The 2025 MLB season rolls on with another full slate of games on Friday. With 15 matchups and all 30 teams to choose from, let's dive into the top MLB home run props, picks and predictions for Friday's action.
Betting on specific players to hit a home run is a fun and alternative way to get action on MLB games. The plus-money odds can provide bigger payouts if you nail the right batter to go yard. Let's focus on a couple of MLB players worth backing to hit a homer on Friday, September 19th.
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Friday’s Best MLB Home Run Props & Bets
(Odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Matt Olson (+350)
The Atlanta Braves' season has been over for a while now. No one told Matt Olson, though. The first baseman is crushing the ball lately and ending the year on a high note. Let's back him to leave the yard tonight.
Olson has exploded for seven home runs over his past 12 games entering Friday night. That includes a homer in five of his last six games. He's batting .426 with a 1.430 OPS in this stretch as well. The Braves' slugger also has nine homers with a .338 batting average and 1.282 OPS over the past 21 games.
Olson is dialed in at the plate right now. He can keep it going tonight against Detroit Tigers starter Charlie Morton, who's been shaky. The veteran has a 6.75 ERA over his past seven starts. He's also allowed five home runs in four home starts with Detroit since the trade deadline.
Morton has given up 22 homers overall this season, including 19 in his 25 starts. He has a 1.42 HR/9 rate, which is the 13th-worst rate among starters with at least 139 innings pitched. It's a good spot for Olson, who's hit 22 of his 28 homers this year against right-handed pitching.
Austin Hays (+400)
Let's take a shot on Austin Hays to go deep tonight. The Cincinnati Reds outfielder has just 15 home runs this season, which is clearly not much. He's never been a huge power hitter in his career, either. Yet, there's some value in betting on Hays here.
Chicago Cubs starter Shota Imanaga has a solid 3.29 ERA with an impressive 0.95 WHIP this season. Even so, the left-hander has had issues with the long ball. Imanaga has given up 26 home runs in 23 starts so far. That includes 10 homers allowed over his past seven starts alone.
Plus, Imanaga's 1.75 HR/9 rate allowed is the fourth-worst among MLB starters with more than 130 innings pitched. The Cubs lefty was homer-prone last year as well. He allowed 27 home runs over 29 starts with the seventh-highest HR/9 rate among qualified starters.
As for Hays, he crushes left-handed pitching. In the split this season, he's hitting .337 with a .581 slugging rate and 1.001 OPS. When facing lefties at home this year, the righty-swinging Hays boasts a .395 batting average, a .579 slugging rate and a 1.021 OPS.
Again, Hays only has 15 home runs this year. However, the power has picked up lately. He's hit five homers over the past 19 games with a .507 slugging rate in this stretch.
