After a stunning six-inning shutout in his last start, Rich Hill is in a prime fade spot that MLB prop bettors can take advantage of. FanDuel Sportsbook is the only book to have this prop at plus money at time of publishing. Let’s dive into the top MLB play for the Rangers-Pirates game.
Rangers-Pirates Bet: Rich Hill O/U 4.5 Strikeouts
Rich Hill takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight against the Texas Rangers. At 43, Hill is the oldest player in the majors, and he is putting together a solid season in his 20th year in the big leagues. He has a 3.80 ERA, but advanced metrics say he’s due for regression. His xERA is up to 5.87 and his opponent expected slugging is near the bottom of the league. The Pirates got an unexpected 7.2 innings from Luis Ortiz, a top prospect in their farm system. The bullpen is fresh and will be ready to go if Hill gets hit hard and often.
The Texas Rangers offense will be a full-go tonight. They’ll face off against a left-handed pitcher against whom they rake. In May, the Rangers rank second in all of baseball in batting average, are top of the league in on-base percentage and are striking out at the sixth-lowest rate. The last four left-handed starters have failed to eclipse their set strikeout total against the Rangers and have been hit hard.
Diving into the Rangers’ projected lineup instills even more confidence. Five of the nine batters have a strikeout rate below 21% against left-handed pitching this season. Hill will most likely see seven or eight right-handed batters, which hit Hill for a near .270 average. Hill has yet to top 90 pitches in May, and it should be more of the same today with a rested bullpen and fierce offense.
Best Rangers-Pirates Bet: Rich Hill Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+118, FanDuel)
