MLB Player Props & Bets: Sunday (7/5)
The 2026 MLB season has been nothing short of thrilling as it nears the All-Star break. Veteran sluggers teeing off, 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, July 5th.
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Sunday's Best MLB Player Props & Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Joe Ryan Over 17.5 Outs Recorded (Odds TBD)
Consistency is the name of Joe Ryan’s game. The Minnesota ace has tossed at least six innings (18 outs) in 11 of his past 15 starts. Take note that he has registered a stellar 28.2% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate this campaign.
Escaping jams with punchouts and limiting free passes are crucial to extending outings on the mound. Up next for Ryan is a trip to Yankee Stadium, where he has completed six innings in two out of three career starts.
The Yankees still have star power on the roster as they await the return of three-time American League MVP Aaron Judge. However, that star power has not come through lately.
New York has logged the lowest OPS (.553) and produced the fewest runs (40) in the American League over the last 15 days. Nine starting pitchers have accumulated 18+ outs against the Yankees in that stretch. Fade some slumping bats by backing Ryan to shine.
Cade Cavalli Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-142)
Cade Cavalli’s altercation with Willson Contreras overshadowed what was a dominant performance in his most recent start. The Nationals hurler picked apart the Red Sox with a career-high 13 strikeouts and forced a whopping 25 whiffs.
It was the eighth time in Cavalli’s previous 13 outings that he struck out at least six batters. It’s worth noting that Cavalli’s strikeout rate has jumped from 18.3% in 2025 to 25.7% in 2026.
Sunday’s matchup presents a chance for Cavalli to keep improving. The Pirates’ offense has recorded the highest whiff rate (27.5%) and racked up the most strikeouts (850) in all of baseball.
Pittsburgh has slotted Konnor Griffin, Brandon Lowe, Bryan Reynolds and Esmerlyn Valdez at the top of the lineup in the first two games of this series. They each have a strikeout rate above the MLB average (22.5%). Trust Cavalli to take advantage.
Pete Crow-Armstrong to Hit a Home Run (+440)
Matthew Liberatore has taken a step back this season. The St. Louis right-hander posted a 4.21 ERA and allowed 19 home runs across 29 starts last year. He has posted a 5.33 ERA and has already allowed 17 home runs through 17 starts this year.
There’s no question as to why he struggles to control the long ball. Liberatore ranks outside of the top 300 qualified arms in average exit velocity (91.1 miles per hour) and barrel rate (10.6%). Hard contact is being made.
The Cubs are in a great spot to launch some moonshots on Sunday. Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was just named an All-Star for the second time in his career and leads Chicago with a .922 OPS versus right-handed pitching.
Crow-Armstrong also sports an impressive .323/.413/.609 slash line to go with 12 homers at home. Crow-Armstrong is 3-for-10 with two doubles against Liberatore. Expect him to crush one beyond the fence this time around.