All 30 MLB teams are in action on Wednesday and with that much baseball on the slate, we had to break up the best bets into two files.
With that being said, out experts looked over the afternoon slate and found value in a pair of games. They're targeting both a strikeouts prop and a first-five innings under. There are plenty of MLB betting opportunities on the April 26 board, so let's not waste anymore time and get right to the best bets.
Wednesday Afternoon MLB Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our MLB betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click the team logos for one the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
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| Specific bet recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our MLB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Rangers vs. Reds
Wednesday, April 26 12:35 p.m. ET MLB.TV |
Graham Ashcraft Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+110)  |
By Tony Sartori
The Rangers are off to a strong start as they rank second in the AL in runs scored. Not only are the Rangers hitting well, but they aren’t striking out, something likely to continue against right-hander Graham Ashcraft.
This season, Texas ranks ninth in the league in K% when facing right-handed pitching. Looking at Wednesday’s projected lineup, the punch-out is likely going to be difficult to come as six of the nine hitters possess a K% south of 22% this year.
Ashcraft has put together a nice start to the year as he’s 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP through his first four starts. However, he has only recorded four strikeouts in each of his past two starts, a trend likely to continue against the Rangers.
Even if Ashcraft’s strong start to the year continues (unlikely), he’s not a guy who thrives because of the strikeout. The right-hander only possesses a three-pitch arsenal and throws either his cutter or slider 82.4% of the time. Ashcraft ranks in the 43rd percentile or lower in K%, BB%, Whiff% and Chase Rate.
This strikeout total can be found at 4.5 because not a single member Texas’ roster has ever faced Ashcraft. While that does give Ashcraft a slight edge, it shouldn’t take too long for this lineup to figure out what he throws as he boasts a small three-pitch arsenal. The slider is by far his most effective weapon, but if he doesn’t get the the first two pitches working against this competent lineup, then it’ll be difficult to set up that slider and Ashcraft could have a tough outing.
Pick: Graham Ashcraft Under 4.5 Strikeouts |
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Tigers vs. Brewers
Wednesday, April 26 1:40 p.m. ET MLB.TV |
First Five Innings Under 4.5 (-118) |
By Kenny Ducey
Before we had Shohei Ohtani, our beloved two-way star was Michael Lorenzen. With the Reds, he put together some great seasons in his mid-twenties and earned the respect of many around the league. Everyone loved Lorenzen.
Well, you don’t hear much about the right-hander these days, probably because he wears a Tigers uniform now. Make no mistake, though, he can still pitch.
Lorenzen’s expected ERA has come in under four runs for the past four seasons and his strikeout numbers have been relatively steady. He got off to a tough start this year as he was injured to start the season and coughed up six runs on eight hits in his first outing against the Giants. However, he looked much more like himself in his most recent start against the Orioles, firing five scoreless innings and allowing just four baserunners with four strikeouts.
The veteran’s four-seam fastball velocity is actually up a tick thus far and I have no fears about him quieting a Brewers lineup that has mustered just a 76 wRC+ in the past week. On the other side of the coin, Lorenzen's offense shouldn’t really give him much help – not with Freddy Peralta on the hill, anyway.
The right-hander has been beaten up in his past two outings, against the Padres and Red Sox, but should have an easier task ahead against the second-worst offense in baseball. Detroit has struck out in 25.9% of its plate appearances and is up against one of the biggest strikeout arms in the National League.
This one should be difficult for both offenses, so I’ll go ahead and grab the first five under.
Pick: First 5 innings Under 4.5 |
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
