It’s Day 2 of conference tournament season, and that means we’re starting to see the top seeds in action following their byes. I’ll turn to one of today’s late games for this pick: Mississippi State-Texas A&M. Let’s dive into my college baseball picks and predictions for today, Wednesday, May 22, using the college baseball odds at DraftKings.
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College Baseball Odds, Pick & Prediction Today: Wednesday, May 22
College Baseball Odds, Pick & Prediction Today: Mississippi State-Texas A&M
Mississippi State Bulldogs at Texas A&M Aggies
MSU: +145 | TAMU: -190
Game Time: 9 pm. ET
Where: Hoover, Ala.
Odds via DraftKings
Today’s SEC tournament action will wrap up with a late-night game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Texas A&M Aggies. MSU just walked off Ole Miss last night but now faces a much tougher opponent in the Aggies. Both sides have announced their starting pitchers, allowing us to better evaluate this game.
It’s ace RHP Khal Stephen (3.25 ERA) for the Bulldogs and reliever RHP Brad Rudis (1.48 ERA) for A&M. Stephen, who started for Mississippi State last Thursday, should see his normal amount of work. Rudis, who has just one start on the year for A&M, is likely in an opener role. The Aggies got creative with their pitching usage last weekend, using two of their regular starters, RHP Tanner Jones (6.64) and LHP Justin Lamkin (5.43 ERA), in relief on Friday. Either could come in as bulk relievers tonight.
Although Stephen has been a problem for opposing offenses all season, he isn’t unbeatable. His 3.25 ERA, while impressive, is way down from the 5.21 ERA he recorded at Purdue last year. His 1.024 WHIP is down from 1.342 as well. It’s possible he has taken a major leap, but I’m hoping for some regression to his career averages tonight.
We’re trusting the Aggies’ bats in this one. Stephen went 6.2 innings against the Aggies earlier in the season, allowing eight baserunners but giving up just one run, but A&M’s offense should be better this evening. They ranked seventh in team OPS (.996) this year with two batters above 1.2 and another above 1.
Meanwhile, I don’t trust Mississippi State’s offense at all. They ranked 120th in team OPS (.849). Just two of their batters were above 1, Dakota Jordan and Connor Hujsak. Those two combined for 27 home runs, exactly half of what A&M’s Jace LaViolette (28) and Braden Montgomery (26) combined for this regular season.
There are always question marks for the Aggies at pitcher when it’s not Prager’s turn to start, but they got creative enough last Friday where I think they’ll be well-positioned for tonight’s game. Facing an opposing ace with yours on the bench is never a fun situation, but with Mississippi State’s offense trailing so far behind Texas A&M’s, I’m backing the Aggies on the run line.
College Baseball Pick Today for Mississippi State-Texas A&M: Texas A&M -1.5 -115 at DraftKings
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