Today marks the start of the final week of May, and most MLB teams are hovering around the 50-game mark. There is nearly two full months of intel on all 30 teams to use when making MLB picks. As always, Monkey Knife Fight has all kinds of contests available for each of the seven games on tap for this evening. Here are three contests worth considering for Monday.
Monkey Knife Fight MLB Player Prop Picks | May 24
Padres vs. Brewers ‘More or Less’ Contest (3x Buy-In)
This star-studded contest centers around a huge National League showdown between the Padres and Brewers. It takes a strong stomach to bet against the red-hot Fernando Tatis Jr. right now; this Monkey Knife Fight contest play is not for the faint of heart. After crushing two home runs as part of a three-hit day on Sunday, Tatis has now strung together an incredible streak of six consecutive multi-hit games. While riding the hot hand is never a bad play, this run has to come to an end eventually. It very well could tonight as Brandon Woodruff draws the start for the Brewers.
Speaking of hot streaks, Woodruff has allowed four or fewer hits in five of his last six starts. This includes holding the Padres to a single hit over six innings back on April 19. Tatis only has one single in six career at-bats against Woodruff. With the statistic in question being total bases, Tatis could be facing an uphill battle to clear the line of 1.5.
The other half of this MLB picks contest considers Brewers star Christian Yelich. Although he hasn’t been as hot as Tatis recently, Yelich did record two hits and a walk on Sunday. In three career at-bats against San Diego starter Blake Snell, Yelich has a base hit to his name. The other factor to consider is that Snell has not been particularly sharp in any of his starts this season. A patient hitter like Yelich could very well draw a pair of walks to clear the over on 1.5 hits + walks in this Monkey Knife Fight MLB contest.
Orioles vs. Twins ‘More or Less’ Contest (3x Buy-In)
This contest looks at total strikeouts for both starting pitchers in tonight’s matchup between the Orioles and Twins. To start, consider taking the over on 5.5 strikeouts for John Means. Means has done more than flash his talent as the ace of a suspect staff. A no-hitter on May 5 saw Means dominate the Seattle Mariners to the tune of 12 strikeouts. After fanning six in 6.1 innings in his most recent outing, Means now has recorded six or more strikeouts in five of his last six starts. To round out this choice, note that the vast majority of the Twins lineup has either never faced Means or struggled against him in the past.
On the flip side, look to play under 3.5 total strikeouts for Minnesota starter Matt Shoemaker tonight. He has never been a power pitcher, as evidenced in his 2021 season stats. Shoemaker has fallen short of 3.5 strikeouts in four of his last six starts. He has also gotten knocked around in several of his recent outings. Obviously, an early exit from tonight’s game certainly would aid the under. Finally, the Orioles somewhat surprisingly come into tonight’s matchup averaging the sixth-fewest strikeouts per game as a team this season (8.52). It is hard to see Shoemaker piling up a ton of punchouts in this one.
Mariners vs. Athletics ‘Home Run Derby’ Contest (1.5x Buy-In)
Both starting pitchers in this AL West showdown have been bitten by the long ball several times this season. Yusei Kikuchi and Frankie Montas each enter Monday’s game having allowed nine home runs apiece. Both lineups in this matchup have hit their fair share of bombs this season as well. The Athletics really stand out as they are averaging 1.42 homers per game as a team this season. That’s good for the third-highest mark in baseball. The only stipulation when making picks for this contest is that a player from each team must be among the chosen three.
With the Athletics possessing far more power hitters, two of our chosen players for this Monkey Knife Fight contest reside in the Oakland dugout. In 14 career at-bats against Kikuchi, Matt Olson has four hits, including a home run. He rides a four-game hitting streak coming into tonight’s matchup and has also homered in each of the last two. Teammate Mark Canha has one prior homer off of Kikuchi to go along with a double and a .600 slugging percentage in 10 prior at-bats. He did miss Sunday’s game after getting hit by a pitch on the elbow the day before, but Canha makes for a great option in this contest if he is in the lineup. Matt Chapman also has homered off of Kikuchi and would be a suitable replacement if Canha is again ruled out.
Finally, turning attention to the Mariners side, the choice here has to be Mitch Haniger. He has taken Montas deep once before and also has a single in just six prior at-bats against him. On top of that history, Haniger has 13 home runs on the 2021 season to date, tied for the fifth most in baseball coming in. Haniger is a great addition to this MLB picks contest.
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