Player props have become one of baseball’s most entertaining ways to bet, offering value well beyond the moneyline, run line, or game total. Each day, this column highlights the best opportunities on the board — from strikeouts and hits to total bases and pitcher outs recorded — using matchup data, recent form, and betting trends to identify edges. Keep reading for the top MLB player prop picks for August 18. Also, make sure you check out our live VSiN programming for more. Our hosts and analysts will be all over the MLB, which is why it pays to be a VSiN Pro subscriber.
MORE: Check out the VSiN Pro Picks page for more bets from our talented hosts and analysts!
Tuesday Player Prop Best Bets
Below you’ll find my official plays on the player prop market for Tuesday. These are the ones that make the VSiN Pro Picks page and count towards my season-long record. I’ll write three up per day, but I’ll add additional ones in an “Additional Best Bets” section. I go lighter on baseball than I do other sports. My MLB units are 50% of what my normal units are.
Nick Sogard Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-140) vs. Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks at Red Sox – 7:10 pm ET
Sogard is averaging 1.7 hits, runs, and RBIs per game when facing righties at Fenway Park, and I like his matchup with Merrill Kelly this evening. Kelly’s fastball and changeup make up a big chunk of his pitch diet, and Sogard has been rather dangerous against both this season. Sogard is also expected to be hitting near the top of the Red Sox lineup, making him someone to look at in a meeting with a starter that carries a 5.11 ERA into this game.
Jackson Kent Over 4.5 Strikeouts (+144) vs. Rangers
Nationals at Rangers – 8:05 pm ET
I’ll take a shot with Kent to finish with at least five strikeouts tonight. The odds are quite outrageous considering he struck out six against the Cubs last game. Kent will be pitching in a pitcher-friendly environment at Globe Life Field, plus he’ll be facing a Rangers team that has a strikeout rate of 24.8% against lefties. This is a good spot for Washington’s ninth-ranked prospect.
Cristian Javier Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-101) vs. Angels
Angels at Astros – 8:10 pm ET
Javier only has one start with at least five strikeouts this year, but I do think we’ll see him reach the five-K mark again. I continue to pick on this Angels team, and I have been happy with the results. The Angels have a strikeout rate of 25.1% and whiff percentage of 27.7% against righties this year, and that’s something most pitchers should be able to take advantage of.
Additional Picks
Carson Whisenhunt Over 3.5 Strikeouts (-112 – 1.5 units) & Alt Strikeouts 5+ (+207 – 0.5 units) vs. Guardians
Robbie Ray Over 15.5 Outs Recorded (+113) vs. Mets
Max Muncy Over 1.5 Total Bases (-110) vs. Rockies
Noteworthy OptaAI Player Prop Edges
Check out the BRAND NEW OptaAI Player Props MLB pages for more of these! VSiN Pro subscribers can find 50+ player prop ideas on a daily basis! We’ll list the top edges in some of the biggest markets below, but there will always be a lot more to uncover on the pages themselves.
Carlos Rodon Over 5.5 Strikeouts (+127) vs. Orioles
Our OptaAI player prop projections have him going for 7.32 strikeouts, suggesting these odds should be -283 — a +29.8% edge to the Over.
Pedro Pages Over 0.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-135) vs. Reds
Our OptaAI player prop projections have him finishing with 1.80 hits, runs, and RBIs, suggesting these odds should be -502 — a +26.0% edge to the Over.
Rafael Flores Over 0.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-151) vs. Tigers
Our OptaAI player prop projections have him finishing with 1.89 hits, runs, and RBIs, suggesting these odds should be -564 — a +24.8% edge to the Over.
