We still may be in the middle of spring baseball, but we're feeling the heat with one of our favorite MLB prop bets. That's right, it looks like we're coming down with another case of Bieber Fever.
Yes, Shane Bieber takes the mound for the second time this season when Cleveland opens a series against the Kansas City Royals, which means another five-inning total highlights our favorite MLB prop bets for today.
We bring you that and more with our best MLB free prop bets and predictions for Wednesday, April 7.
Today’s MLB props and picks
Kansas City-Cleveland Under 4.5 5-Inning O/U (-110)
One of our favorite MLB prop bets started 2021 with a bang. And not for the reason we're used to. Shane Bieber allowed three runs in the first two innings of Cleveland’s opener but shut them down the rest of the way.
And it was the Cleveland bats that stepped up. Well, in the sense that they helped cash our bet, getting shut out through five innings, allowing Bieber Fever to go 12-1 in Bieber’s last 13 starts. For those who don’t know, “Bieber Fever” refers to the Under first-five inning prop bet when Cleveland's ace starts.
Bieber will look to shut down a red-hot Royals squad that is scoring 7.75 runs per game in the early going. But if there’s anyone who can slow them down, it’s Bieber. The right-hander looked almost unhittable in 2020, posting a 1.63 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP while striking out a ridiculous 14.2 batters per nine innings. That included not allowing a run to the Royals over 12 innings.
With the Cleveland lineup picking up where it left off last season, there’s no reason to fade the Fever at this point.
Kevin Gausman Under 5.5 Strikeouts (+120)
The San Diego Padres got some good news, as it sounds like Fernando Tatis Jr. won’t need surgery on his injured shoulder and could be back after his stint on the 10-day IL. For now, his team marches on against Kevin Gausman and the San Francisco Giants.
Gausman is coming off a solid first start of the season, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out six over 6 2-3 innings. But that was against the Mariners. The Padres' lineup, featuring the red-hot Eric Hosmer, will provide a much tougher test.
The Padres have shown a lot of discipline at the dish so far this season, striking out just 7.33 times per game, the second-best mark in the majors. While Gausman has upped his strikeouts since switching over to the Senior Circuit, a team like the Padres (even without Tatis) should work the count and get him out of the game a little earlier than normal.
Ketel Marte Over 1.5 Total Bases (-143)
If there's something you should do in early-season baseball betting it's ride hot streaks that emerge. And no one is hotter right now than the Diamondbacks’ fielder Ketel Marte.
The Arizona center fielder is carrying the D-backs offense right now and added another three hits against the Rockies last night. He's now 12-23 this season (.522 batting average) with six extra-base hits, and he is primed to stay locked in Wednesday.
Marte is a career 10-20 against Colorado’s projected starter Antonio Senzatela, which includes going 9-15 with just one strikeout and a walk over the last two seasons.
And when you consider his history against Senzatela, and the Rockies’, um, shaky-at-best bullpen, it makes him a good bet to stay hot in this one. So, as long as the baseball continues to look like the size of a beach ball to Marte, we’re likely going to keep riding this trend.
Yesterday's MLB record: 2-1, 0.74 units
Season MLB betting record: 8-11, -4.06 units
MLB betting card for April 7
- KC-CLE Under 4.5 5-Inning O/U (-110)
- Kevin Gausman Under 5.5 Strikeouts (+120)
- Ketel Marte Over 1.5 Total Bases (-143)
MLB parlays
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Use our MLB parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on MLB props?
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