MLB Home Run Prop Bet Odds & Picks: Thursday (Dodgers vs. Padres)

The 2024 MLB season is officially underway after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres by a score of 5-2 during the first game of the Seoul series.

Nine walks doomed the San Diego pitching staff, as L.A. batters leaned on their plate discipline to get a free pass to first base. The Dodgers eventually scored four runs in the eighth inning to take the lead thanks to RBI singles by Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani.

Now, all eyes turn to pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as he makes his debut with the Dodgers opposite San Diego’s Joe Musgrove. The long ball eluded everyone in the first game, so here’s a look at a few MLB home-run prop bets worth backing for Thursday.

MLB Home Run Prop Bet Odds & Picks

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Freddie Freeman (+440)

No one in the Dodgers lineup has more experience facing off against Musgrove than first baseman Freddie Freeman. The seven-time All-Star is slugging an impressive .724 across 29 career at-bats vs. the Padres right-hander due in large part to five extra-base knocks. That includes a home run smacked deep to left-center field.

Freeman was hitless in Wednesday’s game, but he has led the Dodgers with three homers during Spring Training. The veteran batsman has been a dependable option for sports bettors for years. He has a great chance to continue that trend in Seoul.

Xander Bogaerts (+560)

It’s tough to single out a Padres hitter given none of them have gone toe to toe with Yamamoto before. So, opting to lean on an established pro with elite contact abilities is the way to go. Bogaerts provided a peek into what may become a bounce-back campaign when he tallied two of San Diego’s four hits on Wednesday.

Eno Sarris of The Athletic compares Yamamoto to Kevin Gausman due to similar velocity on his fastball and horizontal movement on his splitter. That makes it worth noting that Bogaerts has taken Gausman deep in his career. Look for Bogaerts to be patient at the plate, as he waits for Yamamoto to leave one over the strike zone.

Shohei Ohtani (+285)

Baseball fans can check Ohtani’s first hit and RBI with the Dodgers off the list. A home run could be next, considering the monster swings he put on display in Wednesday’s victory. The 29-year-old put a jolt into the Gocheok Skydome crowd when he shattered the roof with a 119.2-mph foul ball in the third inning.

Musgrove will have to battle through the top of this lineup, meaning he is bound to make a mistake somewhere. He better hope it’s not to Ohtani. Every pitcher knows any fly ball the man hits has a chance of going over the fence. After all, Ohtani finished third in all of baseball with an average exit velocity of 94.4 mph in 2023. Capping off the league’s first regular season trip to South Korea with a blast seems right up Ohtani’s alley.

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Wednesday:

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