We’ve got a massive slate of games this Saturday in the major leagues, and there’s no better way to celebrate than by picking out some home run hitters.
We’ll look towards two hitters who just went yard on Friday and one who’s yet to round the bases this season as we attack a few pitchers who are no strangers to the home run.
Here are my free MLB player props for Saturday, April 5.
Best MLB home run props today
Marcell Ozuna (+300 at FanDuel)
Francisco Lindor (+440 at FanDuel)-
Julio Rodriguez (+625 at BetMGM)
HR picks for April 5
Marcell Ozuna (+300 at FanDuel)
There really is no sweeter spot than Marcell Ozuna versus the Miami Marlins. He’s hit .317 against his former team over the course of his career, hitting 18 homers and slugging .556 in 68 games, and now he’ll step into a tasty matchup versus Cal Quantrill a day after hitting a home run.
Quantrill debuted a new split-finger last season which helped him return to the big-league level in a full-time capacity, but it didn’t help him with his home run problems as he allowed a whopping 23 in just 29 starts.
Yes, Coors Field did have something to do with that, but he also struggled with gopher balls in Cleveland and allowed two dingers in his opening start this season.
Ozuna tees off against fly-ball arms, and the two things that keep him from going yard are always walks and strikeouts. Quantrill has done a good job of pitching to contact in his career, with a 7.6% walk rate that is under the league average.
He’s never recorded many strikeouts, at just 17.5% in seven seasons. That should mean plenty of balls in play and a high likelihood that one leaves the yard for the Big Bear.
Francisco Lindor (+440 at FanDuel)
I’d really like to attack Toronto Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt next. He will be making his second rotational turn against one of his former clubs.
Bassitt is a fly-ball pitcher who’s had issues with home runs in the back half of his career. He surrendered 46 in 64 starts from 2023-24, and with a barrel rate of 11.1% in his first outing, the signs are there that this 36-year-old could be in for a rocky 2025 campaign.
Francisco Lindor owns a home run and a beefy .621 Expected Slugging Percentage in 14 at-bats against Bassitt over his career and is coming off back-to-back 30-homer seasons. He’s shown he can hit for plenty of power, and his wait for his first homer this season may end on Saturday.
Julio Rodriguez (+625 at BetMGM)
Finally, I’ll take a look at the best value on the board: betting homers in San Francisco, where the total sits at just 7.5 runs.
Yes, a matchup between Bryce Miller and Robbie Ray inside a pitcher-friendly park does hold some name value, but neither guy has done enough to prove they won’t give up homers – even in San Francisco.
We saw the ball leave the yard on Friday, and after homering in that one, I’m confident Seattle Mariners OF Julio Rodriguez can take a trip around the bases once more on Saturday.
Rodriguez was this team’s op-hitter against lefties a year ago, hitting .268 with a good enough .418 slugging percentage. While six of his 20 homers came in this split, a higher 11 came against fly-ball arms, which he hit to the tune of a .272/.323/.438 line.
Ray has struggled with limiting power in his career, and even with a resurgence in Seattle and then San Francisco still managed to come in only slightly under the league average.
We know he will pitch primarily to fly balls, and that hurt him in Cincinnati, where he allowed two homers in his first turn through the rotation.
Clearly, San Francisco isn’t playing quite as friendly toward pitchers at the moment, with some warm temperatures in Northern California.
Clearly, Ray will be giving up plenty of fly balls with his career profile and declining strikeout numbers.
Rodriguez is going to be vulnerable to walking and striking out, but if he gets the ball back in play, this is a matchup you’ll want to attack.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
