It's Sunday, which means you can take advantage of the MLB prop and side bets nice and early and get all set for a packed afternoon slate of MLB betting action.
Today, we’re betting on a bounce-back game from a pair of pitchers who were roughed up in the season opener, while also backing what might seem like a counter-intuitive wager at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Here are our best free MLB free prop bets and predictions for Sunday, April 25.
Today’s MLB props and picks
First Five Innings Runline - Red Sox -0.5 (-130)
The Boston Red Sox were one of the biggest surprises in baseball through the first two weeks of the season but have slowed down since then, going just 3-5 in their last eight games and coming off a six-run loss against the Mariners yesterday.
They will hope to bounce back with a better performance against the M's today and will thankfully have Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound.
Rodriguez missed the entire 2020 season after getting COVID-19 but had a breakthrough season in 2019, going 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA. He has looked even sharper this season, going 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and an opponent batting average of .203.
Seattle will start Nick Margevicius, who is coming off a strong start against the Astros but was roughed up in his previous two games against the Orioles and White Sox. The 24-year-old has a 5.40 ERA through 11 2-3 innings this season and pitched to a 4.57 ERA across 41 1-3 innings last year.
The Red Sox have been one of the best hitting teams around, and they get things done in the early going, ranking third in the majors with 3.18 runs in the first five innings. Meanwhile, the Mariners rank just 26th in the majors in scoring through the first five innings with 1.90 runs per game. Take the BoSox on the first five innings runline.
Phillies vs Rockies Under 11.5 (-115)
The "Rocky Mountain Low" might be in play again in 2021. That's what we called one of our former favorite betting trends as we hammered the Under in Rockies home games as oddsmakers tended to overestimate totals.
While that play was very profitable for a few years it seemed to flatline in recent seasons, but there's plenty of reasons to like the Under 11 this afternoon against the Phillies.
Although these teams went Over the total yesterday by combining for 12 runs, they have still cashed the Under in five of the last seven meetings in Colorado. The Rockies have gone 8-3-1 to the Under in their last 12 home games while the Phillies are 12-3-2 to the Under in their previous 17 road contests with the total set at 11 or higher.
Colorado will also be starting Jon Gray who has pitched very well at home. In three starts at Coors Field this season, Gray has gone 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA and an opponent batting average of .145.
Reds vs Cardinals Under 7 (-105)
These teams faced off against each other in Cincinnati during the season opener with the same starters scheduled this afternoon in St. Louis: Reds right-hander Luis Castillo and Cards righty Jack Flaherty. It ended up being a brutal game for both pitchers with the Cardinals winning by a final score of 11-6.
That said, we're expecting a much lower-scoring game this time around.
Castillo has been up-and-down this season but has played at an All-Star level over the last few years, pitching to a 3.35 ERA and fanning 315 batters through 260 2-3 innings over 2019 and 2020. Likewise, Flaherty finished as the NL Cy Young runner-up in 2019 after going 11-8 with a 2.75 ERA and a WHIP of 0.97.
While the Reds hitting this season has been a big surprise, they have struggled at the plate on the road, averaging just 2.75 runs per game with an OPS of .590.
The Cardinals sluggers haven't been great recently either, averaging just 3.55 runs per game over their last nine contests and getting held off the scoreboard three times during that span.
Yesterday's MLB record: 0-2-1, -2.0 units
Season MLB betting record: 32-38, -8.98 units
MLB betting card for April 25
- First 5 Innings Runline - Red Sox -0.5 (-130)
- Phillies vs Rockies Under 11.5 (-115)
- Reds vs Cardinals Under 7 (-105)
Picks made on 4/25/2021 at 10:01 a.m. ET
MLB parlays
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s MLB prop picks, you could win $54.58 on a $10 bet?
Use our MLB parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on MLB props?
You can bet on MLB props at every online and casino sportsbook, including MLB player props, derivatives, and a ton of other MLB prop odds. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on MLB props in your area.
