Parker Messick ParlayPlay MLB Picks Today, 8/19: Baseball Projections + More

Quick Summary of Today's Top ParlayPlay MLB Picks:

• Parker Messick (CLE): Over 6.5 Strikeouts
• Matthew Liberatore (STL): Over 5.5 Strikeouts

Looking for the best ParlayPlay MLB picks today? After crunching the numbers and sifting through our MLB DFS projections, I’ve identified my favorite MLB player props today, and we are focusing on two of the best matchups on the board with our top MLB picks for today. With Parker Messick and Matthew Liberatore, we are building a high-probability card with our best ParlayPlay MLB picks for Wednesday, August 19. You can also take these picks and add them to an entry with one of the many boost specials ParlayPlay is offering for today.

Parker Messick ParlayPlay MLB Pick: OVER 6.5 Strikeouts

Messick has notched at least six strikeouts in all five of his starts out of the All-Star break, pitching to a 2.08 ERA, 26.7 K%, and 0.89 WHIP during that stretch. He’s upped the usage on his fastball significantly of late, and his heater has recorded a 12.1 SwStr% and .157 BAA this season. His changeup remains elite at missing bats, and he’s pitching at home today, where he has a 25.2 K% on the season.

The Giants have struggled against LHP all season, posting the third-lowest OPS in baseball, but the problems have intensified of late. In the month of August against lefties, the Giants have the eighth-highest strikeout rate (25.2%), the second-lowest batting average (.179), and tied for the lowest OPS (.501) and wOBA (.229) in the league!

Matthew Liberatore ParlayPlay MLB Pick: OVER 5.5 Strikeouts

Despite a 5.33 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break, Liberatore has a 3.43 xERA, 3.48 FIP, and 3.49 xFIP. Furthermore, he’s posted a 26.2% strikeout rate during that stretch, and he’s increased the usage of his slider during this stretch. For the 2026 season, Liberatore’s slider has a 64.7% contact rate and 18.1 SwStr%.

Liberatore and the Cardinals will take on the Reds at Great American Ball Park today, and I want to call a few things out. First, Liberatore has a 27.2 K% on the road, compared to a 17.7 K% at home. Second, since the All-Star break, the Reds have been dreadful against southpaws, leading the league with a 29.5 K%, and posting bottom-three marks in batting average, OPS, wOBA, and wRC+. This year, Liberatore has nine games with six or more strikeouts, and of those nine starts, seven have come on the road.