Chris Welsh emphatically supported stashing Brandon Woodruff on the IL, given the ongoing rotation turmoil with the Brewers and their league-worst 6.68 ERA as a pitching staff. Woodruff is ramping up again and, according to Welsh, represents tremendous upside once activated. Fantasy managers with available IL slots should roster Woodruff immediately in anticipation of him returning and stabilizing Milwaukee's struggling pitching staff.

Joe Pisapia highlighted Nestor Cortes' promising bounce-back outing, noting his six shutout innings performance leading to a 1-0 victory. Pisapia emphasized Cortes' strong command and effectiveness throughout this latest appearance, suggesting it bodes very well for fantasy managers who have been concerned after recent struggles. Managers can now expect an improved and potentially more consistent form moving forward.

Joe Pisapia mentioned Logan Henderson as an intriguing pitching prospect who could earn a spot in the Brewers rotation soon, noting the Brewers' team ERA currently ranks dead last at 6.68 and the significant injuries they're already dealing with— including Brandon Woodruff, Aaron Civale, and Wade Miley all on the shelf. Henderson already had a good start earlier this week, positioning himself well for an early-season call-up opportunity. Considering the chaos and general underperformance in Milwaukee's rotation early in the year, he’s highlighted as a useful speculative fantasy pickup in deeper leagues and someone to track closely for spot-start potential in April.

Mike Maer encouraged fantasy managers to buy low on William Contreras after his disappointing early-season performance (2 for 16, .125 average). Given the thin waiver-wire options at the catcher position and Contreras' secure and prominent lineup spot, Maer asserted that panicking managers early in the year create favorable trade conditions. Even acquiring Contreras at his original draft price represents great value, according to Maer, since end-of-year numbers and consistent playing time make a resurgence highly likely.

Mike Maher encouraged fantasy managers to take advantage of panic-induced low-cost availability of William Contreras. Contreras has started extremely slow, batting just .125 (2-for-16) entering the season, making his owners anxious. Maher combats this panic by highlighting Contreras' solid historical production and the relative scarcity of consistent, everyday catcher production. He advocates staying patient and capitalizing on other managers' overreactions by acquiring Contreras cheaply.

Joe Orrico strongly advocates betting on Jackson Chourio as a long shot NL MVP at +4000 odds, inspired by recent second-year superstar breakouts similar to Corbin Carroll and Julio Rodriguez. He believes Chourio can realistically post historic production levels, potentially reaching 35 home runs, 35 steals, 100 runs, 100 RBIs, and a batting average around .300. Orrico notes fantasy experts even project Chourio as a possible first overall pick in fantasy drafts next year, further underpinning his MVP candidate credentials. At such steep odds, Orrico sees Chourio as a prime lottery ticket for bettors chasing huge returns.

JD Bets recommended betting Under 8 total runs between Cincinnati and Milwaukee, citing both starting pitchers' strong recent outings. Chad Patrick bounced back after a poor debut versus the Yankees by pitching effectively against Kansas City, while Carson Spires performed impressively against a strong Texas lineup, allowing just three hits in a six-inning outing. Considering Cincinnati scored 11 runs in a previous game, JD expects offensive regression here and sees strong pitching performances leading the game beneath the total.

It's The Final Round recommended targeting Jackson Chourio due to his strong matchup against Reds' starting pitcher Carson Spiers. Spiers throws a mix of sinker, sweeper, four-seam fastball, and cutters. Chourio posted a .296 average against sinkers last season and has excelled even greater early this year (.500). He also hit .265 against four-seam fastballs last year and has a small sample-size batting .333 against them in three at-bats this season. On Spiers' side, he's been hittable, allowing batting averages above .300 versus his sinker ( .302), sweeper (.304), and above .270 against his other pitches. Chourio is red-hot as well, recording hits in seven consecutive games. Prop bets involving hits, runs, RBIs or total bases are recommended for Chourio.

It's The Final Round advised firmly against betting or fantasy usage of William Contreras. Even though Contreras would typically have appealing numbers from past seasons that might make him a target, he is ice cold this year. Due to his significant recent struggles, the tout is completely avoiding him in any betting or DFS scenario despite his previously good historical batting matchup data.

Cash Out Sports Picks advises betting the under in the Reds versus Brewers matchup, pointing to cold offenses and early-season offensive woes. The Reds are averaging only 3.43 runs per game this season, ranked 20th, while struggling on the road, scoring just one run per game outside Cincinnati. Milwaukee matches this modest offensive production, also averaging only 3.43 runs per game, placing them 20th as well. Elvin Rodriguez, forced into Milwaukee's rotation due to injuries, had a shaky debut lasting just four innings. While Rodriguez is vulnerable, Cincinnati's offense has yet to fully ignite. Additionally, both teams have hit the under in four of their seven games thus far, supporting the likelihood of another low-scoring contest.

Stats Insider recommended betting the Brewers to cover the -1.5 run line against the Reds, highlighting their machine-learning predictive analytics model simulations showing a higher-than-expected possibility of a Brewers win by multiple runs. Their projections gave the Brewers a 51% chance of winning outright while offering strong value at $2.79 odds for the -1.5 run line. This recommendation was made despite simulations indicating the Reds were likely to cover +1.5 runs 66% of the time, with the betting selection justified by combining the likelihood of a substantial Brewers win with attractive market odds.

Blake Von Hagen highlights the SportsLine model's strong recommendation to bet the Brewers’ money line (-118) for their Thursday game against Cincinnati. Milwaukee, despite starting slowly with four consecutive losses, enters this matchup off two momentum-building victories against Kansas City, buoyed by rising star Jackson Chourio's five-game hit streak. Chourio notably recorded three hits, including a home run, in Wednesday's game. Conversely, the Reds' bats have gone ice cold, suffering consecutive shutout defeats to Texas and enduring a quick turnaround and travel day following a deflating 1-0 loss. The model strongly supports Milwaukee, predicting victory in over 60% of its simulations.

Guy Boston expects Cincinnati's offense to rebound from their recent struggles (shut out in back-to-back games) against Nestor Cortes today. He highlights Cortes' exceptionally poor first start against the Yankees, where he allowed five home runs, five walks and eight earned runs in only two innings. While acknowledging the Reds typically fare worse against lefties, Guy Boston points to Cortes' fastball-cutter pitch arsenal matching favorable for Cincinnati hitters who excel against velocity-driven pitchers.

Since starting the season 0-for-5, Jackson Chourio has caught fire, hitting safely in each subsequent game and homering Wednesday. Zach Thompson supported Chourio as an undervalued DFS target for Thursday, highlighting his early-season success against lefty pitching and strong recent hitting. Facing Nick Lodolo, Thompson recommended Chourio as a DFS value chasing strong recent form vs left-handers (5-for-16, .313, with power).

Zach Thompson identified Nestor Cortes as a buy-low MLB DFS candidate after a brutal Brewers debut, where Cortes gave up eight runs and five homers in just two innings. Despite this nightmare outing, Thompson highlighted Cortes's previous season's solid metrics (3.77 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 8.4 K/9) and his strong spring (four runs in 11 innings, 14 strikeouts) as indicators of better performances to come. The Reds struggled heavily against left-handed pitching last season, ranking in the bottom 10 in most offensive categories, setting Cortes up for a favorable bounce-back matchup at home.

Tristan H. Cockcroft pointed out Nestor Cortes as a potential streaming candidate despite his disastrous season opener against the Yankees, which included surrendering five home runs and issuing five walks. Cockcroft attributed the poor performance partially to first-game jitters against his former team. Returning to Milwaukee (American Family Field), a park that suppresses hits and inflates strikeouts despite being friendly to home runs, provides Cortes an excellent bounce-back scenario. Given the sparse selection of starters on Thursday's slate, Cortes presents high strikeout upside if his first outing proves an anomaly.

Michael Savio identified Nestor Cortes as likely to rebound tonight against an uninspired Reds lineup currently experiencing a two-game shutout streak. Although Cortes was heavily hit by the Yankees in his season debut, nearly the entire Brewers pitching staff struggled in that series, making the poor outing an outlier. Now facing Cincinnati's ice-cold offense, Cortes stands an excellent chance to return to form and deliver a winning performance for Milwaukee.

Michael Savio noted Jackson Chourio to be heating up and making the Brewers lineup more dangerous against Reds' starter Nick Lodolo. After an uneven start, Chourio is hitting his stride just as Milwaukee’s offense has scored eight runs over the past two games. Lodolo, on the other hand, struggled significantly in his previous game at Milwaukee last August, allowing three runs over 5 1/3 innings. Considering Milwaukee’s momentum and Chourio's resurgence, Savio expects Lodolo and the Reds to have difficulty tonight.

Greg Peterson is betting on a strong bounce-back from Brewers starter Nestor Cortes. Cortes had a horrific start against the Yankees (five home runs allowed, eight total earned runs in two innings), but Peterson points out his overall career ERA outside Yankee Stadium is respectable (3.94 ERA). He adds that, despite extensive bullpen use this season (5th-most innings pitched per game), Milwaukee's powerful offense last season (6th in runs per game) supports backing Brewers at -108 vs his implied fair line of -131.

Dylan Rockford emphasizes the over 7.5 runs between the Brewers and Reds, expecting offensive production given pitching concerns. He noted that his own statistical projections have the total around 8.4 runs, significantly higher than the available line. Rockford specifically identified Nestor Cortes' extreme struggles in his initial outing as a major factor driving this over play. While he did recognize the Reds' poor early results against lefties, he nonetheless believes their offense is capable and due to rebound after being shut out recently. Additionally, Rockford cited Milwaukee's improving offense as a sign this total may close significantly higher, solidifying confidence in betting the over despite its slight juice at minus 128.

Guy Boston recommended betting Freddy Peralta over 1.5 earned runs in his matchup against the Royals. Peralta allowed two earned runs in his only start this year against the Yankees, and going back to last season he cashed this over in 61% (20 of 33) of his starts. His average earned runs per game last season was 2.24, significantly higher at home (72% hit rate, 13 of 18 home starts, averaging 2.5 ER at home). Peralta's struggles at home coupled with the Royals' decent hitting start this season—ranking 13th in batting average and scoring two or more runs in four of five games—support this negative outlook. Royals' hitters also have solid batting averages (.261 Perez, .267 Pasquantino, .336 Witt) against right-handed pitching, adding additional evidence for Peralta allowing multiple runs today.

Scott Reichel believes Milwaukee is positioned to bounce back at home against Kris Bubic and KC after their rough series at Yankee Stadium. He stresses Milwaukee historically performed well against left-handed pitching at home, an advantage against Royals starter Kris Bubic. While acknowledging Milwaukee's pitching struggled mightily in New York, Reichel trusts their offense at home and expects a motivated team after recent embarrassments. Although not fully convinced by Milwaukee’s pitching, Reichel anticipates the Brewers getting the job done offensively and winning in a 'must-win type' scenario to quickly rebound from a disappointing series against NY.

Dylan Rockford recommended targeting the Over 8.5 runs in Monday's game between the Royals and Brewers, emphasizing that both starting pitchers, Kris Bubic and Tyler Alexander, aren't reliable. He specifically highlighted the Brewers' demoralizing sweep at the hands of the Yankees, but believes returning home will help Milwaukee's lineup regain confidence. He expects both offenses to capitalize on subpar pitching performances, projecting plenty of runs due to shaky bullpens as well. Dylan set his own total at 8.8, indicating value at even money odds on the over 8.5 line currently available.

Eric Polzin highlighted Christian Yelich for the over hitting fantasy score despite emphasizing hitting fantasy props can often come down to the final at-bat. He indicated confidence based on projections pointing favorably and encouraging a bet despite the inherent volatility of hitting props.

Cash Out Sports Picks strongly advised against Aaron Civale against the Yankees lineup, citing Civale's troubled history facing New York. His career numbers against the Yankees include a 1-4 record and a cringe-worthy 5.52 ERA across six starts, allowing 36 hits in just 31 innings. Adding to concerns, Civale struggled in spring training posting a 6.23 ERA. Meanwhile, the Yankees hitters are riding a hot streak, having exploded for 20 runs in Saturday's game alone with nine home runs. Given the Yankees' dominance forcing Milwaukee to heavily use their bullpen in this series, Civale is unlikely to go deep, which further exacerbates bullpen fatigue concerns.

Chris Morgan recommended Christian Yelich as a DFS target given his strong left-handed hitting combined with Yankee Stadium's propensity to favor lefties. Yelich returned from injury issues last year to produce a robust .910 OPS, 11 HR, and 21 SB in just 73 games. Morgan specifically noted Marcus Stroman's struggles pitching for the Yankees at home, highlighted by Stroman's concerning 5.31 ERA and elevated 1.6 HR/9 rate. With Yelich healthy and suited perfectly for the Yankees' hitter-friendly park, Morgan viewed him as an attractive DFS option.

Sean Paul identified Brewers' slugger Jake Bauers as a sleeper fantasy or DFS play in Sunday's matchup at Yankee Stadium. Facing Marcus Stroman, a righty pitcher who has struggled with declining effectiveness (career-low ground ball rate last season, career-high HR/9), Paul expects Brewers manager Pat Murphy to stack left-handed bats—such as Bauers—in Sunday's lineup to capitalize on the favorable matchup. With Bauers' ability to take advantage of the stadium's short porch in right field, Paul sees potential upside for him to deliver strong fantasy or prop value.

Sean Paul advises betting on Christian Yelich exceeding 2 total bases based on his favorable matchup history versus Yankees starter Marcus Stroman. Yelich currently holds a .900 career OPS across 12 previous at-bats against Stroman. Paul emphasized also the hitter-friendly environment in Yankee Stadium and expects Yelich to capitalize on Stroman's declining effectiveness, reduced ground ball rate, and home run proneness. Paul expects Brewers manager Pat Murphy to put additional left-handed hitters in the lineup to exploit Stroman's weaknesses, which would further benefit Yelich.

Sean Paul suggested betting on Joey Ortiz to record a hit as part of his recommended Brewers vs Yankees same-game parlay. Ortiz faces Yankees' lefty starter Max Fried. Paul highlighted his appreciation for Ortiz's consistent ability to put the bat on the ball, emphasizing a favorable individual matchup against a left-handed pitcher. He views Ortiz as a reliable component in building the multi-leg parlay given these circumstances.

Sean Paul advised betting against Nestor Cortes Jr. as he makes his Milwaukee Brewers debut pitching against his former team, the New York Yankees. Cortes experienced notable regression last season despite being a three-win player, posting just a 3.77 ERA and a 3.84 FIP while his strikeout rate declined. Paul pointed to the Yankees' intimate knowledge of Cortes' pitching repertoire and strategy, hinting they'll have a significant advantage facing him. Additionally, Cortes struggled in limited spring training action, recording a 6.00 ERA with nine strikeouts over just six innings pitched.

NBC Sports Bet Staff are bearish on the Milwaukee Brewers in their matchup against the Yankees on Saturday. They highlight the Brewers' offensive difficulties on Opening Day, when they managed just 7 hits and struck out 13 times against New York pitching. They face another tough starter in Max Fried, who brings a solid 3.25 ERA from 2024 into his Yankees debut. The NBC betting model supports playing the Yankees on the moneyline and spread, further indicating low expectations for Milwaukee's chances to bounce back offensively in Yankee Stadium against superior pitching.

Bettor Mark recommended betting Christian Yelich under 0.5 hits at a profitable +165 price on BetMGM, emphasizing the lefty-on-lefty matchup against Yankees pitcher Max Fried. Mark mentioned Yelich's early-season struggles, as well as historical metrics from last season that clearly support fading him in matchups against strong left-handed pitchers. He also noted the likelihood of Yelich being pitched around and potentially securing walks rather than hits, further strengthening the logic of the under hits bet.

Bettor Mark advised fading Nestor Cortes against the Yankees despite the appealing narrative of Cortes facing his former club. Mark pointed out that historically these revenge and reunion matchups don't yield positive results for the players involved and are often overvalued by the public. He explicitly recommended backing the Yankees as a favorite instead of Cortes in this spot.

Kenyatta Storin highlighted Rhys Hoskins as an appealing home run prop wager due to his matchup against Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon. Rodon struggled with hard contact last season, allowing 31 home runs with notably poor percentile ranks in barrel rate (4th percentile), exit velocity (11th percentile), and hard-hit rate (32nd percentile). Hoskins, historically potent versus lefties, had an above-average ISO (.236) against southpaws last year and maintained strong fly-ball tendencies (48.4% fly-ball rate). Although Yankee Stadium will feature chilly temperatures, favorable weather conditions like steady 12 mph winds blowing out to center field further enhance Hoskins' prospects. Betting on Hoskins at +400 odds to homer could provide good value given the matchup and conditions.

Adam Rosenberg suggested taking the Under (5.5) strikeouts for Freddy Peralta at +125 odds against the Yankees. Rosenberg pointed out the Yankees ranked inside the top 10 fewest strikeouts last season and have continued that trend by consistently putting balls in play throughout spring training. He also highlighted concerns with Peralta stemming from spring training—Brewers pitchers threw the most pitches per inning, including Peralta, who recently allowed 8 runs in a start. Additionally, Peralta went under this strikeout number (6) in seven of his final 10 starts last season. With his outs line heavily juiced to the under, Rosenberg expects Peralta to max out around 5 innings, making the under a strong bet given his limited innings and opposing lineup.

Bill Harrelson advises taking William Contreras under 1.5 hits, runs, and RBIs combined against the Yankees on MLB opening day. Contreras has been below this number in 7 of his most recent 10 games. Critically, Harrelson highlights Contreras' struggle against Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon, where Contreras is hitting just .167 with only one hit in eight career plate appearances. Additionally, sportsbook markets like DraftKings and MGM significantly favor the under, adding further assurance to this pick.

Bettor Mark warned bettors that Freddy Peralta is vulnerable to home runs, particularly in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium with its shorter porch dimension. Although Peralta has the ability to record frequent strikeouts, Mark cautioned that he is historically prone to give up long balls, especially early in the season. As such, Mark expressed a strong lean toward betting the over in Brewers-Yankees on Opening Day, anticipating potential early-season mistakes and home run potential from Yankee hitters, ultimately refraining from making it an official pick but encouraged consideration of the over as a smart angle.

Brian Howard highlighted Freddy Peralta's successful history against key Yankees hitters, giving him strong strikeout potential and a favorable opening-day matchup. He noted the exceptional strength of the Brewers bullpen, rated by Kyle Purviance as the third-best bullpen in MLB, suggesting the Brewers will be especially dangerous if they get an early lead with Peralta on the mound. Howard proposed betting on the Brewers double result (leading after first five innings and winning the game), labeling it a potentially lucrative play due to Peralta's dominance against the Yankees lineup and the Brewers' bullpen strength.