This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Thursday brings us an entertaining all-day slate, and there are potentially profitable PrizePicks opportunities throughout the afternoon and evening. We highlight four of our favorites below:
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Evan Carter, TEX vs. KC: More Than 0.5 Hits / More Than 0.5 Total Bases
Despite an underwhelming season for the Rangers, Carter has mostly been a bright spot, checking into Thursday with a .265/.351/.485 slash line across his first 77 plate appearances. The promising 22-year-old is continuing to display some of the same bat skills he flashed at various levels of the minors, combining a solid 9.3 percent walk rate with a modest 14.7 percent strikeout rate.
Carter went into Wednesday with a .901 OPS against right-handed pitching, and although he's had next to no luck at home over a very small sample so far, he mustered a .766 OPS last season at home in 75 plate appearances and has been hampered by an atypically low .067 BABIP at Globe Life Field.
Royals starter Michael Wacha has allowed a .314 average and .345 wOBA to left-handed hitters on the road, along with a 23.3 percent line-drive rate and 4.70 xFIP. Wacha's most often-thrown pitch to left-handed hitters, the four-seam fastball, is also one Carter thrives against, posting a .300 average, .548 xSLG and .391 xwOBA against the offering when seeing it from right-handers.
It's also worth noting Wacha is struggling when throwing the pitch to lefty bats, giving up a .321 xBA and .406 xwOBA in that split. And, whenever Wacha exits, Carter will also have access to a Royals relief corps that's surrendered a .331 wOBA to left-handed hitters in the last month.
Cristopher Sanchez: More Than 4.5 Strikeouts / More Than 18.5 Pitching Outs
Sanchez is the third straight left-hander the Phillies will throw out at the typically southpaw-challenged Marlins, which were limited to one run on four hits over seven innings by Sanchez's rotation mate Ranger Suarez on Wednesday.
Sanchez comes in with a 5-2 record, 3.05 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 9.9 K/9 and 0.8 HR/9 across 14 starts, and he's been at his best on the road with a 2.84 ERA and 0.5 HR/9 in 38 innings. He's also done a very good job against the few Marlins hitters he's faced, limiting Nick Fortes, Otto Lopez, Dane Myers and Jesus Sanchez to a collective .111 average and .222 OPS across nine career encounters.
Sanchez has recorded at least five strikeouts on 10 occasions thus far, and he's recorded over 18.5 pitching outs on four occasions while falling just short with 18 outs in four other outings. The Marlins also went into Wednesday's unproductive showing against Suarez already limping along with a .184 average, .240 wOBA and -10.4 wRAA against lefties at home since May 1.
Junior Caminero, TB vs. BAL: More Than 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI / More Than 5.5 Hitter Fantasy Score / More Than 0.5 Total Bases
Caminero continued his standout season with a breakout performance Wednesday, one where he went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs in a wild 12-8 win over the Orioles. Caminero now boasts a .264 average and .815 OPS, along with 33 extra-base hits.
Thursday, Caminero faces veteran right Charlie Morton, who's pitched well after a very rough first two starts of the season but who remains occasionally vulnerable to the long ball. Morton carries a 1.5 HR/9 overall, and he's pitched to a 7.97 ERA, 1.97 WHIP and 7.1 BB/9 across 20.1 innings on the road. Additionally, he's also surrendered a .301 average and .355 wOBA to right-handed hitters.
For his part, Caminero has been outstanding against right-handed pitching at home, where he already owned a .328 average, .997 OPS, .425 wOBA and 183 wRC+ in that split before Wednesday night's four-hit effort.
Caminero is averaging 2.3 hits + runs + RBI and 2.0 total bases per game, so the two related props are very much in play. He's also scored eight to 20 fantasy points in his last five games, making the More on the 5.5 figure very viable as well.
Jeremy Pena, HOU at ATH: More Than 0.5 Total Bases / More Than 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI
Pena's stellar season continued Wednesday, as he contributed his 26th multi-hit effort against the Athletics. The talented leadoff man now has an .851 OPS alongside a .321 average, and he's been especially impressive versus left-handed pitching.
Pena went into Wednesday boasting a .361 average, .938 OPS, .410 wOBA and 171 wRC+ against southpaws, along with a tiny 7.7 percent strikeout rate in that split. Athletics left-hander Jacob Wilson therefore makes for a good target for Pena, especially considering he's conceded a .289 average, .376 wOBA, .852 OPS and 1.9 HR/9 to right-handed hitters.
Athletics relievers are good targets for Pena as well, since they've pitched to a 6.14 ERA and against righty bats since the start of June and have allowed a .346 wOBA to them at home during that span. Meanwhile, Pena has averaged 1.8 total bases per game and has hit safely in 55 of 74 contests, making these three props very achievable.
