MLB best bets: These pitchers look A-OK for Ks

It's time to return to baseball, and we're diving in to a bit of everything with these pitcher and hitter props. It's good to be back.

Two arms worth backing

Jesus Luzardo over 6.5 Ks (+112 FanDuel)

It's not too hard to see the appeal of backing Miami's Luzardo today. The Marlins starter has eclipsed eight strikeouts in four straight starts and has gone for 7+ Ks in nine of his last 11 games.

As one might imagine when a pitcher is piling up numbers like these, his advanced metrics rank favorably across the league, with both his Swinging Strike Rate and Called Strike Plus Whiff Rate ranking in the 80th percentile or better. Translation: Luzardo is registering well-deserved strikeouts.

Up next is St. Louis, a team that is striking out at the 10th-highest rate against LHP. Five straight lefties have covered their strikeout overs against the Cardinals, which includes a July 4 Luzardo start that saw him log eight Ks.

Logan Webb over 5.5 Ks (-145 BetMGM)

San Francisco's Webb has come alive over his past two starts, racking up 21 strikeouts and hitting double-digit Ks in both games.

He seems to be in a good spot to keep that rolling as the Giants head to Cincinnati. The Reds are striking out at the eighth-highest rate against righties, and eight of the past 12 starting RHP to see Cincy ended up covering their strikeout props.

Pairing two hitters in this modest parlay

Willson Contreras & Mickey Moniak 1+ hit each (+119 FanDuel)

St. Louis's Willson Contreras has a hit in six straight games, but it's the volume of his production that really catches the eye. He's piled up 13 hits in this six-game stretch, which includes a recent four-game series against Miami. 

Contreras is 2-for-6 against the aforementioned Luzardo, and he hits lefties better. This is a hot bat worth backing tonight.

As for Mickey Moniak of the Angels, he comes into today riding a seven-game hitting streak. Luis Severino is on the mound for the Yankees, and Moniak is hitting .341 against RHP this season. Given both his average and recent success, coupled with Severino's struggles this season, and Moniak is looking prime for another base knock.

In the news...

Carlos Alcaraz wins Wimbledon — What a thrilling match this was! The 20-year-old Alcaraz won his first Wimbledon, taking down none other than Novak Djokovic, who has already won two majors this year and won four straight Wimbledon titles prior to Sunday. The match went over four hours, and the men's tennis world may have finally seen a new face join the greats. Alcaraz, of course, will remain the World No. 1. The U.S. Open is the next major in August, which Alcaraz won last year. He is +150 to repeat.

Titans sign DeAndre Hopkins — So much for DeAndre Hopkins linking up with a strong quarterback to make a run at a Super Bowl. The 31-year-old wide receiver signed a two-year deal with Tennessee, a team in desperate need of more receiver help. Hopkins should immediately slot in as WR1, which tempers some expectations on 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks heading into the new season. The Titans are +350 to win the AFC South.

Expect to hear plenty of Shohei Ohtani rumors over the next few weeks — The MLB trade deadline is Aug. 1, and the Angels are starting to slip out of postseason contention. Given Shohei Ohtani's pending free agency and apparent desire to leave the Angels, it makes some sense for Los Angeles to explore trade partners. Don't expect these rumors to quiet down, with the newest report suggesting the Tampa Bay Rays may make a run at the superstar.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Griffin Carroll