Yesterday, I had some reads that I felt good about, but ultimately, it was a rough day.
After a single in his first at-bat, Jonathan India couldn't get a second hit, run or run batted in.
I mentioned that Juan Soto would likely walk, but unfortunately, with four free passes, he didn't record an official at-bat until the ninth inning and only posted one base. An alternate line on over 3.5 walks would've made for a nice lotto play — if available on any books.
And lastly, Christopher Morel's hitting streak is done.
However, there's a full slate of games today for us to end the week on a high note.
There are a few hot hitters I have my eye on today, including Riley Greene, Marcus Semien, Josh Jung and Austin Riley.
Yesterday, Greene and Riley helped their teams to home victories over division rivals. They each had two hits, though Riley's were more loud.
Semien and Jung will be in Baltimore as the Rangers take on the Orioles in a matchup of possible AL playoff teams.
MLB Player Props For Friday, May 26
Riley Greene Over 1.5 Total Bases (+145)
| White Sox vs. Tigers | |
| First Pitch | 6:40 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | DraftKings |
Greene has long been one of the game's top prospects since the Tigers made him the fifth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Entry Draft.
This month, he's starting to live up to that lofty draft status.
In the month of May, he's slashing .385/.455/.590 with three home runs and 11 runs batted in. More recently, Greene has covered this line in seven of his past 10 games.
In six of those games, Greene had two hits — two singles will cover this line. If Greene gets two hits tonight, one of them will likely be against Lance Lynn, who he's 1-for-3 against in his career.
The White Sox starter has been torched by left-handed hitters this season, as they're hitting .343 with a 1.039 OPS against him. Nine of the 12 home runs he's allowed have also been to lefties.
Greene's batting average is essentially the same either way, but his OPS (.831) is better against right-handed pitchers.
Greene also has 10 extra-base hits this month, with seven doubles and three home runs. As Greene matures and uses the spacious right-center field at Comerica Park more, he could pile up triples as a player with plus speed.
A triple would give him three bases, but we'll take two from him tonight.
Pick: Riley Greene Over 1.5 Total Bases
Marcus Semien/Josh Jung One Hit Parlay (+104)
| Rangers vs. Orioles | |
| First Pitch | 7:05 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | FanDuel |
The Rangers have won eight of their past 11 games. Their offense has led the way during this stretch, as they're averaging 6.5 runs per game.
Semien has paced the offense from the top of the lineup. Semien is hitting .299 with eight home runs and is second on the team and tied for fifth in MLB with 40 runs batted in.
Today, he's entering play on a 14-game hitting streak, and he has a hit in 20 of 21 games.
His teammate, Jung, is on an eight-game hitting streak himself, and he also has a hit in 12 of his last 15 games.
Jung is hitting .305 over his past 15 games, and he's been even better over the last week. He has two hits in each of his last three games and in four of his past six. He's also hit three home runs in his past four games.
They will face Grayson Rodriguez, who's one of the game's top pitching prospects. However, he has a 9.17 ERA in four May starts, allowing at least four hits in each of them.
Jung's matchup is slightly better, as lefties are hitting .303 with a .978 OPS against Rodriguez, compared to .292 with a .845 OPS for right-handed hitters.
However, Semien does better against right-handed pitchers anyway, with a higher average, OPS and all eight of his home runs against them.
If you're feeling a little more risky, taking Semien and Jung for two bases each is +399. However, we're still getting plus money for them to get a hit.
Pick: Marcus Semien/Josh Jung One Hit Parlay
Austin Riley Over 1.5 Total Bases (+115)
| Phillies vs. Braves | |
| First Pitch | 7:20 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | DraftKings |
It had been over a week since Riley hit a home run. Last night, he ended that drought in a big way, hitting two off of Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola (both over 450 feet).
Riley has owned Nola throughout their careers, as he's hitting .417 with five home runs off of him in 48 at-bats.
Though a smaller sample size, he also has been successful against Taijuan Walker, who got his first taste of the NL East with the Mets over the last two seasons. Riley is 3-for-7 with a home run against Walker.
Though Riley had been in a homerless drought, he hasn't struggled getting on base. Riley is on an eight-game hitting streak, and he has a hit in 12 of 13 games overall.
That's helped Riley cover this line in four straight games and seven of his last 10 games overall. He's averaging 2.7 bases over his last 10 games.
Riley can surpass this line with hits, as he's recorded two hits in each of his past games and four of his past eight games. He also has five doubles in his past eight games.
Riley likes hitting at Truist Park — he has a hit in each of his last eight home games — and he's hitting .306 at home this season.
A little bit of home cooking could help Riley get two bases and cover this line.
