We’ve hit August, and most of the baseball landscape is still developing. Nineteen teams across MLB still have a shot — even at 10 games back — to make the Wild Card, so there’s plenty of meaningful baseball. The opposite holds true; we know exactly where teams like the White Sox, Marlins and Rockies are going, add and can take advantage of teams just going through those motions. We found tremendous value with Underdog pick’em predictions tonight!
Underdog Fantasy MLB Pick’em Predictions Today
Bryce Harper H/L Than 1.5 Total Bases
Things are not working great right now for the Phillies, and it’s directly correlated to Harper struggling at the plate. The Seattle Mariners and Bryan Woo are far from a bounce-back matchup for Harper’s squad, but it’s a chance for him to break out of this mini slump. With just one hit over his last seven games, Harper has to pull it together, as he’s the true nucleus of this Phillies squad.
Woo won’t make it easy, at least he won’t roll out any red carpet for the visiting Phillies. With some strong numbers across the board, Woo’s one weakness is overpowering batters for strikeouts. They simply aren’t coming at the clip to match his better numbers, and it’s a chance for Harper to stay in counts.
Woo’s .250 xwOBA is stellar, but his 17.8% strikeout rate is living on the edge. Harper is the perfect candidate to hang around in counts and make some solid contact. While we need more than a single, just getting out of the slump could easily produce a multi-hit game.
With an expected return to the normal lineup, the Phillies also create strategy issues in how to pitch to Harper. But with the guys surrounding him on both ends, and the resurgence of Trea Turner, the Phillies will be tough outs throughout the night. The biggest factor I keep going back to is the lack of strikeout power from Woo against a team whose main weakness is just that. This gives the Phillies a massive edge if they can return to patient and powerful approaches at the plate, something missing from both Harper and his team as of late.
Underdog Fantasy Pick’em Prediction: Bryce Harper More Than 1.5 Total Bases
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Colton Cowser H/L Than 1.5 Total Bases
Colton Cowser is on a nice tear right now, hitting safely in seven of his last nine games played. There’s a catch, but Cowser is certainly someone to be respected at the dish as he faces a shaky Carlos Carrasco. It’s Game 2 of this series, and the Guardians torched the Orioles last night.
Cowser is seeing and hitting for power with a solid .358 xwOBA on the year. His .254 xBA is fine, not in line with his other hitting numbers but not crushing him either. The catch comes with strikeouts. Cowser could easily go 1-for-4 tonight with three strikeouts and a single. His 28.3% strikeout rate is absurdly high and leaves him open for rough stretches.
That’s not going to magically fix itself overnight. The strikeout issues for Cowser have been masked by powerful contact, but they are still there. Carrasco is far from a massive threat but has been limiting damage from hard-hit contact.
Between that slight edge with the Guardians pitcher and Cowser’s ability to self-implode at the plate, the play is him to record lower than 1.5 total bases.
Underdog Fantasy Pick’em Prediction: Colton Cowser Lower Than 1.5 Total Bases
