The MLB All-Star Game is approaching, but various teams can’t afford to take their foot off the gas thanks to how tight the standings are. Four divisions are within two games before the break, which sets up a competitive weekend of baseball, beginning with a full slate of action today.
Check out the best MLB prop bets for Friday, July 7, and a jump on what should be a great weekend of sports betting in the MLB.
Best Player Prop Bets for Friday, July 7
Here are the top three player prop suggestions for Friday’s MLB action.
Kyle Tucker to Record 2+ Hits (+240 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Kyle Tucker may be as hot as anyone in baseball at the plate. He is on a 13-game hitting streak and has upped his batting average to .293, good enough for 16th in the league. Additionally, he is facing Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo tonight, who he has had success against in the limited time he has faced him. In six at bats against Castillo, Tucker is 3-for-6 with a slash line of .500/.500/1.167. The sample size is small, but it is noteworthy, especially for a hot hitter.
Another reason to consider this wager is that Castillo’s primary pitch is a four-seamer. Against the four-seamer this year, Tucker has a .340 batting average and a .500 slugging percentage. Tucker is also disciplined at the plate, posting a chase percentage three points below the league average. To get him out, Castillo will have to put the ball in play, which bodes well for Tucker’s odds of covering this wager.
Bet on Kyle Tucker with $200 in bonus bets from FanDuel Sportsbook
Charlie Morton Over 6.5 Strikeouts (-105 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
Charlie Morton tossed at least seven strikeouts in seven of his last 11 games. He has tossed 105 strikeouts this season with a strikeout rate of 26.1%, which is about five percentage points above the league average. That sets him up to cover this line against the Rays, who are struggling mightily at the plate. They’ve struck out at least 10 times in five of their last seven games. In the two games they didn’t reach double digits in the category, they surrendered eight and nine.
Morton is primarily a two-pitch machine, which helps him keep his opponents off balance. His go-to pitch is a curveball that is drawing a whooping 38.2% chase percentage — 11 points above the league average. Meanwhile, the Rays are now above league average in chase percentage. Facing a pitcher of Morton’s quality isn’t ideal for a team looking to right the ship at the plate.
Also, the Rays have dropped five in a row now and are only up four games on the Orioles in the AL East after a dominating start to the season. Knowing their division foe is on their heels doesn’t help them avoid pressing at the plate with three games left to go before the All-Star break.
Wager on Morton to mow ’em down with $1,200 in bonuses from DraftKings Sportsbook
Carlos Rodon Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-150 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
Carlos Rodon hasn’t pitched in nearly a year due to various injuries since joining the Yankees this past off-season. When he last played, he was a strikeout machine, compiling 237 on the year in 2022 thanks to a 33.4 K%. However, tossing seven strikeouts in his first MLB start after nearly a year off is a tall task for anyone, even if it is against the Cubs.
With 792 strikeouts on the season, the Cubs are in the top 10 in strikeouts. However, they are just outside of the top 10 in runs per game and are currently on a hot streak. Rodon will have his hands full trying to slow down their bats. If the Cubs put up runs early, the Yankees may not be inclined to keep him on the mound and allow him to figure it out given how tight the wild card race is.
As good as Rodon has been the last couple of years, we don’t expect to see that version of him this soon into his recovery.
Fade Carlos Rodon in his season debut with a $1,000 first-bet bonus from BetMGM
Article contributed by David Fletcher.
