Top 5 MLB Player Props for Friday, July 8 (2022)
The weekend is here, and we have a loaded slate on tap. There are plenty of quality arms set to go this evening, but not all of them will be successful. Let’s not waste any more time and break down our top-five player props.
Tyler Wells Over 3.5 Strikeouts -160 (Angels vs. Baltimore 7:05)
Wells has quietly been one of the better pitchers in the American League. He enters this start with a 7-4 record and a 3.09 ERA. Wells is not typically a strikeout artist. Yet, this matchup against the Angels, who have the highest strikeout rate in the majors, is too good to pass up. He’s only gone over this total in six of his 16 starts, but he set a season-high last time out against Minnesota. So given the matchup, Wells should be in line for another outlier performance.
Chris Bassitt Over 5.5 Strikeouts +125 ( Marlins vs. Mets 7:10)
Chris Bassitt will be making his return from the COVID-19 Injured List (IL). However, that shouldn’t impact this outing, given that he said he was asymptomatic. Since we’ll see typical length from Bassitt, we should expect typical strikeouts. Bassitt averages over a strikeout per inning and nearly six innings per start. So at this price, there is a ton of value on Bassitt to go over. Lastly, he set a season-high in strikeouts the last time he faced the Marlins with nine. We’ll only need two-thirds of that performance to cash in tonight.
Nestor Cortes Under 5.5 Strikeouts -109 (Yankees vs. Red Sox 7:10)
Nestor Cortes finally returned to earth in June after a red-hot start to begin the year. In June, he had a 4.15 ERA and averaged less than a strikeout per inning. Now he gets to face a hot Boston lineup with plenty of quality hitters who excel against lefties. On top of that, the Red Sox do not strike out very much. They’ll enter this game with the ninth-lowest strikeout rate in the majors. Cortes has gone under this total in seven of his fifteen starts, so this is much more of a coin flip than the odds imply.
Adam Wainwright Over 5.5 Hits Allowed – 120 (Phillies vs. Cardinals 8:15)
The 40-year-old Adam Wainwright has still been excellent for the Cardinals despite father time catching up to him. However, this season Wainwright has begun to pitch to contact more than ever. Since his ground ball rate is its lowest since 2020, he’s given up plenty of hard contact. That amount of hard contact has turned into many hits for his opposition. Through 16 starts, Wainwright has allowed an average of six hits per start. Given that the Phillies just saw him less than a week ago, their familiarity will only amplify the hit column.
Blake Snell Over 6.5 Strikeouts -124 ( Giants vs. Padres 9:40 pm)
Blake Snell’s ERA may not be pretty at 5.13, but his ability to punch out hitters is what saves him. That was on full display in his last outing, where he struck out 12 Dodgers in five innings of work. In eight starts this season, Snell has totaled 50 strikeouts in 40 innings, which puts his strikeout rate in the top 20 percent of the majors. He’ll face a Giants lineup filled with lefties that strikes out a good amount tonight. The Giants enter this matchup with the 14th-highest strikeout rate. Given the matchup advantage and the cold streak of his opposition, Snell could fly over this number.
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