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Koby's best MLB player prop bets for today (8/9/2026). Bet his home run props (HR props) and win money betting on MLB player props, including Esmerlyn Valdez, Bobby Witt Jr., and others!
Welcome Back, RotoBallers! I've had a bit of a break this week, so it feels good to get back into the swing of things. If you read a lot of MLB content, you'll see quite a bit from me this week! That being said, we have a solid slate as all 30 teams are in play today. So let's get some home runs going, why don't we?
We have four hitters on deck for y'all today; let's make the most of it, and hopefully we get some good luck on our side today. Make sure to also check out the RotoBaller Discord, where you can find input from all our experts, including more home run spots and some great strikeout picks.
Below, you'll read about my favorite home run props from MLB games on Sunday, August 9, 2026. The current odds given reflect the best price as of the publication, but remember to always shop around at other sportsbooks so you can get more value on your wagers. Odds can vary significantly from one sportsbook to another.
MLB Prop Bets - Today's Home Run Prop Picks (8/9/2026)
Esmerlyn Valdez OVER 0.5 Home Runs (+425, Bet365)
We start this one off with a game in Pittsburgh, where one of the league's hottest rookies has been lighting it up for the Pirates. He has been a menace against lefties this season, and he gets a great opportunity against the lefty Sean Manaea on the mound. Sean has really struggled against RHH this season; in fact, nine of his 13 home runs have come by way of RHH. They are also sporting a .486 SLG, .210 ISO, 12.7% Barrel%, and a 42.1% HardHit%.
Manaea has also given up seven home runs in his last six starts. As for Valdez, he has been tearing up lefties all season long. He has an absurd 1.238 OPS, .519 ISO, 29.4% Barrel%, and a 62% HardHit%. Obviously, that is only in 52 ABs, but still, those are some absurd numbers to put up. He has hit half of his 14 home runs against lefties, in nearly half the ABs.
The nice thing for us is Manaea throws a lot of the Four-Seamer and Sinker, both of which Valdez has hit well so far. We are getting some nice weather, and a slight wind blowing out today, which should give us a slight boost. He has struggled recently, but this is the perfect spot for him to get right, and at his odds, I still think we are getting tremendous value on a hitter such as Valdez.
GRAND SLAM ESMERLYN VALDEZ ‼️
His second homer of the day and the @Pirates have the lead! pic.twitter.com/IC7oCcZNKv
— MLB (@MLB) July 11, 2026
Bobby Witt Jr. OVER 0.5 Home Runs (+375, Bet365)
This is pretty much a field bet; we are looking at some high winds at Kauffman Stadium. Throughout the game, we should be seeing 16-17 mph winds blowing out on top of 90-degree heat. And there has been no one better at hitting lefties for the Royals than Bobby Witt Jr. Witt Jr. has hit lefties to the tune of a .911 OPS, .202 ISO, 16.3% Barrel%, 63% HardHit%. All of which leads the team, and he has been able to keep his K% down, with only a 9%!
He is going up against the lefty in Matthew Boyd. Boyd has been solid on the season, but he has shown to get barreled a decent amount, especially by righties. He has a 14% Barrel% on the season, and a respectable .411 SLG, .153 ISO, and a 38.6% HardHit%. He has been getting hit a bit harder lately; four of his eight home runs have come in the last five starts. Boyd is gonna be at a disadvantage with the weather.
In the last 10 games against lefties for Witt Jr., he leads the team in average exit velocity with 96 mph. They haven't gone against many lefties this season, but when they have, Bobby has crushed them. I think we are getting some pretty good odds even with how the weather is looking. I wouldn't be surprised to see these odds drop quite a bit as we get closer to game time.
