Gross Bombs: NFL Props for Week 16
Josh Gross
Welcome to the prop bet tracker. As MLB season gets into high gear, 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.
Matt Olson to Hit a Home Run (+280, FanDuel)
Want someone running hotter than the sun? Try Oakland’s Olson, who is absolutely scorching the ball. For pitchers, Olson’s like that buddy of yours at the bar that you just can’t get to go home after imbibing one too many beverages — annoying to have to deal with. He’s locked in so far after smacking two more jacks Wednesday. Oh, and he is headed to Camden Yards to face Jorge López, who’s been bombed by righties in his career for a .384 wOBA? Sure thing! I only wish these odds were higher. Watch the game, and if you have seats and you are in right field, heads up.
Mitch Haniger to Hit a Home Run (+400, PointsBet)
This one is as much about the opportunity as it is about the unbelievable suckitude of southpaw Martín Pérez of the Red Sox. The Sox resemble a slow-pitch softball team – it’s like a band of misfit toys at this rotation following Nathan Eovaldi, and that starts with Perez. Sporting an ugly 18.5% strikeout rate so far this season, Perez has done a decent job limiting hard contact, but it will come with a 40.9% fly-ball rate. It’s 55 degrees and sunny in Boston with a strong 10 MPH wind, so expect some offense in a game with an over/ynder of 9.0 runs.
Steven Matz Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-143, BetMGM)
Matz has bounced around and coming off an ugly 2020 where he sported an ERA north of 9, he took his talents north of the border – well, kind of, given that the Blue Jays are actually calling Dunedin, Fla., home for the time being due to the pandemic. Matz is 3-0 this season with a sub 1.00 WHIP (0.82 to be exact) and dusting off his slider has produced 18 strikeouts in 18.1 IP. Expect him to lock horns with Tyler Glasnow in an epic pitching battle.
