Erick Fedde Props & Best Bets Today
The books have Erick Fedde's strikeout line sitting at 3.5, and they're asking you to pay -150 juice to go over it. That's a trap. Fedde's a ground-ball pitcher in a matchup against a White Sox lineup that's built to put the ball in play, which means this line is inflated on the under side - and savvy bettors are already positioning accordingly. The sharps aren't interested in grinding out a half-run of strikeouts here. This is a fade the public spot if I've ever seen one.
The Matchup: Oakland Athletics vs Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are dead last in MLB in strikeout rate, which sounds great for an under play until you realize that teams chasing contact are also usually chasing wins - and they're terrible at both. Chicago's striking out at the lowest rate in baseball because their hitters are weak, not disciplined. Fedde comes into this matchup with a sinker-heavy arsenal that induces ground balls at an elite rate, but he's also faced one of the most contact-heavy lineups in the league. The White Sox have no power threats to fear in their order, which typically limits Fedde's strikeout upside when he can just pound the zone with off-speed stuff and let weak contact work for him.
Pitcher Strikeouts: 3.5 (Over -150 / Under 117)
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Here's the reality: Fedde struck out 7.2 batters per nine innings last season, which translates to roughly 5-6 strikeouts per start depending on innings pitched. The -150 juice is telling you the sharp money is sitting on the under, and for good reason. Against a contact-oriented lineup like the White Sox - who rank dead last in strikeout rate - Fedde's game plan is to induce weak ground balls and leverage his defense, not rack up K's. The White Sox put the ball in play at the highest rate in baseball, which is music to Fedde's ears as a sinker pitcher, but it's kryptonite for strikeout totals. When you're facing a lineup that doesn't want to strike out, your strikeout total naturally compresses, regardless of how good your stuff is. Fedde's also averaging just 5.8 strikeouts per game this early season, well below what you'd need to consistently clear 3.5 against a bottom-feeding contact team. This is a classic situation where the public sees a good pitcher facing a bad team and assumes strikeouts, but the matchup dynamics tell a completely different story. The books know this, which is why they're charging -150 to go over.
š 3/3 recently Ā |Ā ā Over Ā ā Under Ā ā Line: 3.5
Pick: UNDER 3.5 (-117)
š Best Bet Tonight
I'm attacking the under on Fedde's strikeouts with conviction. The White Sox are literally the worst strikeout team in baseball, Fedde's a ground-ball machine who thrives when opposing hitters are aggressive in the zone, and the -150 overround is a dead giveaway that the sharp side is already sitting on the under. The public loves backing strikeouts against bad teams - it's the easiest narrative play in baseball - but this is where those narratives get punished. Fedde gets through his innings with contact outs, not Ks, and that's exactly what we're banking on here.
Best Bet: UNDER 3.5 (-117)
š Sports On Tap's Pick
š Our Best Bet
UNDER 3.5 (-117)
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