J.D. Martinez is on one hell of a heater. The Dodgers’ designated hitter extended his hitting streak to 14 games after swatting another dong in last night’s matchup vs. the Nationals., and today, one of baseball’s hottest hitters goes against one of our favorite fades as the Nationals hand the ball to none other than Patrick Corbin.
So we are doubling down with the player props in today’s Nationals-Dodgers game, and spoiler alert, we aren’t getting off the J.D. Martinez prop train till it comes off the tracks.
I break down the MLB odds and bring you my favorite prop picks for this final day in May.
MLB props for May 31
- Martinez Over 2.5 H+R+RBI
- Corbin Over 6.5 hits allowed
- Grichuk Over 1.5 TB
Picks made on 5/31/2023 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Read full analysis of each pick.
Best MLB bonuses
Looking to bet on some MLB action? Here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) New users at FanDuel can bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets! Sign Up Now
B) Get a profit boost up to 100% on one MLB same-game parlay at DraftKings! Opt-in Now
*Eligible USA locations only. Also, check out our full list of best promo codes for 2023.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Best MLB bets today
Prop bet #1: Espresso Martinez
The J.D. Martinez player prop train rolls on! The Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter kept his heater going with another dinger last night, extending his hitting streak to an impressive 14 games. Today, he gets a really juicy matchup as he and the Dodgers close out their series with the Washington Nationals.
After a bit of an up-and-down start to his first season in Dodger Blue, Martinez has looked much more like the guy who got selected to the MLB All-Star Game in four of the last seasons with the Boston Red Sox.
He is now hitting .277 with a .922 OPS and 12 home runs thanks to a 14-game hitting streak. Martinez is hitting .333 with a 1.083 OPS, which includes 11 extra-base hits over that stretch, and today he gets to dig in against none other than Patrick Corbin himself.
The Nationals starter has become a bit of a punching bag in betting circles thanks to his poor pitching over the years, But Corbin has actually been a bit better this season. The left hander has recorded six quality starts this season and has been a solid innings eater for the Nats.
However, Corbin is still getting hit hard and often, surrendering a .313 expected batting average and a .508 expected batting slugging percentage to opponents. Both rank in the Bottom 9% of MLB, and that’s not a recipe for success against a guy as locked in as Martinez is.
Now, we’ve been betting Martinez’s total bases the last few days, but we’ve seen the price drop from the +130 range to -105 today. So, we’re going to call an audible and look at his hits + runs + RBIs prop instead.
This is set at 2.5 with the Over priced at a much more palatable +115 and he has gone Over this number in nine of his last 12 games and seven of his last eight overall. In this matchup against Corbin, this looks like a solid bet once again.
J.D. Martinez prop: Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBIs (+115 at DraftKings)
Prop bet #2: Corbin gets crushed
Now normally, I select props from three different games on the MLB schedule in this article, but this matchup between Corbin and the Dodgers is so juicy that I’m going back to the well for another prop pick.
As I said, Corbin has been better than he was last season. Which is a low bar, I know. But it’s enough that the Nationals are letting him pitch deeper into ball games. It doesn’t hurt that the Washington bullpen isn’t offering much relief, so Corbin is averaging more than 5 2/3 innings per start this season.
That means there are plenty of opportunities for opposing teams to rack up the hits, and that’s exactly what has happened. His expected batting average and slugging percentage are rough, but Corbin has also surrendered a MLB-high 75 hits this season.
Today, he faces a Dodgers team that ranks ninth in OPS and 12th in wRC+ when facing left-handed pitching this season. And thanks to performances from the likes of Martinez, they are also red-hot right now. Over the last 15 days, they have hit the most home runs and lead MLB in OPS.
Corbin’s hits allowed prop is on the board at 6.5. He’s allowed seven or more hits in eight of his 11 starts this season and goes against one of the toughest lineups he’s seen all season. I’m backing Martinez and the Dodgers to rack up the knocks in this one.
Patrick Corbin prop: Over 6.5 hits allowed (+100)
Prop bet #3: Rowdy Randal
Even casual baseball fans know about the Colorado Rockies' home/road splits. Everyone expects them to perform better in the thin mountain air at Coors Field as compared to on the road, but this season they also have some extreme splits when it comes to facing lefties compared to righties.
The Rockies have been one of the worst teams in the league when going against southpaws. Luckily for them, Randal Grichuk is doing his best to help even those numbers out.
Grichuk has been a much-needed boost to a Rockies lineup that has struggled this season. The outfielder is hitting .367 with a .937 OPS and the ball must look like the size of a melon right now. Grichuk is hitting .500 with a 1.269 OPS over his last six games, which includes five doubles.
And unlike his teammates, Grichuk is mashing lefties. He owns a .409 batting average and a 1.182 OPS when stepping into the batter’s box against LHP this season.
Tonight, he’ll dig in against Arizona Diamondbacks southpaw Tommy Henry. The 25-year-old lefty doesn’t strike out many batters and uses a good dose of offspeed pitches to create soft contact. However, he has still below league average when it comes to expected ERA (4.67), expected batting average (.249), and expected slugging percentage (.438).
Grichuk only has a handful of at-bats vs. Henry, but he is 2-for-5 with a double. At plus money, I’m backing Grich to keep swinging a hot stick in this matchup.
Randal Grichuk prop: Over 1.5 total bases (+110)
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
