As the calendar turns to April, we have a 13-game Tuesday slate. I'll be looking into three players — Matt McLain, James Wood and Will Warren — for my April 1 MLB player prop picks.
Let's dive into my MLB player prop picks for April 1, 2025.
MLB Prop Picks — Tuesday, April 1
- Matt McLain 2+ Alt Total Bases (+175, Fanatics)
- James Wood 2+ Alt Total Bases (+175, Fanatics)
- Will Warren Over 1.5 Earned Runs (-150 DraftKings)
Rangers vs Reds Player Props: McLain on a Tear
Matt McLain burst onto the scene in 2023, slashing .290/.357/.507 with 16 home runs, 50 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases. He missed all of last season with a torn labrum, but has wasted no time making an impact this season.
McLain has reached base safely in each of his past three games, recording five hits in that span. He has done so with authority — hitting a home run in each of those games to go along with a double. As a result, he has recorded at least four total bases in each of his past three games (16 total).
With just 93 career games under his belt, there are plenty of pitchers that McLain has yet to face. Nathan Eovaldi is on that list and coming off a solid debut in his first start against the Red Sox. However, since the start of last season, 16 of the 24 home runs Eovaldi has allowed have come on fastballs. He has just an 8.1% Whiff Rate with his fastball in that span and McLain has a 20% barrel rate off fastballs this season.
McLain is +900 (DraftKings) to hit a home run tonight, a very generous price with his current streak. If he doesn't leave the yard, McLain has two hits in two of his past three games. Either two singles or one extra-base hit would cash this line.
Nationals vs Blue Jays Player Props: Wood Heating Up
Jose Berrios got the ball for the Blue Jays on Opening Day and had a rough outing. He allowed six earned runs on nine hits (three home runs) over five innings. Now, he welcomes the Nationals to Toronto, and James Wood may take advantage.
One of the game's top prospects, Wood had a solid rookie campaign with nine home runs, 41 runs batted and a .781 OPS over 79 games. Six of his home runs came off fastballs and he had an 11.6% barrel rate on fastballs as well. Meanwhile, Berrios has given up 34 home runs since the start of last season, 20 to left-handed hitters and 13 off a fastball or a sinker. He also has had a below-average 14.8% strikeout rate with his fastball.
Wood homered for the first time this season on Monday, going back-to-back with CJ Abrams in the sixth inning. He is +700 on DraftKings to hit a home run today. He also doubled on Saturday against the Phillies. That means has two extra-base hits and two multi-hit games to begin this season. Either one would give him two total bases tonight.
Diamondbacks vs Yankees Player Props: Tough Matchup for Warren
With Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, Eugenio Suarez (four home runs to begin this season) and Josh Naylor, the Diamondbacks have a lot of options to rack up hits and runs. The Diamondbacks are a tough matchup for any starter, particularly a young one like Will Warren.
Last year, Warren's first cup of coffee in the majors didn't go well as he posted a 10.32 ERA over 22 2/3 innings. Warren allowed at least two runs in all six of his appearances (five starts) last season. I would expect some improvement from Warren in his second season, but he did post a 6.50 ERA this spring.
Warren's out recorded line is 14.5, and the Yankees are fresh from an off day, so Arizona may need to get to him early in case he has a quick hook. However, I don't think that'll be an issue as Arizona has scored 27 runs through its first four games.
The Yankees' offense has gotten a lot of attention with its hot start and use of torpedo bats, but New York hasn't looked great defensively. Arizona's speed may be able to take advantage, which will contribute to Warren giving up at least two earned runs. I would also play this line if it moves to 2.5.
