This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Thursday brings us a shorter slate, but there still a solid number of potentially profitable PrizePicks opportunities. We highlight four of our favorites below:
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Gleyber Torres, DET at COL (Game 1): More Than 1.5 Total Base
Torres has bright prospects on paper for Thursday's first game of the interleague twin bill. The veteran infielder has enjoyed plenty of success against left-handers over his career, but he's been especially effective versus southpaws this season with a .400 average, 1.284 OPS, .543 wOBA and 264 wRC+ across a modest sample of 27 plate appearances.
Five of Torres' 10 hits in that sample have gone for extra bases, in the form of two doubles and three homers. The stellar production isn't a fluke, considering Torres has a .282 average and .895 OPS against lefties since the start of the 2023 season. Then, Torres has teed off in similar fashion against Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, getting to the struggling lefty for a .600 average in five career plate appearances.
Torres has been at his best on the road this season, as he entered Wednesday's action with a .313 average, .942 OPS and .413 wOBA in that split. Torres is also averaging 1.8 total bases per contest, the Tigers are projected for a robust 5.7 runs, and Colorado relievers were already pitching to a .283 BAA against righties at home in the last two weeks before surrendering two runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings Wednesday.
Ryan McMahon, COL vs. DET (Game 2): More Than 6 Hitter Fantasy Score
McMahon has been having a mostly forgettable season, but in Wednesday's extra-inning loss to the Tigers, he offered a glimpse of his upside that's also been on display during the last few seasons. McMahon put together a 4-for-4 showing that included two doubles, a two-run homer, a walk and two runs.
McMahon still has just a .193 average, but he now has a respectable .312 OBP. Prior to Wednesday, he was being largely victimized by a .232 BABIP, a figure that nearly 100 points lower than his .320 number last season. McMahon is still getting plenty of good wood on the ball, as he boasts a 47.2% hard-hit rate per Statcast after Wednesday's power display.
Tigers Game 2 starter Keider Montero makes for a potentially good candidate to keep McMahon's hot bat going Thursday, as the young right-hander is allowing an elevated 11.6% barrel rate and .424 wOBA. Montero is also allowing a .333 average and .500 wOBA to left-handed hitters, with five of the nine hits he's surrendering that split going for extra bases.
Finally, considering that despite his ugly season average, McMahon has been trending updward fantasy-wise of late, scoring nine, 15, 21 and 33 fantasy points in four of his last five games.
Kris Bubic, KCR vs. CWS: More Than 4.5 Strikeouts
Bubic enters Thursday's favorable matchup against the White Sox with a 3-2 record, 1.98 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 0.4 HR/9 across his first seven starts. The left-hander should be in a good spot versus Chicago, which sports a 25.5% strikeout rate, .223 average, .276 wOBA and -4.4 wRAA when facing southpaws on the road.
Bubic has only gotten better the deeper he goes into a game, as he's allowed averages of .263, .207 and .154 averages his first, second and third time through an opponent's order, respectively. He's also held both handedness of hitter to .214 averages, and he's recorded at least five strikeouts in each of his first five starts before coming up short against the Astros and Orioles his last two times out.
Chicago has five regulars that have struck out 29 times or more already, so banking on Bubic to get to at least five Ks is certainly a viable proposition.
Jesus Luzardo, PHI at TB: More Than 17.5 Pitching Outs
Luzardo has opened the season by putting together what is arguably one of the best stretches of pitching of his career, as he'll come into Thursday's matchup against the lefty-challenged Rays with a 3-0 record, 1.94 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 10.2 K/9 and 0.2 HR/9 across seven starts (41.2 innings). Luzardo is also conceding a career-low 6.3% barrel rate, and he's yet to give up more than three earned runs in any of his first seven starts (two earned runs or less in six of those outings).
Luzardo has gone at least six innings on four occasions as well, with his lowest BB/9 (2.4) since his truncated rookie 2019 campaign helping his cause in that regard. Thursday, he faces a Rays team that's mustered just a .211 average, .292 wOBA and .106 ISO against left-handed pitching at home in the last month and was just shut out for six innings by Cristopher Sanchez on Wednesday.
Given his body of work and the way the matchup lines up Thursday, this is a viable rop for Luzardo to reach.
