The MLB betting season is in full swing — and with it all the betting markets that we’ve come to love/hate. Here we're just trying to find some of baseball's best props and side bets for the day and do all the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to!
If there’s a line on it, we’ll look into it.
Today, we’re going to take advantage of a hot bat in Minnesota, jumping on that New York starting pitching bandwagon and getting behind Yu Darvish, who will be pitching to a bigger audience.
Check out our favorite MLB free prop bets and predictions for Sunday, May 23, 2021.
Today’s MLB props and picks
White Sox team total Under 4.5 (-135)
The once-formidable White Sox offense has run dry, having only produced three runs over its last three matches. A lot of that has to do with the New York pitching but after getting shut out yesterday and going 15 for 91 over the last three games, it's time to pick on the White Sox.
Sunday they face Jameson Taillon, who should be a walk in the park but with the way the Yankees’ rotation has been throwing, the 5.73 ERA pitcher could turn in a gem.
Taillon has given up eight runs over his last two starts but those both came on the road — and not at Yankee Stadium, where batters are hitting just .173 against the right-hander. Over his four home starts this season, Taillon is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA and has given up just 13 hits across 21 innings.
If hitting can be contagious, so can pitching. The Yankees have allowed just a single run over their last four games. We’re hoping Taillon got the memo Sunday and continues the run of near-perfect pitching.
Miguel Sano Over 0.5 total bases (-135) and Over 0.5 home runs (+350)
Minnesota’s Miguel Sano has been on fire at the dish over the last week, as the 28-year-old hitter is 10 for 29 with five homers and a 1.390 OPS. He launched his fifth home run in as many days yesterday against one of the best in Shane Bieber and now gets to take hacks versus Cleveland’s Zach Plesac on Sunday.
Plesac is coming off a five-run outing last week where he gave up three long balls. That makes it four round-trippers the starter has given up over his last 15 innings and eight on the year overall.
Sano is 0 for 3 versus Plesac over his career but the powerful slugger is crushing right-handed pitching this year to the tune of a .843 OPS. Sano is not getting hits at will with a .206 AVG, but a .540 SLG is one of the best marks in the league versus righties.
Looking at his markets, Sano is giving us a deal with his total bases total set at 0.5. He has cleared that mark in seven of his last eight games and we’re riding it on Sunday. We might even sprinkle a little half unit on his home run prop, too.
Yu Darvish Over 7.5 strikeouts (-135)
San Diego’s Yu Darvish sits in the NL’s Top 10 in most pitching categories including ERA (1.81), FIP (2.8) and WAR (1.6). The Japanese hurler hasn’t allowed an earned run over his last 11 innings and has only given up more than one run twice this year in his nine starts. He faces a Seattle team Sunday that is 26th in runs scored per game (3.78) and has scored more than three runs just once over its last five.
Darvish has a little more motivation on Sunday as the Japanese company Nintendo is a 10 percent owner of the Mariners and this game will have some broadcast reach into Darvish’s home country — the Padres’ starter could be looking forward to carving up the Seattle lineup.
The Mariners are striking out nearly 10 times a game, which ranks them in the bottom third of the league. They were punched out 11 times yesterday, with nine of those coming against the bullpen. Darvish has recorded at least nine strikeouts over five of his last six starts and has regularly been topping his strikeout totals which have usually been at 7.5.
Seattle changed its pitcher late last night, so Darvish’s prop markets came off the board but it was listed at 7.5 (-135) before the COP. We’d play this strikeout prop up to 8.5 but have no problem hitting the juiced 7.5, either.
Yesterday's MLB record: 0-3, -3 units
Season MLB betting record: 72-80-3, -10.45 units
MLB betting card for May 23
- White Sox team total Under 4.5 (-135)
- Miguel Sano Over 0.5 total bases (-135) and Over 0.5 home runs (+350 @ .5u)
- Yu Darvish Over 7.5 strikeouts (-135)
Picks made on 5/23/2021 at 8:28 a.m. ET
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