Major League Baseball’s regular season has been on four days off, and despite the incredible All-Star celebrations, it’s time to get back to work. Most teams have played nearly 100 games, so it seems a bit inaccurate to call it “second half”, but that's how we do things. It's time for the “second half”.
Let's start things with a few wins.
Today's odds are through Draftkings.
Jesús Luzardo over 6.5 K (-130)
Luzardo has beaten 122 batsmen in 104 innings so far this season. He scored seven strikeouts nine times, including three of his last four outings. The Phillies hosted the Angels on Friday, meaning Luzado had the highest three-point shooting percentage against baseball with 28.2%. The Angels have never seen him this season, so I like those relatively unfamiliar.
Byron Buxton over 2.5 Total (+100)
Buxton finished the first half, ranking 22nd in his last six games with triple-double, triple and two home runs, which was nice to the .545/.583/1.045 crazy slash. In the All-Star Game, he won the Ninth Inning RBI doubles to get the AL to play within the run before scoring the run to force the swing.
Buxton is now entering the second half of Coors Field in Colorado. He faces left-handed Kyle Freeland. Buxton hit .321/.391/.696 against left-handed shots this season. Rockies starter Kyle Freeland has a 6.69 ERA at home and allows the right-hand swinger to hit him.327/.364/.476.
If you wonder if these two have ever been squared before, yes, Buxton hit a home run with Freeland in 2017.
Given how long it was, the latter doesn't matter, but seeing it doesn't hurt. A lot of things in the Bug Buxton game are terrible, so I'll get a total base of more than two people. Hopefully he is just the first batsman to cash in our tickets.
O'Hearn on the left wing just made his mark from his first All-Star game and played a short right field porch in Tampa and hit in the weather of a great (hot/wet) batsman. Taj Bradley is on a ray mound, and he has been hit by torches at home all season with an ERA of 5.55 ERA. He gave up eight home runs in nine homes. Additionally, the Orioles have carved him on June 18 and June 29. O'Hearn has 5-12 home runs in his career with two doubles and a home run against Bradley.
Again, there are a lot of things in line here.
Futures Game: Nick Kurtz wins AL Rookie of the Year (+350)
It felt like a good time to jump on Kurtz. As noted in the Power Ranking, he has been on major electricity.
Kurtz entered the break with 17 home runs and 44 RBIs, with a slip percentage of .558 and 143 OPS+. He didn't hit a home run until May 13. He didn't hit the second inning until May 20. Starting May 20, Kurtz has hit .287/.376/.713 (!) in his last 35 games with seven doubles, 16 home runs and 38 hits. Talk about figuring out the major leagues, right?
Teammate and All-Star starter Jacob Wilson is currently hitting .329/.373/.459 (131 OPS+). Most of his games were inspired by his batting average, but once as high as .372 (June 8). He hit .192 in the last 20 games.
Things do tend toward Kurtz here.