MLB Home Run Prop Bet Odds & Picks: Thursday (9/5)
It's slim pickings for sports bettors on Thursday with only nine MLB games scheduled. However, there's still value to be had from a home run prop bet perspective, as reliable sluggers and advantageous showdowns are lined up for action. Here's a look at three players set up to launch a ball beyond the fence on September 5.
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Thursday's Best MLB Home Run Prop Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Royce Lewis (+420)
To say Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley is in the middle of a rough stretch is putting it lightly. The young right-hander has logged a dismal 9.84 ERA and surrendered eight home runs over his last six starts. Take note that curbing hard contact is something Bradley has struggled to do for a while. He checks in 366th among 374 qualified pitchers in average exit velocity (91.3 miles per hour), per Baseball Savant.
Those stats make anyone on the Twins roster an enticing option on Thursday. After all, Minnesota ranks among the top 10 teams in the Majors in slugging percentage (.425) and homers (168). Infielder Royce Lewis catches the eye the most. The third-year pro is 3-for-5 with a dinger in past showdowns with Bradley and sports a great .903 career OPS in away contests. Expect him to hunt for a fastball and crush it.
Jorge Soler (+310)
Jorge Soler may be far removed from his 48-home run campaign in 2019, but he is still a force to be reckoned with at the plate. Atlanta acquired the veteran outfielder at the trade deadline and promptly saw him carry the offense in a three-game road series against the Rockies in early August. Soler finished with four homers and nine RBI. Now those same Rockies travel to the hitter-friendly Truist Park on Thursday.
Colorado is handing the ball to Austin Gomber (4-10, 4.69 ERA), which is notable as he is one of only three MLB pitchers to allow at least 27 home runs on the season. An opposing batter has gone yard in 19 of his 26 starts overall. As if that’s not enough, Soler is 3-for-8 with two blasts versus Gomber. Manager Brian Snitker should have Soler and the rest of his guys pumped up in a tight race for a National League playoff spot.
Andy Ibanez (+830)
Bettors searching for an intriguing long shot should focus on Detroit’s Andy Ibanez. The Cuban native has tortured left-handed pitching this year. Slashing .324/.381/.514 with 11 extra-base knocks in 118 plate appearances against southpaws is no easy feat. Ibanez now gets to battle another lefty at Petco Park, where 165 total homers have been swatted in 2024. That’s the sixth-highest mark between MLB stadiums.
The lefty is San Diego’s Martin Perez. Perez has been tagged for at least one jack in all six of his starts since joining the Padres. Much like Lewis and Soler, Ibanez has also smacked a moon shot versus his listed foe before. Ibanez took an 88-mile-per-hour cutter 398 feet to left field in a May 2023 clash with Perez. The cutter is the pitch Perez has given up the most home runs on (eight). Rely on Ibanez for a shot at a healthy payout.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Thursday: