3 MLB Prop Bets to Target on Tuesday 8/9/22

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.

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.

Pete Alonso To Hit a Home Run (+250)/Darin Ruf To Hit a Home Run (+350)

The New York Mets are rocking a big 5.34 implied run total tonight and have a great matchup for home runs.

We have a loaded 14-game slate, and there are a ton of hitters worth considering. Pete Alonso and Darin Ruf are at the top of my list with a soft matchup against Mike Minor.

The Mets' game could have a bit of rain tonight -- which isn't ideal -- and if the game is going to be impacted by that, I'll be pivoting to Paul Goldschmidt (+285) and Nolan Arenado (+300), who are both on fire this season and at Coors Field tonight.

It's certainly a tough dynamic to navigate. The Mets have an elite matchup but could see rain. The Cardinals may not have a picture-perfect matchup, but they have elite hitters, and it's Coors Field.

With all of that said, let's take a look at Minor, who is struggling this season versus right-handed hitters. Minor comes in allowing a .646 SLG, a .435 wOBA, 2.97 HR/9, a 5.88 xFIP, a 51.5% fly-ball rate, and a 35.6% hard-contact rate. He is one of the best matchups on the slate, so we should love the Mets for home runs.

Alonso enters with a 162 wRC+, a .394 wOBA, a .266 ISO, a 41.3% fly-ball rate, and a 33.3% hard-contact rate versus left-handed pitchers this season.

Next up is Ruf, who has a 148 wRC+, a .378 wOBA, a .263 ISO, a 46.4% fly-ball rate, and a 38.1% hard-contact rate versus lefties this season.

Of course, we should look to add Alonso To Record an RBI (-115) and Ruf To Record an RBI (+120).

Alex Cobb Over 4.5 Strikeouts (+114)

Alex Cobb is in great form right now and has a strikeout prop worth considering.

Cobb's strikeout prop is sitting at 4.5 tonight, and I'm going with the over. Cobb is carrying a 24.9% strikeout rate on the season along with a 10.3% swinging-strike rate. The last two starts have been elite for Cobb, with him posting a 30.8% and a 47.8% strikeout rate in that time. While those rates won't be sustainable, it's a very encouraging sign when we are still getting a prop at only 4.5 strikeouts. He's also been over this mark in four straight starts, and we're getting it at plus money.

Cobb will be taking on the San Diego Padres, who come in with a 22.0% strikeout rate versus right-handed pitchers, which is 19th in the league. While 19th may not seem like the ideal matchup, the league average strikeout rate versus right-handed pitchers is 22.3%. It's a solid matchup, and Cobb is looking great right now.

Austin Riley To Record an RBI (+100)

The Atlanta Braves have a 5.16 implied run total tonight and need to get their offense going.

After a tough weekend series against the Mets, the Braves are riding a three-game losing streak, which is not something we often see for them. It's time for them to flex their powerful offense, and they have a great matchup against Rich Hill to do so.

This season, Hill is allowing a .475 SLG, a .345 wOBA, a 4.41 xFIP, 1.16 HR/9, and a 38.1% fly-ball rate versus right-handed hitters. Those are tough numbers to be sporting when you are set to take on a very righty-heavy lineup from the Braves.

We turn to Austin Riley, who is boasting a 221 wRC+, a .495 wOBA, a .390 ISO, a 41.3% fly-ball rate, and a 50.7% hard-contact rate versus left-handed pitchers this season. Riley is beyond elite, so I'm also adding Riley 2+ RBI (+340).