It's Dinger Tuesday at FanDuel, and home runs could be flying out of the park in Philadelphia as the Phillies host the Braves. There are several home run threats on both sides, but I have my eye on Ozzie Albies in that one.
No one is hitting more home runs than Shohei Ohtani right now. With his June surge, he has taken the Major League lead with 24 home runs. He may just do it again, even off Clayton Kershaw.
Elly De La Cruz has hit just one home run since his call-up. Some might say he's due for one, and he has a favorable matchup against Noah Davis. However, if he crosses home plate tonight, we'll take it.
Let's begin in Philadelphia.
MLB Player Props For Tuesday, June 20
Ozzie Albies Over 1.5 Total Bases (+105)
| Braves vs. Phillies | |
| First Pitch | 6:40 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | DraftKings |
Naturally, with the Braves playing on a Tuesday, my first thought was to look into Matt Olson given how much he seems to love Tuesdays.
Olson may hit one out tonight, but facing a left-hander while playing on a team of predominantly right-handed hitters caused me to look at other spots tonight — particularly, the switch-hitting Ozzie Albies, who has been on a tear.
Against left-handed pitching this season, Albies is hitting .415 with five home runs and a .1.154 OPS in 75 at-bats. He has hit 12 of his 17 home runs this season against right-handers, but he's hitting .215 in 200 at-bats. The splits are so drastic that some have suggested he should bat right-handed full-time.
Ranger Suarez is one left-hander he has struggled against, going 2-for-12 with one home run.
If Albies keeps up his torrid pace, tonight's pitcher may not matter. He's hitting .333 with six home runs and 16 runs batted in this month. He has increased his average from .248 to .269 as a result and is hitting .423 with a 1.330 OPS over the last seven days. He's smacked three home runs in that span, and he also has recorded four multi-hit games. He has at least two total bases in four of his last five games, averaging 4.2 in that span.
Albies has five home runs in 32 career games at Citizen Bank Park. If he does homer tonight, you can take him on FanDuel +520 for the promotion. However, with either a double or two hits, I like him to get two total bases.
Pick: Albies Over 1.5 Total Bases |
Elly De La Cruz Over 0.5 Runs Scored (-105)
| Rockies vs. Reds | |
| First Pitch | 7:10 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | DraftKings |
The Reds offense has gotten going of late, winning nine games in a row. They've averaged 5.8 runs per game since June 6, which coincides with the arrival of Elly De La Cruz. He has scored a run in nine of the 12 games in his young career, totaling 11 in that span.
Tonight, he's facing right-hander Noah Davis. Neither De La Cruz nor Davis has spent much time in the big leagues, but the splits favor De La Cruz. He's hitting .333 with a .981 OPS against right-handed pitchers, and left-handed batters are hitting .435 with a 1.127 OPS against Davis.
All nine runs, including the one home run, Davis has allowed this season have been scored by left-handed hitters. De La Cruz enters the game with odds of +560 to hit a home run tonight.
However, to score a run, De La Cruz may not need to get a hit at all. He has already drawn six walks this season, and he can also reach via an error or fielder's choice.
Once De La Cruz gets on base, he's arguably even more dangerous with his electric speed. In yesterday's game, he legged out an infield single despite batting from the right side of the plate. He has six stolen bases already as well.
If De La Cruz gets to second base, there's a good chance he scores on a base hit. If he drives himself in with a home run, that will help us cash this play even quicker.
Pick: De La Cruz Over 0.5 Runs Scored |
Shohei Ohtani Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-105)
| Dodgers vs. Angels | |
| First Pitch | 10:07 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | DraftKings |
I have given out a few Shohei Ohtani picks for this column on days he's pitching. However, I haven't given out a hitting prop for him.
Well, there's no better time to play him than when he's in the middle of one of the hottest streaks of his career. Ohtani will enter tonight's game riding a 13-game hitting streak, and he has a hit in 16 of his last 17 games.
In June, he's hitting .400 with nine home runs, 20 runs batted in and a 1.438 OPS. He has homered in seven of his last 10 games and now has 24 home runs — the second-most home runs by an Angel before the All-Star break in a single season.
If there's a pitcher who can end Ohtani's hot streak, it's certainly the great Clayton Kershaw.
Ohtani is 0-for-8 against Kershaw in his career. However, he's hitting .264 with a .909 OPS and six home runs in 72 at-bats against left-handed pitchers this season. He has also drawn a walk in six of his last seven games and 14 this month. In two of the game he didn't homer during his hot streak, he drew multiple walks.
If Ohtani scores a run after drawing a walk, that will take care of half of this combo. Then, he can get the over with either a sacrifice fly, RBI groundout or a hit. If he hits a home run, he'll have three hits + runs + runs batted in.
Ohtani has cashed this line in each of his 10 past games. He's averaging 4.5 hits + runs + runs batted in over that span and 2.6 for the season. Kershaw is tough, but I don't advise fading Ohtani right now.
Pick: Shohei Ohtani Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs
