3 MLB Prop Bets to Target on Friday 6/3/22
Player props can be useful in a variety of ways -- from taking advantage of them straight up (to the tune of cold hard cash) to measuring a player's potential to produce in daily fantasy baseball on FanDuel. Here, we're going to focus on the former.
Utilizing our projections as a guide and looking at the odds provided at MLB odds, here are some spots where you can find value today in the prop-betting market.
Please note that betting lines and our game projections may change throughout the day after this article is published. Also, the weather may be an issue in some locations.
Jose Ramirez To Hit a Home Run (+370)
Jose Ramirez is off to a hot start this season, and we're looking at his home run prop tonight.
Ramirez and the Cleveland Guardians come in with a solid 4.30 implied run total tonight and have a matchup worth attacking. They are taking on Bruce Zimmermann, who is struggling versus right-handed hitters this season to the tune of a .543 SLG, 4.61 xFIP, and 42.0% fly-ball rate while allowing 2.08 HR/9. With numbers such as those, we should be looking to target Zimmerman any time he is on the slate.
We turn to JRam, who comes in with a 119 wRC+, .273 ISO, .332 wOBA, 57.1% fly-ball rate, and super-low 3.9% strikeout rate. He never wastes chances at the plate, he is elevating the ball, and he has plenty of power. Ramirez is checking all the boxes tonight and has a great matchup. You might as well add on Ramirez To Record an RBI (+105), too.
Gerrit Cole Over 8.5 Strikeouts (+108)
One of the best pitchers in the league has one of the easiest matchups tonight.
Gerrit Cole is that pitcher, and his strikeout prop comes in sitting at 8.5, and I'm looking to the over. Cole has posted nine strikeouts or more in five of his last seven starts, a level he can certainly reach tonight versus the Detroit Tigers. This season, the Tigers are carrying a 24.2% strikeout rate versus right-handed pitchers, which is the sixth-worst in the league.
He comes in carrying an elite 30.8% strikeout rate and a 15.6% swinging-strike rate, and the latter is the fifth-highest in the league. Considering Cole has posted double-digit strikeouts in three of these last seven starts, it's worth looking at his alternate strikeout prop of 10+ strikeouts (+200) or 11+ strikeouts (+360).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. To Record an RBI (-105)
The Toronto Blue Jays have a juicy 5.58 implied run total tonight, which is the second-highest on the slate.
A ton of offense is expected from the Jays, and they certainly have a matchup that can enable that. They will be going up against Chi Chi Gonzalez, who will be making his first start of the season.
If we look back to last year, Gonzalez allowed a 5.24 xFIP, .630 SLG, 37.0% fly-ball rate, 47.0% hard-contact rate, and 2.23 HR/9 versus right-handed hitters. Those are legitimately some of the worst numbers on the slate, so all of the Blue Jays' power hitters are going to be in play tonight for some props.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has an RBI prop sitting at -105 and should be able to knock in some runs with this matchup. He has a 134 wRC+, .358 wOBA, .213 ISO, and 23.1% HR/FB ratio versus righties this season. He always has multi-RBI potential, so Vladdy To Record 2+ RBI (+300) is also on the table.
