Happy Hump Day!

Let’s have some fun rooting for a pitcher’s duel in Chicago. Two pitchers with swing and miss stuff get the start today. Can they reward us with plus-money payouts? 

MLB Best Bets TodayHunter Brown over 6.5 strikeouts (+125) at DraftKings

Yes, this K prop is high, but the Chicago White Sox have been striking out at a 26% clip vs. right-handed pitching since the first of June.

That’s the third-highest rate in MLB.

Even Framber Valdez, a lefty ground ball pitcher, fanned five last night.  Hunter Brown has been on fire lately, striking out seven or more in each of his last four starts. I’ll take the chance he makes it five in a row for this nice payout. 

Garrett Crochet over 6.5 strikeouts (+115) at DraftKings

I’m taking the over for Garrett Crochet on the other side of this game, too.

I’m expecting a low-scoring affair today. Crochet has been dominant all season, leading all of MLB with 12.67 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Astros are a very low K-rate team with a league-best 15.5% K-rate vs. left-handed pitching this season. However, this lineup is down Kyle Tucker and possibly Yordan Alvarez for the second day in a row. 

Jon Singleton, Yainer Diaz and Trey Cabbage will definitely whiff a few times, and Crochet has pitched through the sixth inning or longer in each of his last five starts. He also exceeded this prop in four of them.