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It’s a full Saturday around the Majors, with every team in action pending inclement weather — plus a doubleheader between the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals bringing us to 16 games on the docket. That’s a lot of baseball, and a lot of options to choose from for those of us looking to place some MLB prop bets this afternoon. But don’t worry, we’re here to help: Here are three of our favorite plays for Saturday, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
MLB player prop bets: Saturday, July 1
Tyler Glasnow, under 17.5 outs recorded (-135)
Glasnow had struggled since coming off the IL in late May, but he looked like his old self last time out. The Tampa Bay Rays righty dominated the Royals, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out 12. So why are we fading him here? Well, Glasnow lasted just five innings, as the Rays try to be extra careful with their oft-injured ace.
Glasnow will most likely shove on Saturday against a Seattle Mariners team that’s posted baseball’s fourth-highest K rate since the start of June. But that’s part of the problem: Strikeouts tend to run up pitch counts, and Tampa has only let Glasnow crack 90 pitches once in five starts this year. To hit this over, he’d have to navigate six full innings, something he’s done exactly once in 2023. If anything, his stuff is too unhittable, as Seattle’s inability to put the ball in play will lead to deeper counts, more pitches and a shorter outing for Glasnow.
Xander Bogaerts and Ha-Seong Kim, to record a hit (-125)
Let’s put together a hit parlay in Cincinnati, where the San Diego Padres will be desperate to snap their losing streak against Reds lefty Brandon Williamson. For as disappointing as San Diego has been this year, their righty-heavy lineup has chewed up southpaws, with the league’s second-highest OPS against lefties since the start of June. Williamson has allowed an .867 OPS against righties that’s more than 200 points higher than his mark against left-handed batters, putting both Bogaerts (.859 OPS career against lefties, riding a five-game hitting streak) and Kim (.858 OPS against lefties this year and batting .291 since the start of June) in great spots. Of course, hitting at Great American Ball Park — one of the most extreme hitter-friendly environments in baseball — doesn’t hurt either.
Kyle Bradish, over 6.5 strikeouts (+110)
Something has clicked for Bradish of late, as the Baltimore Orioles starter’s strikeout rate has jumped to 32.6% over the last two weeks — helping him rack up K totals of 7, 8 and 10 in three of his last four starts. Both his slider (38.e% whiff rate) and curveball (29.1%) are elite options, and they should thrive today against a Minnesota Twins team that’s been putting up historic strikeout numbers so far this year. The Twins have struck out at a 27.1% clip over the course of 2023 — nearly 1.5% higher than the next-closest team — and a 28.7% mark against righties since the start of June. This is among the higher K totals of the day, but Bradish should have no trouble hitting it.