MLB Best Bets – Free (Wednesday 5/15)
Josh Gross
Welcome to the prop bet tracker! As MLB season kicks off into full swing, another way to get in on the action is to analyzes the days 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.
Trevor Bauer Over 7.5 Strikeouts (-167, BetMGM)
You can get some juice on this bet at 8.5 strikeouts as well, and quite frankly, they are all very solid bets. Bauer has been incredible in 2021 — following up on his NL Cy Young campaign, Bauer has maintained solid control and command with a 35.5% strikeout rate this season. While the Giants are solid at the dish, they do whiff a ton, logging a rate of 26.2% or eighth highest in major league baseball. Smash this.
Kyle Gibson Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-133, DraftKings)
Betting the under is like betting on the “Don’t Come” line in craps — it sucks. And let’s be clear as well: Just because I am pegging the under here doesn’t mean I don’t like Kyle Gibson as a pitcher. I love him. But playing against one of the hardest teams in baseball to strike out (Houston), and Gibson pitching primarily to contact, I am hitting the under here. Take it and run.
Josh Bell to Hit a Home Run (+410, BetRivers)
While veteran slugger Bell has struggled out of the gate, he has really picked things up recently. He’s homered twice in the last six games, and he’s also racked up multi-hit games in many of the contests as well. Why does that matter? Right-hander Jorge López has been poor yet again — his 5.69 FIP and 2.12 HR/9 indicate he’s been bombed quite again in 2021, and he could get hit hard again. Take the switch-hitting slugger for some homer value.
