Labor Day weekend is going well as we roll into Monday's slate with a record of 5-1 in the MLB player prop market since Saturday. I've got my eyes on three more starting pitchers who are going to help us extend our hot streak on this extended weekend.
Let's dive into my MLB player props and Monday picks for September 2.
MLB Player Props & Monday Picks (9/2)
- Andre Pallante Over 4.5 Strikeouts (+100, FanDuel)
- Eduardo Rodriguez Under 17.5 Outs Recorded (-127, BetRivers)
- Osvaldo Bido Under 15.5 Outs Recorded (+120, bet365)
MLB player prop bets and MLB prop bets are becoming increasingly popular among bettors. These wagers focus on individual player performances, such as runs, home runs, and strikeouts, adding excitement by allowing bettors to target specific player statistics rather than just game outcomes.
Cardinals vs Brewers Player Props: Need a Lengthy Start From Andre Pallante
Andre Pallante is not a guy that you would typically target for a strikeout prop over. However, the St. Louis Cardinals need length from Pallante this afternoon as they burned through their bullpen on Sunday.
This means Pallante will likely work into the sixth or beyond, depending on his efficiency. We've seen him get over this mark when given opportunities like this.
Surprisingly, he has recorded at least five strikeouts in eight of his 15 starts. The Milwaukee Brewers' tendencies at the plate are just what Pallante needs to go over this mark again. Milwaukee is a very disciplined team. They have the second-lowest chase rate and the lowest zone swing rate. However, they are just 17th in zone contact.
Since they are not aggressive early in counts, Pallante can fill up the zone, get ahead in counts, and finish off hitters.
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks Player Props: Bad Matchup for Eduardo Rodriguez
Next, we head to Arizona, where Eduardo Rodriguez is set to take the hill against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This matchup jumps off the page as a tough one for Rodriguez, who is showing all the signs of a rough day against one of the best lineups in baseball.
E-Rod has not come back sharp, as he holds a 5.06 ERA and 1.22 WHIP through his first four starts. His command has been solid, but he has been unable to fool many hitters, which has led to a ton of solid contact.
Hard contact is what this Dodgers lineup generates most of the time as they rank top five in barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and average exit velocity. Those three stats have also led them to rank fourth in wRC+ and OBP against lefties this season.
Lastly, Rodriguez's pitch count is in question as well. He hasn't broken 90 pitches just once in his four outings this year and has yet to finish the sixth inning.
Mariners vs Athletics Player Props: Osvaldo Bido in for Short Night?
Our last stop of the day will be in Oakland, where Osvaldo Bido will take the ball against the Seattle Mariners. Bido has been tremendous for the A's as he enters with a 3.21 ERA and 1.07 WHIP this season.
His transition to the starting rotation has gone very well, as he's been tough to square up. Incredibly, Bido ranks in the 100th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 98th percentile in barrel rate.
However, he is overdue to regress as a starter. Bido's SIERA of 4.35 and xFIP of 4.78 dwarf his season ERA. Those more predictive numbers tell the story of Bido's alarming command issues and, well, the line drives he surrenders when guys do make contact against him.
The Mariners are not the most imposing lineup, but Bido is due to pay for his mistakes. Seattle can do so as they are more patient than their strikeout numbers imply. If Bido gets himself into trouble, we should see an early exit here.