MLB Picks: Player Props for Friday, September 18

MLB Betting Expert Mike Barner investigates Friday's packed slate of games, offering three props and predictions, including a Dodgers-Giants pick.
MLB Picks: Player Props for Friday, September 18
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Top MLB Prop Bets for September 18: Expert Picks & Insights

With just over a week left in the regular season, the playoff race is center stage across baseball. Among the more exciting matchups Friday will be the Astros hosting the Braves. Let's look at the player prop options and highlight three of the top wagers to consider.

Mike Barner's season record: 87-57-1 (+16.78 units)

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Best MLB Prop Bets September 18

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants Betting Picks

The Dodgers are limping towards the playoffs with Shohei Ohtani (biceps/knee) and Andy Pages (hand) on the IL. One player who has stepped up to help fill the void is Hernandez, who is hitting .375 (21 for 56) with four home runs, 18 RBI and 10 runs scored over his last 16 games. During that span, he also posted 11 walks and three steals. While his overall power numbers are down, his .334 OBP is a vast improvement over his .284 OBP from last season.

Hernandez could stay hot with Cesar Perdomo on the mound for the Giants. Over nine starts at Triple-A this year, he recorded a 5.10 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. In his last outing in the majors, the Padres roughed him up for five runs across 4.2 innings. Hernandez has thrived against left-handed pitchers this season, posting a .397 wOBA and a .237 ISO against them. Following Perdomo will be a Giants bullpen that has a 1.41 WHIP, which puts Hernandez in an even more favorable position to hit this over.

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Toronto Blue Jays at Texas Rangers Betting Picks

  • Dylan Cease to record 7+ strikeouts (-148) at DraftKings for 1 Unit

The Blue Jays and Rangers are in a fight for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. The Blue Jays will try to gain a leg up on them with Cease on the mound for the first game of this series. Although he only logged five innings in his last start, he racked up nine strikeouts along the way. For the season, his strikeout rate now sits at 35.3 percent.

With Cease missing so many bats, he has posted at least seven strikeouts in 23 of his 28 starts. That included his lone previous meeting with the Rangers when he had 10 strikeouts over 4.2 innings. The Rangers have the eighth-highest strikeout rate in the majors, leaving Cease with a great opportunity to emerge from this start with at least seven strikeouts.

Los Angeles Angels vs. Minnesota Twins Betting Picks

Rodriguez's first season with the Angels has not gone well. His ERA comes into Friday at 6.10, and his xERA isn't much better at 5.53. His strikeout rate has fallen to 20.1 percent, which is well below his career mark of 24.2 percent. With him missing fewer bats, his WHIP has ballooned to 1.56. Over 87 innings this season, he has permitted 98 hits.

The Twins are a contact-oriented team. Their 21.2 percent strikeout rate is the ninth-lowest mark in the majors. Left-handed pitchers have limited them to a .232 batting average, but they are hitting .249 versus righties. The last time they faced Rodriguez, he permitted six hits over 5.1 innings. There is plenty of juice that comes with this wager, but it is still appealing.

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MLB Prop Picks Recap

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
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