MLB All-Star Game 2023 Prop Picks and Best Bets: Martinez Shines for National League

Prop bet #1: Go Bo go

There may be some hometown bias here, but I was a little shocked when Bo Bichette wasn’t named the starting shortstop for the American League.

Bichette is having another outstanding season for the Toronto Blue Jays, leading the AL in hits with 122 while sporting a .317 batting average and .848 OPS. He has also played all but one of the Blue Jays’ 91 games prior to the All-Star break (31 more than starting shortstop Corey Seager, but I’m not bitter).

But with guys like Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Jose Ramirez, Luis Robert Jr., and Wander Franco available as reserves, the AL’s bench might be the better option. So, don’t be surprised if Dusty Baker makes some switches early.

Bo should be ready when his number is called tonight and does a solid job the first time he sees a new pitcher in a game. Bichette has a .294 BA this season when facing a new starter for the first time, and that average bumps up to .314 if it’s the first time he faces a reliever.

I think Bichette is good for at least two ABs tonight but I’m betting he starts his second All-Star game with a bang. You can get Bichette to hit a single in his first plate appearance at +440.

Bo Bichette prop: Single in first plate appearance (+440 at FanDuel)

Prop bet #2: Patience at the plate

What would an All-Star game be without a Juan Soto waggle? Nothing, that’s what. 

Soto was selected for his third All-Star game despite a slow start to the season with the San Diego Padres, but that could be said for all Padres' hitters. Soto was hitting just .202 through the month of April but has used that waggle to get his swagger back.

Since then, Soto has looked much more like his regular self, hitting .295 with a .965 OPS. And one thing he continues to do better than anyone in baseball is draw walks. Soto leads MLB in walk rate, drawing a free pass in a stunning 21% of his plate appearances. 

The National League only has six outfielders on its roster, so it’s likely Soto gets into this Midsummer Classic somewhere in the middle innings. Soto may have a tough matchup when he gets to the plate, but if anyone can find a way to draw a walk in his first plate appearance, it’s him.

Juan Soto prop: Walk in first plate appearance (+350 at FanDuel)

Prop bet #3: J.D. for MVP

Picking an MLB All-Star Game MVP winner can be tough, so, let’s try to narrow down some options here. 

For starters, position players have won the Midsummer Classic MVP in eight of the last 10 games played. Next, of those eight position players, seven of them hit home runs. Finally, if you read my All-Star Game betting preview, you’ll see I have a very slight lean toward the National League... and the winning team generally gets the MVP winner.

So, basically, we are looking for an NL bopper here. Now, guys like Ronald Acuna Jr., and Mookie Betts are the obvious choices here, but let’s go with a guy giving us a little better value further down the board. 

How about designated hitter J.D. Martinez? The 35-year-old slugger was selected for his sixth All-Star team in his first season with the Dodgers thanks to a first half that saw him hit .255 with a .872 OPS while swatting 22 dingers.

However, the way his season started, that wasn’t a certainty. Martinez was ice cold coming out of the gates hitting just .239 and hitting five home runs over his 30 games — which included a couple of minor injuries along the way. But Martinez sure turned it on in the second half.

In his next 42 games, he hit .266 with a .929 OPS and 17 home runs, including six dingers in his last 12 games heading into the break. Overall, the numbers say he’s been one of the best power hitters in baseball. He ranks in the Top 6% of MLB in average exit velocity, hard hit percentage, barrel rate, and expected slugging percentage. 

And with only one other DH on the roster, Martinez is looking at two or three ABs tonight. I’m betting he runs into one and brings home the MVP Award as a nice long shot.

J.D. Martinez prop: MVP (+3,000 at DraftKings)