The weekend is upon us, and the lights will shine brightly on the diamond. I've found three guys who are primed to have an impact on Friday.
So, without further ado, let's dive into our MLB player props for Friday, May 31.
Friday MLB Props
- Ryan O'Hearn Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBI (-120, DraftKings)
- Luis Severino Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-145, DraftKings)
- Dylan Cease Over 17.5 Outs (-137, BetRivers)
Ryan O'Hearn has quietly been one of the best hitters in baseball this season, and he does his damage against right-handed pitching.
O'Hearn is hitting .297 against righties this year, and he's doing so with authority, as he ranks in the 72nd percentile in barrel rate and the 68th percentile in average exit velocity.
Tonight, he gets to face a right-hander in the form of Aaron Civale. Civale has been knocked around this season as he enters with a 5.72 ERA.
The majority of the damage done against him has been by lefties, as they're hitting .284 off him thus far.
This is a dream matchup for O'Hearn, and he should be right in the middle of the Orioles' run production tonight.
Pick: Ryan O'Hearn Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBI (-120)
Luis Severino has been everything and more for the New York Mets this season.
However, his success this year is different than his time in the Bronx, as the 30-year-old has pitched to contact more.
Severino still has power stuff, but he's now using it to generate ground balls at an elite rate. While this is good, it also has caused his strikeout rate to drop by seven percent since 2022.
Tonight, he'll take on the defending National League champs, the Arizona Diamondbacks. While Arizona's offense is not producing as well as it did last year, it still puts the ball in play a lot, as it ranks 23rd in team strikeout rate.
Given Sevy's new approach and the tough matchup, it's likely he'll stay under this total.
Pick: Luis Severino Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-145)
It appears that Dylan Cease was desperately in need of a change of scenery, as he's thrived since going to San Diego. Cease comes in with a 3.29 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP through 11 starts.
The biggest key to his early success is an improvement in command. Cease's walk rate is down three percent from last year, and his efficiency has allowed him to dominate deep into games.
He's gone at least six innings in eight of his 11 starts, and tonight, he'll face a Royals lineup with plenty of holes.
The Royals hold the second-lowest team strikeout rate in the majors, and that may help Cease as he's generated a lot of soft contact.
Look for Cease to cruise through six tonight.
