Baseball is front-and-center today with a busy 15-game slate. I’ve parsed through the matchups and the available MLB player props for each contest, highlighting the three that caught my attention the most.
Check out these free MLB picks, featuring the AL’s reigning Cy Young Winner making his first start of 2024.
MLB props for June 19
- Ozuna 2+ hits (+120 at FanDuel)
- Suarez Under 2.5 earned runs (-140 at DraftKings)
- Cole Under 5.5 strikeouts (+105 at DraftKings)
Picks made on 6-19 at 10:30 a.m. ET.
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Best MLB bets today
Prop bet #1: Buying into Marcell
Marcell Ozuna had a hit and an RBI on Tuesday as the Atlanta Braves picked up a second straight 2-1 win over the Detroit Tigers and will seek a series sweep on Wednesday.
Ozuna leads the Braves in average, homers, RBI, hits, and on-base percentage, and he’s picked up a hit in 20 of his last 24 games. Of those, nine have been of the multi-hit variety.
Ozuna draws Detroit ace Tarik Skubal in the finale, whose 8-2 record has him tied for the sixth-most wins in baseball. However, I like Ozuna to stay hot, with a great opportunity to take a flier on plus odds for 2+ hits.
While Skubal has allowed two runs or less in six of his last eight, he’s still been giving up hits — at least five in six of his last eight starts.
Marcell Ozuna prop: 2+ hits (+220 at FanDuel)
Prop bet #2: Ranger rolls at home
Philadelphia Phillies standout lefty Ranger Suarez is one of only two starting pitchers to crack the 10-win plateau so far this season. He leads the majors with a 1.77 ERA, and he’s been set a line of 2.5 earned runs Wednesday against the San Diego Padres — a team that’s hitting just .226 against lefties, the sixth-worst mark in baseball.
Suarez has been consistently effective all season. In his 14 starts on the year, he’s allowed three or more earned runs in a game just three times. He’s allowed two runs or fewer in six of his last seven outings.
Suarez has already seen the Padres once this season and he served up a gem, limiting them to three hits over eight innings while striking out eight and allowing just one earned run in a 5-1 win.
The Padres aren’t exactly in their best form either as they’ve lost five in a row and are on the verge of getting swept in their second straight series. They’ve also lost nine of their last 10 to the Phillies. I like Suarez cruising on getaway day.
Ranger Suarez prop: Under 2.5 earned runs (-140 at DraftKings)
Prop bet #3: Slow burn for Cole
The last time we saw Gerrit Cole pitch in a meaningful game he went the distance, allowing just two hits in a 6-0 win over the Blue Jays on September 27 of last year. That helped lock up a unanimous Cy Young Award.
His debut for 2024 has been delayed, as he’s been recovering from nerve inflammation and edema in his right elbow that's sidelined him since spring training. However, his last start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was solid, as Cole fanned 10 over 4 1/3 innings, giving up two hits and one unearned run on 70 pitches.
It won’t be an easy debut though, as he’ll face a potent Baltimore Orioles lineup who happen to rank first in slugging, third in OPS, and are just outside the Top 10 in fewest strikeouts on the year while leading the bigs with 115 home runs.
That, plus the New York Yankees admitting Cole’s not yet at full strength, means it might be a short outing for him, and perhaps the only time to take an Under on this strikeout machine.
Gerrit Cole prop: Under 5.5 strikeouts (+105 at DraftKings)
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