The 2026 MLB season has been nothing short of thrilling as May comes to a close. Veteran sluggers launching moon shots, skilled rookies becoming household names and elite pitchers prevailing on the mound. The fun continues on Sunday with all 30 teams in action. Here's a look at three MLB player props and picks for Sunday, May 31st.
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Sunday’s Top MLB Player Props & Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Michael Wacha Over 17.5 Outs Recorded (+111)
Flash and pizzazz aren’t always needed to be a steady arm in the rotation. Kansas City’s Michael Wacha has relied on pinpoint command and an ability to induce soft contact to excel in 2026.
The 34-year-old right-hander has posted a stellar 2.69 ERA and 1.02 WHIP across 11 starts. Length has arguably been his greatest strength. Wacha has completed at least six innings (18 outs) in nine of his 11 outings.
A clash with Texas awaits Wacha on Sunday afternoon. The Rangers rank among the league’s bottom three rosters in OPS (.644), home runs (23) and runs scored (93) during home games.
Their offense flounders at Globe Life Field, which gives the upper hand to those on the mound. Overall, the opposing starting pitcher has recorded 18 outs or more in six of the Rangers’ last seven contests. Back Wacha’s consistency in a favorable matchup.
Tatsuya Imai Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-101)
Tatsuya Imai’s transition from the Japan Pacific League to Major League Baseball has been far from smooth. The Houston southpaw has struggled to the tune of a 6.17 ERA and 1.50 WHIP through six starts (23.1 innings).
What may be most concerning is his dismal 23:18 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Batters have not been fooled by Imai’s pitch arsenal. In fact, they have tagged him for the 12th-highest hard-hit rate (50.8%) among 369 qualified arms.
Imai has tallied fewer than five strikeouts in four of his six performances and now faces a disciplined Milwaukee lineup. The Brewers boast the lowest chase rate (26.4%) and the fourth-lowest whiff rate (23.3%) in the sport.
They have also struck out at the fourth-lowest rate on the road (7.92 per game). Battling superstars like Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio is never easy. Fading Imai in the strikeout department is the way to go.
James Wood to Hit a Home Run (+340)
At the heart of baseball’s highest scoring offense (5.42 runs per game) sits outfielder James Wood. The Washington All-Star enters Sunday with the highest barrel rate (25.4%) and highest average exit velocity (96.6 miles per hour) in the National League.
That unrivaled power has helped Wood rack up 15 home runs, 15 doubles and 37 RBI in 59 contests. Take note that the average distance of those blasts is an impressive 406 feet.
San Diego’s Griffin Canning is the next pitcher tasked with taking on Wood. This bears all the signs of a mismatch. Canning checks in outside of the top 360 arms in hard-hit rate (51.6%) and average exit velocity (92.6 miles per hour) this campaign.
Opponents are not wasting chances to tee off on Canning. It’s worth pointing out that Wood is already 3-for-7 with a homer and a double in his career versus Canning. The numbers point toward a massive day at the plate.
