Jackson Merrill (NA) Under 0.5 Doubles (-526)
Odds available at draftkings at time of publishing
As the Red Sox welcome the Padres on Sunday, all eyes will be on rookie sensation Jackson Merrill. However, while he’s shown flashes of brilliance at the plate, the matchup against Boston’s ace is not one to ignore. Merrill’s been solid this season but has struggled against left-handers, and Chris Sale is no ordinary lefty.
Sale’s ability to generate swings and misses has been stellar, with a strikeout rate pushing 30%. This will put Merrill in a tough spot, especially considering the Padres' overall slump against lefties—hitting just .230 in that split.
Add to that the pressure of Fenway Park, where the atmosphere can be daunting for young players, and you start to see why betting on Merrill to stay under 0.5 doubles makes sense. With the implied probability heavily favoring this outcome, it’s a smart play to ride the trends and expect a quiet day from the rookie.