This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Baseball begins the week with 10 games Monday. Plenty of stars will be in action with the Dodgers, Rangers and Phillies among the teams set to take the field. There are also a lot of options to sift through on PrizePicks, so let's try to help narrow down the field by highlighting a few that stand out.
Shohei Ohtani, LAD vs. MIA: More Than 1.5 Total Bases
Ohtani hit two home runs Sunday against the Braves, giving him 10 home runs for the season. He has also hit 14 doubles, leaving him with a .685 slugging percentage. He has crushed right-handed pitchers, posting a .805 slugging percentage against them.
Taking the mound for the Marlins will be righty Roddery Munoz, who has made two starts in the majors this year. He pitched well in his last outing, holding the Rockies to one run over six innings. However, he had trouble keeping hitters off base in the minors, never finishing with a WHIP below 1.55 at either Double-A or Triple-A. Don't expect him to be the pitcher that slows Ohtani down.
Mookie Betts, LAD vs. MIA: More Than 0.5 Walks
Munoz has only walked three batters over his 11 innings in the majors this season. He was wild in the minors, though, issuing 14 walks over 15.2 innings at Triple-A. Last season, he walked 46 batters over 66 innings at Triple-A.
Betts recorded a 13.9 percent walk rate last season and has a 16.5 percent walk rate this year. Over his last 10 games, he has drawn at least one walk six times. Expect Munoz to walk at least a couple of batters in this game, with Betts having a favorable chance of being one of them.
Kyle Gibson, STL vs. NYM: More Than 1.5 Walks Allowed
Gibson has recorded a 3.79 ERA across his first six starts with the Cardinals. However, his 4.87 FIP indicates that some regression could come sooner rather than later. Opponents only have a .225 BABIP against him, which is well below his career mark of a .304 BABIP allowed.
Gibson does not have overpowering stuff, posting just an 18.7 percent strikeout rate for his career. He needs to hit his spots and be careful, which can sometimes lead to command issues. He has a 9.2 percent walk rate this year, issuing at least two walks in five of his six outings. The Mets are a difficult team to strike out and they have drawn the 11th-most walks in baseball, so look for Gibson to issue at least two free passes again.
Alex Wood, OAK vs. TEX: More Than 1.5 Walks Allowed
The Athletics signed Wood with hope that he could eat innings for them and provide a veteran presence within their starting rotation. He has been bad in the early going, posting a 6.32 ERA and a 5.49 FIP. That comes on the heels of his 4.33 ERA and 4.47 FIP with the Giants last year.
Part of the problem for Wood has been a lack of control. He had a 9.8 percent walk rate last year and is sporting an 11.1 percent walk rate this season. He has issued at least two walks in five of his seven starts, which included an outing against the Rangers in which he walked three batters. In their rematch, more is the way to go here.
