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.
Here are some MLB player prop bets to make tonight.
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.
Adolis Garcia To Hit a Home Run (+350)/Marcus Semien To Hit a Home Run (+370)
The Texas Rangers have a great matchup tonight, and we turn to them for some home run props.
With a 4.45 implied run total, the Rangers are in the middle for tonight's slate but have a plus matchup against Jordan Lyles. This season, Lyles has been somewhat decent against right-handed hitters, but he is due for some serious regression. So far, Lyles is allowing a .402 SLG, 4.14 xFIP, 0.69 HR/9, 38.5% fly-ball rate, and 6.1% HR/FB ratio versus righties.
The HR/9 and the HR/FB ratio are rather interesting considering those numbers are better than what he posted last season -- 2.00 HR/9 and a 20.7% HR/FB ratio -- and better than his career numbers -- 1.29 HR/9 and a 14.2% HR/FB ratio. He's outperforming those numbers this season by a considerable margin.
This has me interested in Adolis Garcia, who comes in with a 120 wRC+, .335 wOBA, .223 ISO, 39.6% hard-contact rate, and 38.6% fly-ball rate versus right-handed pitchers.
Next would be Marcus Semien, who enters with an 88 wRC+, .290 wOBA, .151 ISO, 48.2% fly-ball rate, and 26.3% hard-contact rate. Those numbers seem lackluster on the surface, but Semien started the season very slow, and we've seen them increase month by month.
Of course, we should also add Garcia To Record an RBI (+145) and Semien To Record an RBI (+145).
Carlos Correa To Record an RBI (+125)
The Minnesota Twins are rocking a slate-high 5.08 implied run total.
A run total that high is a clear indication we are going to be looking at some player props, especially any we can get at plus money. Their run total is that high because they are taking on Matt Manning, who has only 8.0 innings pitched this season, so we'll look to his career numbers.
Throughout his career, Manning has allowed a .448 SLG, 5.12 xFIP, 1.12 HR/9, 37.3% fly-ball rate, and 37.1% hard-contact rate versus right-handed hitters. Those are some of the worst numbers on the slate, and thus, the high implied team total for the Twins.
This points us to Carlos Correa, who boasts a 118 wRC+, .334 wOBA, .176 ISO, and 38.1% hard-contact rate versus right-handers. Correa hits near the top of the lineup, so he should have plenty of plate appearances to cash this prop.
As always, include a little sprinkle on Correa 2+ RBI (+410).
Rowdy Tellez To Record 2+ Total Bases (+100)
Here's another team with a strong implied team total.
That team would be the Milwaukee Brewers with a 4.51 implied team total against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Brew Crew will be facing Bryse Wilson, who is sporting a .457 wOBA allowed versus left-handed hitters, along with a .638 SLG, 5.24 xFIP, 1.66 HR/9, and 44.4% hard-contact rate.
Let's get rowdy with Rowdy Tellez, who couldn't be in a better spot. He comes in with a 121 wRC+, .345 wOBA, .268 ISO, 44.4% fly-ball rate, and 39.7% hard-contact rate versus right-handed pitchers. Tellez To Record an RBI (+120) is also very much worth considering.