Underdog Fantasy MLB Picks - Best Picks & Plays for October 1: Mike Trout To Pick Apart Cole Ragans
We may be rolling into the last weekend of the Major League Baseball season but there are still plenty of Underdog Fantasy props to play! It is the first day of October and we have an entire season of MLB data to pore through so let’s check out the MLB props board at Underdog Fantasy for Saturday night. Tonight, we are looking at Cristian Javier of the Astros, who has turned in three straight scoreless and two elite sluggers that are red hot - Mike Trout of the Angles and the Dodgers Mookie Betts. Check our MLB Weather Center to make sure that all games will be dry and that there are no surprising pop-up storms during roster lock. To get all the confirmed starting lineups make sure to go to the MLB Lineups page. We also have an MLB DFS Lineup Generator and MLB Player Projections to make all of your fantasy baseball lineups plus an MLB Tools page that features batter vs. pitcher and advanced metrics. Now let’s take a look at my three favorite props on Underdog Fantasy for Saturday’s baseball action.
Mike Trout OVER 0.5 Runs
Mike Trout has an elite matchup tonight against young Rangers left-hander Cole Ragans. Ragans has an xFIP of 5.53 on the season and is only striking out right-handed bats at a 15% clip. He is allowing a .222 ISO/.382wOBA on the split and his main pitch to the right side is a fastball and of course Trout crushes the pitch. Today’s prop is 0.5 runs and Trout has the second-most runs scored over the last seven days (7.0) while slashing .348/.385/.826 with a 1.211 in that span. Love the matchup so take the over here.
Cristian Javier OVER 7.0 Strikeouts
While most clubs have been limiting the work of the top arms as they gear for the playoffs, the Astros have still let Javier go 90 pitches in four of his last five starts. He has now gone 17 scoreless innings giving up just four hits and striking out 22 in that span. Over his last five starts he has 2.41 FIP with a 1.32 ERA/0.77 WHIP. His strikeout rate is 12.2 K/9 and the Rays offense is striking out at 26.2% clip over the last two weeks to right-handed pitching. The Rays are really struggling at the plate, scoring one run in four of their last six games with a .118 ISO/.266wOBA.
Mookie Betts OVER 1.5 Total Bases
Last night was just another day at the office for Mookie Betts. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in the Dodgers 10-1 win over the Rockies. He now has four doubles over his last three games and 39 on the season to go with a career-best 35 home runs. Over his last 20 games Betts now has a .290 ISI/.393wOBA with a 146.5 wRC+. He gets another elite matchup tonight with the positive platoon split against lefty Kyle Freeland. Betts has elite advanced metrics of a .309 ISO/.412wOBA with a 48.4% hard contact and 47.6% fly balls rate on the split while Freeland is allowing a 5.20 xFIP with 45.7% hard contact. You gotta love the spot Mookie Betts is in tonight and I will be taking the over on of the best October players in the game of baseball.