All 30 MLB teams are in action Friday, which gives us a great opportunity to cash in the player props market.
The Marlins and Cubs get the day started with a 2:20 p.m. ET first pitch. Everything else is scheduled in the evening, starting at 6:40 ET or later.
Let’s jump in and take a look at some of my favorite player prop bets for Friday.
MLB best bets
Freddy Peralta more than 16.5 outs (-115, DraftKings)
Peralta is looking like an NL Cy Young candidate in the early going, recording at least 17 outs in all three of his starts.
The matchups have not necessarily been easy either, as he held the Orioles and Mets to a single run and gave up just three to the Mariners.
His strikeout rate is an incredible 39.4% and the walks are all the way down to 3%.
The Cardinals are the weakest offense Peralta has faced this season. They have posted an 85 wRC+ so far, which ranks 25th in MLB.
Peralta has averaged 90.3 pitches and 17.67 outs in his three starts, going at least 5 2/3 innings in each.
Justin Verlander under 4.5 strikeouts (+140, bet365)
Verlander posted just a 21.5% strikeout rate last season, his lowest since 2017.
The Astros veteran is making his first MLB start of the season after throwing two rehab starts in the minors. He ended with 78 pitches in his final rehab tune-up, so we might be looking at around 90 pitches on Friday.
Verlander gets a matchup against the Nationals, who have struck out at 22.2% to begin the season and had just an 18.9% strikeout rate last year.
The Astros’ rotation is in disarray and they desperately need Verlander to get through the season healthy.
I don’t think they push the pitch count in his first MLB start of the season. Factor in his below-average strikeout rate and there is excellent value on the under here at solid plus-money.
Jordan Montgomery under 3.5 strikeouts (+112, FanDuel)
Montgomery turned in another solid season last year between the Cardinals and Rangers. He was a very late signing of the Diamondbacks and has yet to make start.
He was up to 71 pitches in his final minor league start, so about 85 pitches Friday is a decent projection.
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He gets a tough landing spot against the Giants, who have posted an average 102 wRC+ and struck out at the 9th-lowest rate (20.5%) in baseball vs. LHP to begin the season.
The new Diamondbacks lefty has been a below-average strikeout pitcher in each of the last two seasons, finishing 2023 with a 21.4% strikeout rate.
This is a small number here, but the matchup, a below-average strikeout rate and a potential limited pitch count are all working against Montgomery.
