Justin Turner and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, replacing them with rookies getting their first taste of big league pitching. The results have been predictable. In August, the Jays own baseball’s fourth-highest chase rate (34.9%). They’ve also seen their strikeout rate spike to 22.7%.
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
