Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a strong rookie season last year, and the former NPB superstar has been even more dominant in 2025. The Dodgers ace highlights my favorite MLB picks for today.
I'm also backing Phillies southpaw Jesus Luzardo and Royals slugger Maikel Garcia in my best free MLB player props for Thursday, May 8.
Best MLB player props today
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Garcia o1.5 TB (+115) -
Luzardo u2.5 ER (-160) -
Yamamoto u1.5 ER (+132)
MLB props for May 8
Maikel Garcia Over 1.5 total bases (+115 at bet365)
Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia is slashing .323/.392/.496 and has been red-hot lately. The 25-year-old is batting .397 while slugging .603 over his last 16 games.
Garcia is seventh in the majors in expected batting average (.328) and is in the Top 15th percentile in hard-hit rate (51.4%) and average exit velocity (93.2). Garcia is at home today and will face the Chicago White Sox and starter Davis Martin.
Martin has a 3.52 ERA through seven starts but his statcast analytics suggest major regression. Martin's expected ERA is 5.96 and he also sits in the Bottom 10th percentile in xBA (.317), hard-hit rate (49.6%), and exit velocity (92.9).
Jesus Luzardo Under 2.5 earned runs (-160 at Bet99)
Jesus Luzardo has been dealing in his first season with the Philadelphia Phillies. The southpaw has posted a 1.94 ERA with an expected ERA of 2.94 through seven starts.
The O/U earned runs for Luzardo is installed at 2.5 today, a number he has gone below in six of seven starts this year. Luzardo does a great job of making batters miss, sitting in the Top 20th percentile in chase rate, whiff rate, and strikeout rate.
He should have plenty of success against a Tampa Bay Rays lineup that ranks 24th in strikeout rate (23.2%) and 23rd in OPS (.669). The Rays have been even worse against lefties, batting .182 with an OPS of just .536.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Under 1.5 earned runs (+132 at bet365)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto broke into the bigs with a strong rookie season last year and he's been even more dominant this year. The right-hander has pitched to a 0.90 ERA with an OBA of .171 through seven starts. Yamamoto has allowed just a single earned run in 30 innings over his last five starts.
While those spectacular numbers aren't sustainable long-term, his expected ERA of 2.47 suggests that he'll continue to throw at a Cy Young-level moving forward. The super sophomore does have a tough matchup today against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are fourth in the majors in OPS (.759).
That said, Arizona's OPS has dropped to .710 over the last two weeks. Yamamoto has also been getting the job done against dangerous lineups. He's coming off an impressive road game against the Braves (allowing one hit through six innings) while shutting down the Cubs and Phillies last month.
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