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The desert double dip fell through last night, but getaway Wednesday always offers some great pitcher and MLB player prop edges and angles. 

Griffin Jax is coming off the IL with an elbow issue and only threw 42 pitches in his one rehab start. His leash is very questionable. Davis Martin is also coming off the shelf, but his Over strikeouts is projecting well on a conservative pitch count. Finally, Bryce Miller is not in the trust tree, and getting deep vs. the Red Sox is unlikely. 

These are my favorite MLB strikeout and pitcher props for Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today

Player	Pick	Odds
Griffin Jax	Under 4.5 strikeouts	+104
Davis Martin	Over 3.5 strikeouts	+105
Bryce Miller	Under 15.5 outs	-116

Strikeout prop: Griffin Jax Under 4.5 strikeouts (+104)

Let's keep it simple off the top. Griffin Jax is coming off the IL after throwing just 42 pitches in his only rehab start. He has been dealing with right elbow discomfort, a major red flag, and pushing him far beyond 60 pitches seems unlikely. There is also a chance he is innings-capped, as Tampa should be cautious with Jax with a long playoff run on the horizon.

He's better than a K-per-inning pitcher, but getting to 15 outs is doubtful. That was his leash on a full workload, and now it could be cut in half. The Rays have all of their middle relievers and long arms available today, giving them little reason to push Jax deep into this game.

The market is already moving, and THE BAT is projecting 60 pitches, with a fair price of -150 on this total at that pitch count. Todd Cordell still likes the Rays on the ML in his Mets vs. Rays predictions.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Rays.TV, SNY

Strikeout prop: Davis Martin Over 3.5 strikeouts (+105)

Houston has not been a good offense since the beginning of August, ranking 23rd in wOBA. Davis Martin is returning from the IL, but unlike Jax, this total is a little short, and the projections agree.

THE BAT is calling for 3.8 Ks on 74 pitches. Martin went 15 outs in his lone rehab start, allowing just one hit while striking out five over 59 pitches. That makes the additional 15 pitches in the projection feel about right.

A blister issue slowed Martin down, but now that he's past it, he could get back to his 8.24 K/9 rate from the first half of the season instead of his 6.63 mark after the All-Star break.

There is some leash concern, but that rehab start looked sharp, and the play-money price makes this an easy decision. I'd play this to -105/-110, with a fair price of -120.

• Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Space City Network, Chicago Sports Network

Pitcher out prop: Bryce Miller Under 15.5 outs (-116)

Bryce Miller was just demoted to the bullpen before an injury to the Seattle rotation sent him back to a starting role. The demotion was warranted, as he has been one of the worst second-half pitchers in baseball, with the fifth-worst ERA and 10th-worst FIP.

He threw 104 pitches in his last start, a season-high, and still recorded just 13 outs. He has failed to get beyond 15 outs in three of his last four outings.

The command is lacking, and the ball is leaving the park, as Miller has allowed a home run in eight straight starts. There isn't much trust in Miller right now, and the middle of the Seattle bullpen is fresh.

For a pitcher who has reached 91+ pitches in just 29% of his starts, expecting him to get back to that range after a demotion is a tough ask. The market is already as low as -140 at some books.

Miller is the reason I'm backing Mickey Gasper today to go deep in today's MLB home run props.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NESN, Mariners.TV

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“With the position that our team’s in right now, it’s a time for us to take advantage of opportunities to evaluate for 2027.”

That’s what JJ Picollo, Royals general manager and overall head honcho of baseball operations, said in the dugout before Tuesday’s game when asked why Kansas City let John Schreiber go a few days earlier. Schreiber was in his third season for the Royals, a downright rarity for a middle reliever who didn’t come up through an organization’s own farm system. To be fair, there were some other reasons: Kansas City saves $600,000 on his contract by not employing him, and by letting Schreiber go he could sign on with a team that’s gunning for a playoff spot instead of just hoping not to lose 90 games. He did just that, and is now a Yankee.

Picollo is right that the Royals are in a period of evaluation. As I’ve even written recently, that can actually be a pretty nice place to be, where a team can take risks and generally not care if those risks pay off. The Royals know who Schreiber is, and Schreiber doesn’t help them at all next year.

But Picollo’s statement is a little curious, especially because of who they used for Schreiber’s open roster spot and the other two additions that the Royals got as part of expanded September rosters: 28-year-old Euston McGee, 29-year-old Nolan Hoffman, and 27-year-old Drew Waters.

Indeed, less than a minute after talking about how the team needs to take advantage of 2027 opportunities, he hedged those words.

“We have some other guys that are on the roster that are eligible to be recalled coming up here in the next couple days,” Picollo said. “There might be a guy or two that aren’t on the roster that we’ll consider as well. It’s 24 games, so how many looks can we actually get? That’s another part of it, but we’ll probably just play it by ear and make decisions day to day.”

Picollo’s reasoning seems squishy here, but there is also a unique twist to this situation. Competitive Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations have loomed over this season. The current CBA between the owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association ends in December, and pretty much everyone in the industry thinks that the owners are going to lock out the MLBPA. That wording is key, because the owners wouldn’t lock out every single baseball player; they’d just lock out members of the union. Not a member of the MLBPA? You can still come to work, you can still use team doctors, you can rehab at team facilities.

If you’re added to the 40-man roster, you become a member of the MLBPA. And so anyone added to the 40-man roster, regardless of whether they ever made it into an MLB game, means that they will be locked out of team facilities, unable to use team doctors and cut off from team communication – all for a maximum 24 games of big league experience.

I wondered if the Royals’ milquetoast call-ups were impacted by such a decision. And being in the dugout with the rest of the media, I took an opportunity to ask: Does the possibility of a lockout impact who you’re able to call up in September, or are you able to look at whoever?

Picollo’s response was definitive. “No, you can look at whoever,” he said. “All you’re doing is add them to the roster. I mean, if they’re added to the roster, obviously they’re part of the lockout, but we can call up whoever we like to call up. We want to still do what’s best for the team.”

But whatever is ‘best for the team’ is up for debate; are they looking at 2027, or are they looking at trying to put themselves in a position to win the rest of the games for the year? Well…the latter, I guess?

“We have some guys right now that are not on the roster that are outfielders that we have interest in the future,” Picollo continued. “But the reality is if you look at our outfield, we’re extremely left-handed. So when you come down to the now 14 guys that you’re going to have available on any given night, you want that balance. And if we brought up another left-handed hitter, you lose some of that balance. You don’t have as many weapons and somebody for the other team to be thinking about ‘who’s on the bench over there for them’.”

It is true that the Royals’ outfield is very left-handed heavy. John Rave, Kyle Isbel, and Jac Caglianone are left-handed bats. Isaac Collins is a switch-hitter, but he is a significantly better left-handed hitter than a right-handed hitter. Tyler Tolbert is the only right-handed-hitting outfielder, and he’s not even a full-time outfielder let alone full-time player, and besides he’s hit righties better in his big league career.

But it is also true that this approach just doesn’t resonate with me. If the Royals are looking at 2027, prioritizing whether or not they win or lose a game this September because they don’t have a righty to pinch hit for in the late innings seems like an odd choice.

This is especially true because of the guys that they didn’t call up: center fielder Carson Roccaforte and corner outfielder Gavin Cross, both left-handed hitters. The former ninth-overall pick in the 2022 draft, Cross has actually been on quite an extended heater: a .309/.357/.568 slash with 15 home runs in 281 plate appearances since mid-May. And Roccaforte, the back-to-back winner of the Royals’ organization’s minor league defensive player of the year award, is also swatting dingers left and right. He, of course, hit one just a few hours after Picollo’s press conference—his 33rd on the season.

While 24 games may just be 24 games, a successful September can help pave the way for a successful full year. Last season, Carter Jensen played in 20 games, hitting well and showing maturity and athleticism in spades. This year, his 2.2 Wins Above Replacement per Fangraphs rank third on the team among position players.

We know who Isbel, Rave, and Collins are at this point. They are good enough to secure a role on a big league team, but they’re not going to provide the upside the Royals need to get back into the playoffs. Roccaforte or Cross could be regulars for years to come. They might not be. But they could be, and a lost September provides a solid way to get either or both some experience and give the Royals a risk-free period of evaluation. To not elect to do so because of a lack of platoon ability doesn’t sit right.

Of course, there’s another possibility: that Picollo and the Royals are not being fully transparent here. With so much uncertainty regarding the CBA – other than the near certainty that a lockout would include Roccaforte or Cross if they did make September debuts – it makes sense that Kansas City would want to play it safe here. Is Picollo really going to come out and publicly say that the CBA negotiations are impacting baseball operations? Maybe, but you can obviously see why an MLB general manager would not want to touch labor negotiations PR with a 10-foot pole.

In any case, it’ll probably be next year before we see Cross or Roccaforte in a Royals uniform. Hopefully, it will be for a winning team that has figured out how to have effective right-handed and left-handed outfielders—and with a functioning CBA.

The Atlanta Braves are looking to stop a two game skid and secure a win against the Washington Nationals behind Grant Holmes who could surpass 130.0 innings on the season with his start today. Brad Lord will be pitching for the Nationals and all four of his starts have been in the opening capacity.

The goal for the Braves will hopefully be to get to Lord as fast as possible to get the the subpar Nationals bullpen that has the third worst ERA in MLB this season. The Braves need to win games they are supposed to win to stay in first in the NLE, and this is one of those games.

Follow along in the comments.

Lineup

Preview

After the new kids led the Nats to a 9-5 win last night, they have a chance for a mini sweep in this two game set against the Braves. It will not be easy, but the Nats are playing solid baseball lately and get a major weapon back. This has been a good home stand, and now it is time to make it a great one.

James Wood is back! After missing about a month with an oblique injury, the Nats star slugger is back. He is leading off and playing right field. That moves CJ Abrams to the cleanup spot. Abrams is playing second base for a second time today. YoYo Morales will play the field for the first time, getting a start at first base. That moves Andres Chaparro to third and Abi Ortiz to DH. Keibert Ruiz is back behind the plate for this one. Brad Lord will get the start, but all hands will be on deck heading into the off day.

The Braves are only making a couple changes. Mike Yastrzemski will get the start in left field today. Sean Murphy will catch, which causes a chain reaction. Drake Baldwin moves to DH, Ozzie Albies moves to second and Mauricio Dubon is out of the lineup. Grant Holmes will make the start for the Braves who look to salvage a split.

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 1:05 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

With Wood back in the lineup, this offense feels complete again. There is just so much more depth now. With Daylen Lile rolling too, this offense is fierce. The Nats are looking to make this a 7-3 home stand. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!

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With all-day baseball on tap, there is plenty to dig into across the MLB player propsmarket.

Join me as I break down three of my favorite MLB picks for Wednesday, Sept. 2, including why Jake Burger will light up Jacob Lopez.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Jake Burger	Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI	-103
Rafael Devers	Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI	-122
Tomoyuki Sugano	Over 3.5 earned runs	+102

Jake Burger Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-103)

Get those burgers on the grill, STAT! This game kicks off early this afternoon, and we are backing Texas Rangers slugger Jake Burger to go over his hits, runs, and RBI prop against Athletics southpaw  Jacob Lopez.

Burger has an elite rating on Batters-Box’s current-season dataset, where he also has nearly 76% arsenal coverage against Lopez’s pitch mix.

The Rangers first baseman has been punishing the ball over his last 10 games, posting a .548 SLG, .765 xSLG and .290 ISO, while generating a 26.1% barrel rate. He has also crushed left-handed pitching this season. Over his last 60 at-bats against lefties, Burger owns a .636 SLG and is still generating a 25% barrel rate.

Lopez has been very solid for the Athletics, but he has allowed more than 70% elevation and a hard-hit rate of nearly 44% to the last 30 right-handed hitters he has faced. Those right-handed hitters also own a .288 xBA and .482 xSLG.

• Time: 2:35 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, RSN

Rafael Devers Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-122)

The third-highest-rated hitter on the day is San Francisco Giants slugger Rafael Devers, who has homered in back-to-back games. Some will argue he should not be touched after going deep in consecutive games, but that ideology is flawed.

So far this season, across 36 elite ratings, Devers has surpassed this prop 58.33% of the time, while going deep more than 25% of the time.

The big fella draws Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler, against whom he has nearly 90% arsenal coverage. The last 60 left-handed hitters Chandler has faced have been producing a ton of hard-hit balls while elevating the baseball at a very high rate. During that stretch, those hitters also own a .389 xBA and .548 xSLG.

Devers has been outstanding over his last 10 games, posting a .789 SLG and .421 ISO while generating a 51.7% hard-hit rate and 17.2% barrel rate.

Despite the offensive explosion from both teams last night, expect Devers to get involved tonight.

Take this down to -130.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNP, NBCSBA

Tomoyuki Sugano Over 3.5 earned runs (+102)

It is extremely hard to worry about how cold the Baltimore Orioles’ bats have become when Colorado Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano owns a 12.75 ERA and 2.42 WHIP over his last three outings. Plus, he has the worst pitcher rating on Batters-Box today.

Sugano draws a fully elite-rated Orioles lineup with seven elite-rated hitters and two with strong ratings.

In five of Sugano’s last 10 poorly rated matchups, he has allowed five or more runs. It might be more fun to alt this prop up for better value, especially because manager Warren Schaefer gives him a very long leash and rarely pulls him early.

With the amount of power the Orioles’ bats can produce, this is well worth a look today.

Do not pay juice for this prop. We are already asking the Orioles to go above and beyond their first-five runs average.

• Time: 3:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: COLR, MASN

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

 The Houston Astros player development department has named IF/OF Logan Hughes the Astros Player of the Month for August and RHP Alex Santos II the Astros Pitcher of the Month for August.

Hughes, 21, batted .343 (24×70) with 17 runs, eight doubles, one triple, three home runs, 25 RBI, 12 walks, eight stolen bases and a 1.073 OPS in August with Single A Fayetteville. The left-handed hitter has a hit in every minor league game he’s played in since being activated by Single A Fayetteville on August 7 for a 19-game hitting streak. Hughes was drafted by the Astros with the 17th overall pick of the 2026 MLB Draft from Texas Tech University. According to MLB.com, Hughes is rated as the Astros number three overall prospect.

Santos, 24, went 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA (1ER/13.1IP) in August between Double A Corpus Christi (six appearances) and Triple A Sugar Land (four appearances). He also recorded 24 strikeouts, a 1.28 WHIP and a .204 opponent batting average in 10 relief appearances. For the minor league season, Santos has recorded a 3.15 ERA (21ER/60IP) with 93 strikeouts, a 1.38 WHIP and a .216 opponent batting average in 44 relief appearances. The right-handed pitcher was drafted by the Astros with their second-round compensation pick (#72 overall) in the 2020 MLB Draft.

April Astros Pitcher of the Month: RHP Brandon McPherson

May Astros Pitcher of the Month: RHP Kellan Oakes

June Astros Pitcher of the Month: RHP Javier Perez

July Astros Pitcher of the Month: RHP Bryce Mayer

April Astros Player of the Month: C Jason Schiavone

May Astros Player of the Month: C Jason Schiavone

June Astros Player of the Month: OF Drew Brutcher

July Astros Player of the Month: IF Waner Luciano

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Detroit is a live underdog at Polymarket today, so we're riding with them as part of my Tigers vs. Twins prediction.

Yes, the Detroit Tigers are trading at 49 cents today, but should be able to get the best of Dean Kremer, a pitcher they've historically rocked.

Let’s dive into my MLB picks for Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Who will win Tigers vs Twins today: Detroit Tigers (49%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

The Detroit Tigers are in need of a bounce-back game after surrendering 26 runs across their first two against the Twins, and they may just get it with Dean Kremer on the mound for the Minnesota Twins.

Not only has he allowed a homer in three straight starts, but this Tigers team also seems to have his number, owning a .303 xBA and .510 xSLGacross 98 plate appearances against him. Now that's a sample size we can get behind.

On the other side, Drew Anderson has been serviceable this year in Detroit, owning a career-best 3.91 xERA and 34.1% chase rate. The Tigers are a live 'dog tonight, trading at 49 cents, and I'd play them up to 54.

COVERS INTEL: Are we about to witness the Gleyber Torres game? He's got a long history against Kremer, going 10-for-31 with three doubles and a homer against him while rocking a .467 xSLG. If Detroit wins, he'll be at the center of the offense.

Tigers vs Twins Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (53%)

The Over has hit in four straight Kremer startsand has cashed in five straight when the Tigers and Twins meet. Yes, the trends are on our side, and they likely won't stop tonight.

Expect Detroit to get the best of Kremer, with the Twins, who have the fifth-highest wRC+ in baseball, doing their part to get us over the line.

Tigers vs Twins home run prediction: Gleyber Torres (9%)

Torres has the deepest history against Kremer to draw from, and at 9 cents, we'll take that type of value to the bank. Owning a respectable .714 OPS in August with a homer already against the righty, we're going to ride with him to take his old friend over the wall. He's undoubtedly the best bang for your buck on the board.

Tigers vs Twins weather

It looks to be a perfect night for baseball in Minnesota at Target Field, with temperatures sitting around 77 degrees Fahrenheit under partly cloudy skies.

Tigers vs Twins odds

• Moneyline: Tigers 49% | Twins 52%
• Run line: Tigers -1.5 (38%) | Twins +1.5 (63%)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (52%) | Under 8.5 (49%)

Tigers vs Twins trend

The Over is 3-0-1 in the Twins' last four when their opponent scores two runs or less in their previous game. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Twins.

How to watch Tigers vs Twins and game info

Tigers vs Twins latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Giants fans and fans across the country.

It’s been an awful season for the San Francisco Giants, but there have been a lot of opportunities to reminisce. In July, the team drafted Peyton Bonds. A few weeks later, they traded for Kaeden Kent. Earlier this week, they signed Darren Baker.

And of course, in late July, Jeff Kent was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The Giants honored Kent, the five-time All-Star and 2000 league MVP, with a ceremony on Saturday. And while addressing the crowd, a notably softened and more family-friendly Kent embraced his former frenemy Barry Bonds, and commented on how Bonds could still get into the Hall of Fame some day.

It is, of course, absurd that Bonds is not in the Hall, and for now his pathways are closed. But pathways can always change, especially for such an arbitrary institution.

So, be it in a year, a decade, or a century, will MLB’s home run leader make his way to Cooperstown some day?

Worcester: W, 9-1 (BOX SCORE)

With a depleted pitching staff, the WooSox needed an extremely effective outing out of Gage Ziehl and they got it, as Ziehl pitched into the seventh allowing just one run on four hits and didn’t walk anyone. He got those twenty outs with just 73 pitches, and Noah Song and Sam McWilliams kept Buffalo (Blue Jays AAA) off the board. The WooSox were in a pretty close game even with that outstanding Ziehl start until they scored three each in the seventh and ninth innings and turned this one into a laugher.

The bottom four slots of the lineup went 0-for-14, but it didn’t matter because the top four each had multiple hits. Romy Gonzalez hit a home run and Mikey Romero went 4-for-4 with a double. At this point, four years after the infielder went in the first round and a couple short days after some returning players on this year’s Red Sox roster shared a lineup card with Romero, it seems easier to point out reasons why Romero wouldn’t fit organizationally in 2027 and beyond than reasons why he would, but he may at least play a part in a good return in the offseason (or after the lockout) if the front office feels the same way. With Romero being just 22 years of age until January 12, it’s possible other front offices – like the one employing the man who drafted him – may feel the same. Still, there’s something to be said for a resilient infielder who hits to contact and is as good as he is running the bases. Whether that something to be said is ever spoken with a promotion remains to be seen.

Portland: L, 6-4 (BOX SCORE)

Noah Rogers did what most would describe as “shoving” as he also pitched over five innings and struck out seven, though he did give up three runs. Cooper Adams allowed that same amount over the last eight outs, though, and that sixth inning where the guard changed was where the BaySox (Orioles AA) scored five of their six runs. Ultimately, strikeouts did the Sea Dogs in, as they saw strike three 15 times on the night.

Greenville: W, 13-11 (BOX SCORE)

Greenville has now given up eleven runs in each of their last three games and has won two of those games. This includes the opener of the final series of 2026 against the Hot Rods (Rays High-A.) Brady Tygart may have let up seven runs, but he also struck out ten and stayed in the game long enough for a four-run top of the ninth.

This game was bookended by great home runs; Jake Schaffner made this a 5-1 game in the second inning with his first professional home run (he’s not much of a power guy and is more known for contact, so this is a big deal) and Yophery Rodriguez completed a 3-for-4 day with a three-run shot in the top of the ninth. Nazzan Zanetello hit his second home run of the week just for good measure.

Salem: L, 7-8 (F/10) (BOX SCORE)

The day of the Howlers’ trek from Hill City (Guardians A, and “the Hill City” in question is Lynchburg, Virginia, not, to my dismay, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, a truly hilly city deserving of the moniker) ended with the RidgeYaks walking them off and turning a coin flip game into a win in two at-bats. Andrews Opata scored from second on a single, doing what he does best, as he also stole his 54th base of the season earlier on in the contest. Adonys Guzman, the walk-off hero, continues to see the ball very well lately. And, most importantly, the whole team saw the ball well with men on, going 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position.