Yesterday, we enjoyed a 2-0 day as Xavier Edwards, Jackson Holliday, and Kyle Schwarber delivered. Another sweep to close the week would be nice and three hitters I will be be backing are Zach Neto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Bobby Witt Jr. Let's dive into Friday's MLB player props.
Alex Hinton's MLB Player Prop Picks for Friday, August 9
In the table below, you'll find each of our MLB staff's top player prop picks from today's slate of games. Click on any pick or team logo to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Time (ET) | Player Prop |
|---|---|
| 6:45 p.m. | |
| 7:07 p.m. | |
| 8:10 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our MLB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | |
By Alex Hinton
If you're like me, you may be a little surprised to see that Zach Neto is 14th in the MLB in WAR just behind Jose Ramriez, Rafael Devers, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr and above Corey Seager and Bryce Harper among others. His performance over the last week is certainly a big reason why. In his last five games, Neto is hitting .526 with two doubles, a triple, three home runs, 13 runs batted with a 1.819 OPS. The Angels are 4-1 in that stretch as Neto has enjoyed beating up on the Mets and Yankees.
Tonight, Neto will face Mitchell Parker as the Angels continue their road trip against the Nationals. Neto has torched left-handed pitching as he is hitting .441 with two home runs and 10 runs batted in. Parker has held right-handed hitters to a .228 batting average, but he has surrendered 12 home runs and 37 runs batted to them. Neto is +430 for a home run on FanDuel tonight.
Just 10 of Neto's 60 RBI have come against left-handed pitchers this season, so it may be safer backing Neto's total bases or HRR line. With that said, he had an RBI yesterday in a game started by Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes yesterday. He also has an RBI in four of his last five games while averaging 2.6 per game in that span. With an 80% hit rate of late, I'll gladly take a +170 price.
Pick: Zach Neto Over 0.5 RBI (+170, DraftKings)
By Alex Hinton
While Neto has been hot for the last week, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been scolding hot for the last month. Over the last 30 days, Guerrero is hitting .438 with 12, doubles, 10 home runs, 24 runs batted in, and a 1.433 OPS. In August, he has raised his average to .524 with four doubles, a triple, two home runs, six runs batted in, and a 1.711 OPS.
Tonight, he will be looking to extend his hitting streak to 21 games and he will be facing Athletics' starter Mitch Spence. Guerrero is 1-for-3 against Spence thus far. Spence has struggled on the road with a 5.22 ERA and eight home runs allowed in 11 starts. Right-handed hitters are hitting .258 with 18 extra base hits, including seven home runs, and 25 runs batted in against him as well.
Guerrero has recorded two total bases in seven of his last 10 games and 10 of his last 15 games while essentially averaging four total bases per game. He may also get four total bases via home run and he is +310 to record four total bases on FanDuel and +450 for a home run on FanDuel. He hit his 23rd home run last night among three extra base hits. We'll take one extra base hit for two total bases tonight.
Pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 Total Bases (-125, DraftKings)
By Alex Hinton
Bobby Witt Jr. is in the middle of a phenomenal season and would likely be the runaway favorite for AL MVP if not for Aaron Judge. However, he has been even more dominant at home. At Kauffman Stadium, Witt is hitting .409 with 25 doubles, eight triples, 12 home runs, 46 runs batted in, and a 1.194 OPS this season. He is averaging 4.1 hits + runs +runs batted in over his last 10 home runs. His performance on Wednesday boosted that average as he went 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs, and four runs batted in against Boston.
Tonight, the Royals' homestand will continue against the Cardinals who will hand Miles Mikolas the ball. Witt comes in 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Mikolas, but it is a matchup that I believe Witt should be able to take advantage of. Mikolas is usually around the strike zone as he does not walk or strike out many batters. With Mikolas pitching to contact, he has a .278 expected average batted average and 4.47 expected ERA. He has also allowed 19 doubles, 10 home runs, 37 runs batted in, and .289 batting average to right-handed hitters.
The Royals average 5.2 runs per game at home, usually with Witt leading the way. In addition to Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino are both hot at the moment and could drive him in if he gets on. Witt has driven himself 22 times thus far and he is +475 on DraftKings for another home run tonight.
