Rockies’ Diaz Continues to Be a Hitting Machine

Youth is being served with Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung and Miami Marlins pitcher Braxton Garrett making plenty of MLB news with their strong play as of late, landing both of them on this week’s “Who’s Hot” list.

Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who is priced at +2000 in the American League Cy Young odds according to the Las Vegas MLB odds, makes a return trip to the “Who’s Hot” list.

It is not all good news as some players with lofty expectations regarding MLB predictions are off to tough starts.

The Atlanta Braves and defending World Series champion Houston Astros both come in at +600 in the odds to win the World Series according to the MLB picks. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays aren’t far behind at +650.

Keep reading for information on the hottest pitchers and batters, as well as players recently struggling.

Who’s Hot

Hitters

Elias Diaz, C, Colorado Rockies: Diaz is hitting .391 with three doubles, three home runs, six runs scored and five RBIs over his last six games as he is currently second among qualified batters with a .340 batting average.
Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Rangers: Jung has hits in eight straight games and is batting .414 with two doubles, three home runs, seven runs scored and nine RBIs during that stretch. The sportsbook lists Jung at +1400 in the American League Rookie of the Year odds.
J.D. Martinez, DH, Los Angeles Dodgers: Martinez has four home runs over the last five games. In his current nine-game hitting streak, Martinez is 13-for-39 with seven extra-base hits and 12 RBIs.
Rougned Odor, OF, San Diego Padres: Odor has driven in 11 runs over the last four games. Five of his seven hits in those games went for extra bases as the Padres won three of those four games.
George Springer, OF, Toronto Blue Jays: Not too long ago, Springer made an appearance on the “Who’s Hot” list. Now things are trending in a different direction. He is hitting .440 with an on-base percentage of .533 over his last seven games with four extra-base hits, six RBIs and two stolen bases during that span.

Pitchers

Felix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles: Bautista has seven straight appearances with at least two strikeouts as he has fanned 20 of the last 38 batters he has faced.
Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers: Eovaldi has surrendered one run or less in four of his last five starts. He is 4-0 with an 0.87 ERA during that stretch and is back on the “Who’s Hot” list.

Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi posted his 2nd complete game of the season tonight at Pittsburgh, earning his 6th win of the year (9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R-ER, 1 BB, 5 SO). He is the first MLB pitcher with multiple CG in 2023.

— Texas Rangers PR (@TXRangersPR) May 24, 2023

Braxton Garrett, Miami Marlins: Garrett has given up 10 hits and three runs with 19 strikeouts in 19⅓ innings over his last three starts.
Michael Kopech, Chicago White Sox: Kopech has allowed four hits and two runs with 24 strikeouts in 19⅔ innings over his last three starts.
Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins: Ryan, one of the front-runners in the American League Cy Young race according to the MLB betting lines, is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 17 innings in his last two starts.

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Who’s Not

Hitters

- Jarren Duran, OF, Boston Red Sox: Duran is hitless in 19 at-bats with eight strikeouts over the last five games. Duran came into May batting .396 and now he is at .300.
- Andy Ibanez, 3B, Detroit Tigers: Ibanez is 0-for-32 with eight strikeouts over his last nine games as his batting average fell to .171.

Andy Ibáñez wastes no time! pic.twitter.com/FltusyknRs

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 8, 2023

Shea Langeliers, C, Oakland Athletics: Langeliers is 1-for-21 with eight strikeouts over his last six games as his batting average has tumbled to .204.
M.J. Melendez, OF, Kansas City Royals: Melendez has not extra-base hits in his last six games as he is 2-for-22 with 10 strikeouts in those games.
Max Muncy, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers: Since hitting two home runs in a win over Minnesota, Muncy is 5-for-32 with two extra-base hits with 15 strikeouts.

Pitchers

Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds: Greene continues to be among leaders in strikeouts in the National League. However, he has surrendered 13 hits, 10 runs and four home runs in 11 innings over his last two starts as he makes this list for the second consecutive week.
Kenley Jensen, Boston Red Sox: Not too long ago, Jensen was being honored for recording his 400th big-league save. However, he has blown two of his last four save opportunities and has allowed four hits, six runs and seven walks over three innings in those appearances.
Yusei Kikuchi, Toronto Blue Jays: Kikuchi has allowed 20 hits, six home runs and 13 runs in 13⅔ innings in his last three starts.
Kyle Muller, Oakland Athletics: Muller was one the bright spots of a horrendous starting rotation for the last-place Athletics with a 2.53 ERA in his first two starts. He has allowed at least five runs in each of his last four outings as he has a 10.80 ERA in the month of May.
Jameson Taillon, Chicago Cubs: Taillon has surrendered 13 hits and 12 runs in seven innings in his last two starts.

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