MLB Player Prop Bets to Target on Thursday 5/18/23
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 MLB odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, 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.
Austin Hays To Record 2+ Total Bases (-110)
The Baltimore Orioles have a slate-high 4.82 implied run total and should certainly be able to hit that mark today.
It's an early start of games and we're turning to Austin Hays, who will be taking on Tyler Anderson, a pitcher we can certainly target. There's essentially nothing about Anderson's pitching profile that is a cause for concern. In fact, there's a lot to like when it comes to opposing hitters.
This season, Anderson is allowing a .385 wOBA, .540 SLG, 5.85 xFIP, 1.59 HR/9, 15.4% strikeout rate, .319 BABIP, and 46.3% fly-ball rate versus right-handed hitters. He doesn't strike out hitters at a high clip, and the rate of contact against him is very solid.
Hays is hot at the plate right now with hits in 9 of his last 10 games, including a homer last night. On the season, he comes in with a .301 wOBA, .357 BABIP, 37.9% hard-contact rate, and 37.9% fly-ball rate versus left-handed hitters.
His production is solid and with the Orioles expected to put up plenty of runs today, Hays will have several chances at the plate to get on base.
Taj Bradley Over 4.5 Strikeouts (+100)
The Tampa Bay Rays have recalled Taj Bradley for a start against the New York Mets today.
Bradley has been up and down from the minors a bit this season, but when he's with the MLB club, he's showing he belongs there. He has only three starts under his belt this season, so take things with a grain of salt.
During that time, he has a monstrous 38.3% strikeout rate, 3.3% walk rate, 11.5% swinging-strike rate, and 28.7% called plus swinging-strike rate (CSW%). That has led him to rack up six-plus strikeouts in all three of his starts this season. He's got absolute gas on the mound and can show that off against this Mets' lineup.
While at home versus right-handed pitchers, the Mets come in with a 24.9% strikeout rate, which is the sixth-worst in the league. This is another chance for Bradley to show he deserves to be at the MLB and pile up some strikeouts along the way.
