X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Free MLB Player Props - Today's Prop Betting Picks for Hitters and Pitchers (8/18/23)

Today's free MLB prop betting picks for Friday, August 18, 2023. Use Juan Carlos Blanco's top baseball prop picks and MLB prop bet recommendations to win money on sportsbooks.

We're set for another big stretch-run Friday night slate in MLB that's light on elite pitchers. However, we do have one very good strikeout arm on the mound in a favorable matchup, and a Coors Field game informs two of our three hitter props.

Attention, fellow sports bettors! We have exciting news to share as we are officially partnered with various sportsbooks and have some sweet sports betting promo offers! Get your deposit bonus and a year of free RotoBaller Premium access when you sign up with a new account today! After you're signed up, use our picks in this article for spreads, totals, and props to win big.

In this article, I'll provide my favorite prop bets for MLB games on Friday, August 18, 2023.  Let's look at some of the best MLB player props worth wagering on for today's games without further ado!

 

MLB Pitcher Prop Bets - Today's Betting Picks

Spencer Strider OVER 7.5 Strikeouts Thrown (-145 PointsBet Sportsbook)  or To Record  A Win (-115 DraftKings Sportsbook)

Strider's swing-and-miss stuff is unquestionably elite, and despite a rare downturn in strikeouts over his last two starts, he's still carrying an outstanding 14.0 K/9 and 20.3 percent swinging strike rate on the season.

Strider has whiff rates north of 50.0 percent on two (changeup, slider) of the three pitches in his arsenal this season as well, and he owns a 15.1 K/9 across 71.1 home frames. He's recorded at least eight strikeouts in 19 of his 24 starts, a stellar percentage that heavily fuels the notion he's capable of the feat again Friday.

The Giants also add to that belief, considering they've been the most punchless team against right-handed pitching in all of baseball (.207 average, .276 wOBA, -27.0 wRAA) since the All-Star break while also striking out at a 24.8 percent clip in that split. The latter figure climbs slightly to an even more bloated 25.6 when splitting it out just for road matchups.

Atlanta is well over a -200 favorite for Friday's game, so a bet on the Record A Win prop is also certainly viable at a better price.

Pablo Lopez To Record A Win  (-105 DraftKings Sportsbook)

Lopez is also a strong candidate to emerge victorious Friday in a game the Twins are up to -240 favorites for as of Friday morning. The opposing Pirates' poor track record against right-handed pitching in the second half of the season is one of the big reasons for the lopsided odds.

Pittsburgh has gotten some impactful hits against righties since the All-Star break on its way to a respectable .428 slugging percentage in that split, but the Bucs are also sporting a .213 average, .305 wOBA and 27.2 percent strikeout rate against that handedness on the road in the second half.

Also helping Lopez's chances of garnering a win is opposing starter Andre Jackson, who's pitched to a 5.47 ERA and 2.1 HR/9 in 26.1 innings this season. Jackson does have good swing-and-miss stuff, but he was touched up by the Reds for three earned runs on five hits and two walks over 3.2 innings in his first start of the season last time out.

Minnesota has also been very good against righties at home since the break, producing a .300 average, .924 OPS, .389 wOBA and 22.3 wRAA in that split. Then, Lopez checks in with elite form over the last five starts, as he's generated a 3-1 record, 1.45 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 10.2 K/9 and 0.9 HR/9 across the 31 innings he's logged in that sample.

Furthermore, Lopez has given up three earned runs or less in eight of his last nine starts and recorded victories in five of his last six decisions.

Sports Betting Promo Offers

Featured Promo: Get any Betting Premium Pass for 50% off using code SUMMER. Win more with exclusive betting picks from proven winners across 9 sports! Find optimal bets with our Betting Picks Tool and Bet Weighting Tool and follow along in our VIP chat rooms! Go Premium, Win More!

 

MLB Hitting Prop Bets - Today's Betting Picks

 

 

Juan Soto OVER 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI  (-125 DraftKings Sportsbook) 

Soto and the rest of his Padres teammates are likely licking their chops for Friday night's matchup against the Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt, whose sporting an unsavory array of metrics that includes an 0-6 record, 6.91 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 2.3 HR/9. Pfaadt has been better of late with a 4.34 ERA across his last five turns, but he's still carrying an 0-3 mark and 1.6 HR/9 in that span.

The Friars are big favorites Friday behind Seth Lugo and Pfaadt just allowed nine hits and three runs to San Diego his last time out at home. He's also had plenty of trouble against left-handed hitters, pitching to a .307 BAA, .926 OPS, .392 wOBA and 5.65 FIP in that split. Meanwhile, Soto has a .401 wOBA, .952 OPS and 158 wRC+ against right-handed pitching this season.

Soto has averaged 1.8 hits + runs + RBI at home this season in a 62-game sample, and the Padres have a robust projected total of 5 runs as of early Friday morning. Arizona relievers have pitched to a .291 BAA, .908 OPS and .388 wOBA against left-handed hitters since the All-Star break as well, so they make for very good targets for Soto once Pfaadt exits the game.

Ryan McMahon OVER 1.5 Total Bases (+130 DraftKings Sportsbook) or To Hit A HR (+425 PointsBet Sportsbook)

McMahon has already hit the 20-homer mark for the third straight season and fourth in the last five campaigns overall, and he's knocked 11 of his round-trippers at home on his way to an impressive .855 OPS in that split.

McMahon is averaging 1.7 total bases per game for the season, and with 48 extra-base hits, he's inching closer to the career-high 56 he belted in 2021. The lefty-swinging slugger is clocking an even better 1.9 total bases per game at Coors Field, and Friday, he draws a matchup against a pitcher who's unfamiliar with the hitter-friendly venue and already has plenty of trouble keeping the ball in the park in the White Sox's Michael Kopech.

Kopech has pitched to a 2.0 HR/9, allowing at least one ball to leave the park in seven of his last eight starts. The hard-throwing right-hander has also given up plenty of hard contact to lefty bats, with 20 of the 41 hits he's surrendered to that handedness this season going for extra bases.

Finally, consider McMahon has a good track record against the two types of pitches Kopech throws most often against lefty batters, the four-seam fastball and a slider -- the veteran slugger sports a .379 wOBA and .389 xwOBA against the former and a .290 average and .396 wOBA against breaking pitches overall.

Andrew Benintendi  OVER 1.5 Total Hits (+120 DraftKings SportsBook)

Benintendi makes for an intriguing player on the other side of the White Sox-Rockies matchup to consider this prop for. The left-handed hitting veteran is facing Peter Lambert, who's allowed a .394 average and .482 wOBA to the 40 left-handed hitters he's faced at home thus far this season.

Lambert has been in particularly poor form thus far in August, pitching to a 7.71 ERA, .849 OPS and .364 wOBA over 14 innings. Meanwhile, Benintendi has a .277 average and very modest 14.2 percent strikeout rate against right-handed pitching, and an even smaller 12.5 percent strikeout rate on the road overall.

The above-average contact hitter should therefore be in good position to record his 30th multi-hit effort of the season at Coors Field, where the White Sox boast a 6.2 projected-run total. Colorado's relievers will also make for very good targets, as they've pitched to a 6.30 ERA, .294 BAA and .388 wOBA against left-handed hitters since the All-Star break.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!






POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF