We got the weekend off to a hot start as we swept the board yesterday. We are poised to carry that momentum into Saturday's selection, which features three hurlers on today's slate.
With the stage set, let's dive into our three MLB player props for Saturday, June 8 — featuring bets for Charlie Morton, Ben Brown, Nestor Cortes.
MLB Player Props Saturday (June 8)
- Charlie Morton Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-155, DraftKings)
- Ben Brown Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-155, bet365)
- Nestor Cortes Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-130, bet365)
Charlie Morton is an ageless wonder, as at 40, he's still having success at the big league level. However, we have seen a bit of regression from him this season in the strikeout department.
His strikeout rate is down about 3.5% since 2022, but his strikeout prop is lined as if his numbers haven't changed. Also, his opposition today is far better than they are being credited for.
The Washington Nationals rank 18th in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching and have improved on that of late as they are 21st over their last 15 games.
So, the matchup is trending in the wrong direction, and recent history shows this total has become tougher for Morton to surpass. He has gone under this total in seven of eleven starts this season and 56% of his last 73 outings.
Fade Morton this afternoon as father time appears to be catching up to him.
We go from an aging veteran to a young stud in Ben Brown. The 24-year-old flamethrower has proven he has big league stuff, but in this matchup, he's about to learn how fast big league hitters make adjustments.
Brown is about to face the Cincinnati Reds for the second time in as many starts. In his last start, The Reds knocked him around a bit as he allowed five runs on six hits while striking out six in five innings of work.
Brown's record of six strikeouts in a rough outing is impressive, but we know major league hitters get better each time a guy is seen, and the Reds should be well-prepared.
Not to mention, the Reds have begun to reduce their strikeouts against righties, as they rank 14th in strikeout rate over their last 15 games. Add all of this to the fact that Brown has only surpassed this number once in his seven career starts, and you have a strong recipe for an under.
Our last stop on the fade train will be in the Bronx. Nestor Cortes is set to take the ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While we know this lineup is formidable, the numbers only back it up tonight.
Cortes is about to face the top lineup in baseball when it comes to hitting against lefties. The Dodgers lead the majors in wRC+ and have the fourth-lowest team strikeout rate against lefties, which is over 4% lower than their strikeout rate against righties.
In addition, Cortes is not a strikeout artist. He averages less than a strikeout per inning against righties, and he will see a ton of them tonight as Ohtani and Freeman are the only projected lefties in the lineup.
Overall, Cortes has gone under this number in 54% of his last 56 outings. So, while we don't have a big implied edge, the matchup weighs heavily tonight.
