After a 6-1 start, the Detroit Tigers have lost three straight games. In last night’s loss to the Pirates, Javier Baez struck out twice and is now hitting .167 to begin this season. His former teammate Kris Bryant has not fared much better this season. His Rockies will look to even the series against the Diamondbacks tonight.
In the Bronx, the Yankees are off to a 9-2 start after a 7-0 victory over the Marlins last night. Juan Soto hit his first home run as a Yankee in his new home ballpark. He also walked, which he may do again tonight. He's the focus of one of my MLB player props today.
Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the Mets spoiled Hank Aaron Night with an 8-7 victory. However, Marcell Ozuna did honor the legend with a home run. He will look to stay hot as the Braves try to even the series tonight. Find more of my MLB player props for Tuesday, April 9, below.
MLB Player Props Today: Tuesday Picks for Juan Soto, Marcell Ozuna, Kris Bryant (April 9)
Even when Javier Baez was playing at an All-Star level, he has never been the most disciplined hitter in the world. Baez has struck out at least 125 times in each of the last seven 162-game MLB seasons and had 75 strikeouts in 59 games in the Covid-shortened season. This season, he is on pace once again as he has struck out 10 times in his first eight games. Baez has already struck out in six of his first eight games. He also struck out six of his last nine games against the Pirates.
Today, he gets left-hander Martin Perez, who is not a renown strikeout artist. However, he has punched out Baez twice in 12 at-bats. Additionally, we only need him to strike out once in his three to four plate appearances. Last night, one of his strikeouts came against reliever Aroldis Chapman. Baez is -165 to strike out on his own if you want to take that as a straight, but we get plus odds by combining him with his former teammate.
Kris Bryant is off to a dreadful start in 2024 as he has just four hits in 32 at-bats (.125). He has struck out in 14 of those at-bats. I would expect Bryant's numbers to pick up as the Rockies play more games at home. However, he has struck out in each of his three home games thus far this season. He has also struck out in seven of his last eight games.
He started that stretch with a three-strikeout game against the Diamondbacks in a game started by Merrill Kelly. Bryant actually has great numbers against Kelly as he is 9-for-25 (.360) with three doubles against him. However, Kelly won the last battle as Bryant went 0-3 with two strikeouts in that game and has six strikeouts against Kelly now in his career. If Kelly does not get him, one of Arizona's can strike him out as well. Given how they have started the season, I expect Baez and Bryant to each strikeout at least once tonight even if they do find their way into the hit column today.
Pick: Javier Baez/Kris Bryant One Strikeout Parlay (+124 at BetMGM)
While the Yankees got Juan Soto to hit a lot of home runs over the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium, his on-base percentage has always been one of his biggest strengths as a hitter. Soto is getting on base at a .462 clip to begin this season. It helps that he is hitting .357, but he has drawn nine walks in 11 games thus far. He has hit this line in six of them, drawing a walk in each of his last three games.
So far, Soto has walked just twice in 14 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, but the odds may be higher considering tonight's starter, A.J. Puk, who is making the transition back to being a starter after beginning as a reliever. Coming out of the bullpen, his command was not a big issue for him, but Puk has walked nine batters in six innings of work in his first two starts.
I am also interested over 2.5 walks (-125) for Puk on DraftKings. The Yankees were fifth in walk rate against left-handed pitching last season before adding Soto. They have drawn 52 walks in their first 11 games. Soto is already accounting for 17% of that number, which is part of why I am targeting him tonight. Batting second in the order, Soto may get four to five plate appearances tonight, giving him more chances to draw a walk.
Pick: Juan Soto Over 0.5 Walk (-135 at DraftKings)
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After hitting a career-high 40 home runs last season, Marcell Ozuna is off to another fast start. He has a hit in eight of his first nine games this season, hitting .325 with an 1.091 OPS. Of his 13 hits, seven have gone for extra bases with two doubles and five home runs. He is currently tied for the Major League lead with five home runs and tied third with 12 runs run batted in.
Tonight's starter, Adrian Houser, is coming off a strong outing in his first start as he allowed just one run and scattered three hits in five innings against the Tigers. However, he will level up today facing this Braves lineup. Several Braves have good numbers against him, which means he may be facing Ozuna with men on base. He has kept Ozuna in check as Ozuna is just 3-for-15 against Houser, but one of those hits was a home run.
Ozuna comes in tonight's game as the hottest hitter in the Braves lineup of late. He has four multi-hit games in his last five, collecting at least two bases in all of them as well. While he has homered in three of those games, he can also get to this line with another two-hit game. It is also Dinger Tuesday on FanDuel and you can back Ozuna to homer at +370 for the promo, but BetMGM has the best odds for his home run at +425
Pick: Marcell Ozuna Over 1.5 Total Bases (+110 at DraftKings)
