There isn’t a runaway division leader in sight through the first quarter of what’s shaping up to be a fascinating MLB season, and baseball’s heavy hitters are out in force again tonight.
That includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets, and I’m targeting the night slate for my favorite MLB player props on Wednesday, May 14, featuring wagers on a pair of elite sluggers.
Best MLB player props today
Machado o0.5 RBI (+145)
Lodolo o6.5 Ks (+140)
Betts o1.5 TB (+130)
MLB props for May 14
Manny Machado Over 0.5 RBI (+145 at bet365)
Manny Machado enters tonight’s matchup against the Los Angeles Angels swinging a red-hot bat — in fact, it’s been that way for the past few weeks. Machado boasts a stunning .475 batting average and 1.203 OPS in May, and he’s riding a 13-game hit streak.
His overall .331 average sits seventh in the majors and, while his RBI tally of 20 doesn’t rank as highly, I like this price for Machado to drive in a run this evening at Petco Park for my MLB picks.
His elite numbers this year alone make a compelling case for this prop, but his record against Angels starter Kyle Hendricks takes it to another level. Machado has feasted against Hendricks, going 9-for-20 against the veteran righty.
The San Diego Padres have piled up 48 runs across their last five games, helped by a 21-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on the weekend. I see Machado, who’s served up seven RBI this month, leading the charge in tonight’s series decider.
Nick Lodolo Over 6.5 strikeouts (+140 at bet365)
The Cincinnati Reds have dropped three in a row at home, but I like their chances of ending that slide against the Chicago White Sox tonight — in part, because starter Nick Lodolo is off to an impressive start this year.
Lodolo, who brings a 3.23 ERA into this contest, seems to be making a leap in his fourth MLB season.
I’m grabbing the plus-money odds for Over 6.5 strikeouts here, with Lodolo going past that number in two of his past three outings, including nine Ks to blow away the Colorado Rockies in late April.
He’s also thrown at least 90 pitches in each of his last five appearances on the mound, providing valuable consistency for this prop.
Now he gets to face a struggling White Sox lineup that’s dead last in batting average (.215). Chicago hitters have struck out 362 times this season — ninth-most in the big leagues — and I’m trusting Lodolo to keep them quiet tonight.
Mookie Betts Over 1.5 total bases (+130 at bet365)
The Los Angeles Dodgers slumped to an eyebrow-raising 11-1 loss last night against the A’s, but there’s payback on the menu today — and I’m wagering on Mookie Betts to make some noise at the top of the L.A. order.
Betts is heating up after a sluggish April where he hit just.232, and his 13-for-42 mark so far this month suggests his numbers will keep trending upwards.
He clubbed three hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, including a solo homer, and he’ll surely come out aggressively here against A's rookie starter, righty Gunnar Hoglund.
Betts has done his best work this year against right-handed pitching, with a .283 average and 18 RBIs in those matchups, and he’s well placed to cash the Over on 1.5 total bases at Dodger Stadium tonight.
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