If you’re a baseball bettor, having three do-or-die games on Thursday’s MLB schedule is like Christmas morning, and it all gets started when Jose Ramirez and the Cleveland Indians host the Detroit Tigers at 3:08 p.m. ET.
We’re backing Ramirez in one particular player prop market on Thursday: over 0.5 walks at +125 (best odds @ bet365).
Jose Ramirez over 0.5 walks
Jose Ramirez over 0.5 walks
Ramirez is the heart and soul of Cleveland’s lineup and unquestionably the team’s most dangerous hitter, so it’s very probable that the Tigers will do everything they can to continue pitching around him, if possible. Ramirez has already drawn four walks through the first two games of this series, including three in Cleveland’s Game 2 victory on Wednesday. In fact, he’s walked in 10 straight games against the Tigers dating back to the regular season, giving this prop exceptional value at plus money odds.
Ramirez has drawn at least one walk in 57 of his 160 games this season (36% hit rate) and in 9.8% of his plate appearances, ranking him in the 70th percentile in the majors in walk rate.
Detroit’s starting pitcher, Jack Flaherty, is by no means a control artist, owning an 8.7% walk rate this season to rank in the 36th percentile amongst qualified starters. Ramirez has had moderate success against the veteran right-hander in the past, posting a .259/.286/.519 slash line with an .844 OPS and he’s drawn one walk in 27 career at-bats against Flaherty.
This best-of-three American League Wild Card Series is tied at a game apiece, which means pitchers on both sides of the diamond will be pitching more carefully than in a typical regular-season game, especially against elite hitters like Ramirez.
Be sure to shop around at the best online sportsbooks for the best odds because pricing on this prop is currently being offered in the range of -130 to +125.