Let's make this Wednesday afternoon even better by cashing some player props. I've found three guys who are primed to make an impact during today's MLB slate.
Let's examine my favorite MLB player prop bets for Wednesday, April 3.
MLB Player Props Today, April 3
Rafael Devers was one of the best hitters in the American League last year, as not many made consistent loud contact like him. Early in 2024, his high-quality contact continued, but he hasn't had the results yet.
That should all change today when he faces Ross Stripling, who is coming off a 2023 season in which he was crushed, ranking in the bottom 10% of the league in xERA and xBA. He did not show any signs of improvement in his first start of 2024 against the Cleveland Guardians, who tagged him for four earned runs on seven hits in just five innings.
Devers has hit Stripling well in their limited meetings. In 22 at-bats, Devers is hitting .364 with an average exit velocity of 92.8 mph.
The Red Sox are bound to rough up Stripling, and Devers will be the guy to provide the thunder.
Pick: Rafael Devers over 0.5 RBI (+125 at bet365)
Check out the latest bet365 bonus code offer before placing your bets on Rafael Devers and the Red Sox.
Carlos Rodon's stuff has never been doubted, as his dominance in past years has made him one of the top lefties in baseball. However, that has not been the story of his tenure with the New York Yankees, as injuries have kept him from making a significant impact in pinstripes.
While he is healthy this season, the one thing we have not seen improve is his command. Rodon has a career walk rate of 9%, which includes multiple years above 10%. And last season, it was at 9.8%.
This season, he started by walking three Astros in four-plus innings of work. This afternoon, he's going to face one of the most patient teams in baseball in the reigning National League champs.
Arizona comes into this matchup with the fifth-highest team walk rate in baseball. The D-Backs are going to make Rodon work, and there's a long-standing trend that supports him going over this total again.
Rodon has exceeded this number in 63% of his starts since 2022. That hit rate gives us implied odds of -170, which is a significant edge given the matchup.
Pick: Carlos Rodon over 1.5 walks allowed (-155 at DraftKings)
We are getting things started early as the Miami Marlins face struggling lefty Patrick Sandoval. While there are multiple guys in the Marlins order that can make an impact, one who stands out is Bryan De La Cruz.
De La Cruz had a big year against lefties in 2023 as he hit .277 off of them with a 37% hard-hit rate. That trend has continued early in 2024 as he's hitting .308 against them in 13 at-bats.
On the other hand, Patrick Sandoval has been unable to get righties out consistently over his career. Overall, righties hit 66 points better than lefties, and Sandoval has a 4.03 FIP against them.
With De La Cruz trending up and Sandoval trending down, it's a good bet that he will be right in the middle of the Marlins early run production this afternoon.
Pick: Bryan De La Cruz over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI (-115 at DraftKings)
When betting Carlos Rodon and the Yankees, register with Action Network's DraftKings promo code for a sign-up offer.
