MLB Best Bets – Free (Wednesday 7/24)
Josh Gross
Welcome to the prop bet tracker. As MLB season gets into full swing, another way to get in on the action is to analyzes the day’s best prop bets — from strikeouts to home runs, first to five runs to total bases logged.
Each day, we will try and identify a few picks that are ready to explode in the prop market.
Corbin Burnes Over 7.5 Strikeouts (-149, BetMGM)
Do you like fun? Because I like fun. And Corbin Burnes is a damn delight to watch pitch. The hurler of 80-plus pitches in each of his starts, without walking a singular batter this season, Burnes has punched out nine or more hitters in each outing this season, good for a 48.5% strikeout rate. Yup, that’s him. Brandon Woodruff was strong Monday and I expected Burnes to be equally nasty Tuesday.
Taijuan Walker Over 5.5 Strikeouts (+131, FanDuel)
I feel like maybe I’m missing something here. While Walker isn’t pitching particularly deep into any games so far this season, this Chicago Cubs offense is downright pathetic. Paired with an ugly .294 wOBA mark, they strike out third-most in baseball at a 28.2% clip. They also struggle to put the ball in play with authority, notching a .192 batting average.
Julio Urías Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-125, BetRivers)
Bettors may see this prop and think I’m a fool – Urías hasn’t struck out a ton of hitters this season, but there’s a lot going for him. He’s been pitching deeper into games (he’s logged 90-plus pitches in each of his prior two outings) making his 12.3% swinging-strike rate a bit bullish on that lower-than-expected 19.3% whiff rate.
