The weekend is here, which means a full slate of baseball and plenty of player props to choose from.
I’ve narrowed down my favorite MLB player props to a couple of pitcher picks, headlined by Garrett Crochet dominating his former club.
Let's dive into my MLB picks for Saturday, April 19.
Best MLB player props today
Carroll 2+ total bases (+135 at bet365)
Baz o6.5 strikeouts (+101 at Pinnacle)
Crochet u1.5 earned runs (+111 at Pinnacle)
MLB props for April 19
Corbin Carroll 2+ total bases (+135 at bet365)
The Arizona Diamondbacks had their five-game winning streak snapped by the Chicago Cubs during Friday’s series opener, but that didn’t stop Corbin Carroll from continuing his hot start.
The right fielder notched two knocks and an RBI to bring his season hit total up to 27, the fifth-most in the majors entering play Saturday.
Carroll has had an incredible start to the season as he enters today’s contest on an 11-game hit streak while being held hitless in just three of his 16 appearances. He’s recorded 2+ total bases in eight of his last 11 contests, including eight extra-base hits during that stretch.
It’ll be a favorable matchup for Carroll and the Diamondbacks today as sophomore Ben Brown takes the mound for the Cubs. The right-hander has struggled out of the gate, pitching beyond the fifth inning just once through his first four starts and posting a 5.09 ERA so far this season.
The left-handed batting Carroll is eating up right-handed pitchers with a .356 average, .441 BABIP, and a 1.120 OPS, so I’m expecting more of the same this afternoon.
Shane Baz Over 6.5 strikeouts (+101 at Pinnacle)
Shane Baz will look to continue his undefeated start to the season when the Tampa Bay Rays host the New York Yankees this afternoon.
The Yankees are on a roll with five straight wins, though they have been susceptible to striking out in the early going. New York is averaging 9.2 Ks per game this season — the ninth-most among all teams in the majors, with three guys already at 20+ strikeouts apiece.
Baz has victimized batters with 27 Ks through his first three starts, racking up 10+ Ks in two of those outings. He’s demonstrated great control, averaging a whopping 12.79 Ks per nine innings alongside just 1.89 walks.
The 25-year-old’s fastball has improved by nearly 1.5 mph compared to last season, clocking in at 97 mph this year, and he mixes it up with an 83.8 mph curveball that tumbles out of the zone.
The Yankees struck out 10 times vs. the Rays last night, and Baz should have the upper hand once again.
Garrett Crochet Under 1.5 earned runs (+111 at Pinnacle)
Garrett Crochet and the Boston Red Sox continue their four-game set against the Chicago White Sox this afternoon, and I’m banking on Boston’s starter to keep a muzzle on Chicago’s struggling bats.
The White Sox are in the basement in terms of most offensive stats, ranking 29th in total RBI (55), 30th in team batting average (.195), 30th in slugging percentage (.297), and tied for 26th in home runs (13). Chicago enters play on a five-game losing skid while averaging a measly 1.6 runs per contest over that span.
Crochet, who moved from the White Sox to the Red Sox this season, has had a dream start to his campaign in Boston. The southpaw boasts a stingy 1.38 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP through four starts while holding opponents to two earned runs or fewer in each of those outings.
The 25-year-old has given up just two earned runs in total over his last three starts, including just one hit and one earned run to the White Sox last weekend.
Chicago hasn’t shown any improvement since its last meeting vs. Crochet, so I’d expect more of the same this time around.
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