We are roughly 10 games into the 2021 MLB season and that means we are finally getting some data to help us make our multitude of MLB prop bets.
So, let’s use those numbers to start off the new week by looking at arguably the Big Leagues' hottest hitter, Byron Buxton, who is just tearing the cover off the baseball, plus strikeout artist Tyler Glasnow, who has a chance to rack up the punchouts in his matchup tonight.
We bring you that and more with our best MLB free prop bets and predictions for Monday, April 12.
Today’s MLB props and picks
Byron Buxton Over 1.5 Total Bases (+110)
Editor's note: This game has been postponed.
Byron Buxton always showed flashes of becoming a Big League superstar, but all that potential is starting to break out in this 2021 season as the Minnesota Twins’ centerfielder looks like an early MVP candidate.
The former No. 1-overall pick of the Twins is absolutely raking to start the season. Buxton leads the MLB in OPS (1.734) and home runs (5) and is second in batting average (.481) and he should have a chance to keep rolling on Monday when he goes up against Boston Red Sox starter Martin Perez.
The Red Sox’s lefty had an OK start to the season, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out six, but Perez has never been much of a strikeout pitcher and has a career opponent batting average of .283. That’s not the recipe for slowing down Buxton.
Buxton’s total bases total is at 1.5 and I guess oddsmakers are betting Buxton slows down at some point, but until he does, getting this MLB prop bet at plus-money seems like a steal considering he has gone over this number every game this season.
Trevor Cahill Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-110)
The San Diego Padres have been able to survive the loss of Fernando Tatis Jr. to this point thanks to some excellent pitching and a solid approach at the plate. While the Padres are scoring just 3.86 runs per game this season, they rank sixth in OPS thanks to a patient approach and working counts. As a result, the Padres strike out less than anyone in baseball at just 6.9 times per game.
Monday, they go up against the Pittsburgh Pirates journeyman starter Trevor Cahill. The right-hander got rocked in his first start with the Buccos, allowing seven runs on nine hits while striking out four batters in four innings of work.
Cahill has never been much of a strikeout artist over the course of his career, recording just 6.9 punchouts per nine innings. Cahill has also been used sparingly as a starter over the last few seasons and has only pitched more than five innings just three times in his 15 starts dating back to 2019. Bet on Cahill to stay Under his strikeout total in this one.
Tyler Glasnow Over 8.5 Strikeouts (+115)
Someone who is known for his strikeouts, on the other hand, is Tyler Glasnow of the Tampa Bay Rays. Glasnow looks like the latest in the Rays’ long line of potential Cy Young Award winners and he has gotten his 2021 campaign off to a great start.
The hard-throwing righty throws straight heat with a four-seam fastball and mixes that with one of the most devastating breaking balls in baseball to rack up the punchouts. Glasnow’s 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings would have led baseball in 2020 if he had enough innings to qualify and he has carried that momentum over to 2021.
Glasnow has punched out 15 batters in his first 12 innings of work this season, which includes nine strikeouts in six innings pitched his last time out against the Boston Red Sox.
Monday, he goes up against the Texas Rangers, who strikeout 10.82 times per game so far this season—the second-highest mark in baseball at the moment. Glasnow’s strikeout total is an expectedly high 8.5, but the juice of +115 and the potential for him to get to double-digit punchouts in this one is too tempting to pass up.
Yesterday's MLB record: 2-1, 0.92 units
Season MLB betting record: 16-18, -3.79 units
MLB betting card for April 12
- Byron Buxton Over 1.5 Total Bases (+110)
- Trevor Cahill Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-110)
- Tyler Glasnow Over 8.5 Strikeouts (+115)
Picks made on 4/12/2021 at 12:17 p.m. ET
MLB parlays
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