This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Thursday brings us an entertaining all-day slate, and there are potentially profitable PrizePicks opportunities throughout the afternoon and evening. We highlight four of our favorites below:
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Clayton Kershaw, LAD at COL: More Than 3.5 Strikeouts
Kershaw is cruising along after a delayed start to the season, posting a 3-0 record, 3.31 ERA and 1.32 WHIP across his first seven starts. After a rough debut against the Angels on May 17 where he surrendered five earned runs, he's yielded two earned runs or less in five of his subsequent six trips to the mound.
Kershaw has recorded at least four strikeouts in each of his last three outings as well, and Thursday, he'll face a Rockies team that's struck out at a 27.0 percent clip against left-handers at home since May 1. Kershaw also comes in with a good track record of missing current Colorado bats, as he's recorded 18 Ks against them in 64 career encounters while limiting Rockies hitters to a collective .200/.250/.283 slash line.
Kershaw has a career 12-8 record at Coors and has recorded 147 strikeouts in 161 career innings there, so this prop is very much within his range of outcomes if he hangs in for at least five innings.
Mookie Betts, LAD at COL: More Than 0.5 Hits / More Than 1.5 Total Bases
Betts hasn't been as prolific as usual against left-handed pitching this season, but there's no questioning his talent and ability to break out at any given moment, especially in a hitter's environment like Coors.
Betts holds a .293 average and .934 OPS against southpaws since the start of the 2023 season despite modest .250 and .752 figures in those categories in 2025. However, he'll be in a good spot to break out of his doldrums Thursday afternoon, as he's facing a struggling lefty in Austin Gomber.
Gomber has an 8.38 ERA and 1.66 WHIP over his first two starts, a sample where he's surrendering a career-high 15.8 percent barrel rate, .670 xSLG and .428 xwOBA. Gomber now owns a 5.25 ERA in his career at Coors, along with a .287 BAA and .837 OPS. He's also conceded a .429 average to Betts in 10 career encounters and has yet to strike out the Dodgers' star.
Additionally, Gomber is allowing a .382 average and .498 wOBA to the 37 right-handed hitters he's faced thus far, furthering Betts' prospects in a game where he'll also face a highly vulnerable Rockies bullpen.
Hayden Birdsong, SFG vs. MIA: More Than 15.5 Pitching Outs
Birdsong has shown notable improvement in his second season, having pitched to a 3-1 record and 3.25 ERA over 17 appearances (six starts). The right-hander has a 9.4 K/9 as well, along with an impressively modest .229 xBA and .308 xwOBA. He's also been particularly effective in his pitcher-friendly home park, where he's pitched to a 2-0 record, 2.73 ERA and 0.9 HR/9 in 29.2 innings.
Thursday, he's facing a Marlins squad that did have some success against right-handed Giants relievers Wednesday, but that went into the night with just a .103 ISO and .295 wOBA against righties on the road in June. Birdsong also held Miami to one run over 5.1 innings at LoanDepot Park on June 1, when Marlins hitters went just 5-for-21 with five strikeouts against him.
Birdsong has exceeded 15.5 pitching outs in just two of his first six starts, but as just alluded to, one of those came against Miami and the other came at Coors Field of all parks. Given the dimensions of his home field, he should have a solid chance of keeping the Marlins' bats relatively quiet Thursday.
Marcell Ozuna, ATL at NYM: More Than 5.5 Hitter Fantasy Score / More Than 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI
Ozuna had a rough night Wednesday by going hitless over five plate appearances, but he still has a stellar .379 on-base percentage. The veteran slugger is enjoying a solid season overall with averages of 1.4 total bases and 1.9 hits + runs + RBI per contest, and Thursday, he's drawing a matchup that could coax one of his better performances from him.
Mets starter Griffin Canning has some aesthetically pleasing surface numbers – a 7-3 record and 3.91 ERA among them – but he also carries a 1.41 WHIP, .340 xwOBA and 4.46 xERA, and he's surrendering a career-high 45.6 percent hard-hit rate.
Ozuna has a .353 wOBA overall against right-handed pitching, and he's hit .800 over six career plate appearances against Canning, a sample that includes a pair of homers. Ozuna also has a career-high 17.6 percent walk rate, which could certainly help him accrue some fantasy points and run-scoring opportunities when considering the control issues Canning is exhibiting this season (career-high 4.3 BB/9).
