
Baseball is officially back, and we’re as excited as ever. Opening Day is serving up a full slate of matchups packed with star power and that means there are plenty of props to load up onto your bet slip.
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We’ve got veteran hitters in new uniforms, Cy Young winners on the bump, and plenty of sharp lines worth targeting for today’s lineup of games. After digging into today’s matchups and recent trends, here are 5 of the best player prop bets to lock in for today’s Opening Day action.
Player Prop Odds: +350
Dinger bets are tricky, but this one might be worth your time based on the odds and that’s because Tyler O’Neill is a walking fireworks show on Opening Day — literally. He’s homered in each of his last 5 Opening Day appearances, and there’s no reason to think that streak ends today.
He is going up against Jose Berrios and the Blue Jays, and while Berrios’ splitter is unquestionably elite, O’Neill has mashed right-handers to the tune of a .548 slugging percentage in 2024. With Baltimore’s new, more hitter-friendly left-field dimensions, this setup favors O’Neill’s pull-side power and that’s what we like about this matchup.
O’Neill had a 31-homer season last year, and he’s now hitting behind Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. That means he’ll likely get pitches to hit with runners on. The odds are strong and the track record on Opening Day is even stronger.
With his power and history these days, at +350, this is one of the best prop bets on the board.
Player Prop Odds: +150
Goldy didn’t have his best stuff last year but don’t sleep on the veteran slugger in his Yankees debut. Now hitting in a massively loaded lineup alongside Judge, Bellinger, and Chisholm, Goldschmidt is in a great spot to get runs on the board.
He’s facing Freddy Peralta, who has excellent strikeout stuff but can be wild at times with 3.5 BB per 9. Goldschmidt’s patient approach at the plate gives him a good shot at getting on base, and when he does, the Yankees have plenty of power behind him to drive him in for a run.
He’s scored in each of his last 6 home openers, and now he’s hitting in a hitter’s park instead of Busch Stadium.
At plus money, this run prop makes a ton of sense to us given his spot in the batting order and the lineup protection around him. We think this bet is a no-brainer.
Player Prop Odds: +105
Harper draws a tough matchup against Chris Sale — the reigning NL Cy Young winner nobody thought would happen. While Sale's slider is still nasty at his older age, Harper has the edge in one area — his eye.
He walked at a 12.3% clip last season and has drawn at least one walk in each of his last 8 season openers. He simply has an eye early in the season. Sale’s stuff might limit Harper’s hard contact as he does with most batters, but it also leads to a lot of deep counts, and that gives Harper plenty of chances to work a free pass to get on base.
Harper’s discipline combined with Sale’s pitch mix sets up well for this prop no matter how good Sale was last year. If the Braves pitch around him even slightly, which they might in key spots with runners on, he could take the bat out of Harper’s hands. This is a smart, low-risk play at near even money.
Player Prop Odds: -140
Valdez is one of the most consistent Opening Day arms in baseball. He’s making his 4th straight Opening Day start and enters off a strong 2024 campaign where he had a 2.91 ERA and 166 Ks in 178 IP.
However, he’s facing a dangerous Mets lineup today, but Valdez is more than capable of holding his own. His elite curveball and sinker combo keeps hitters guessing. On top of that, he’s struck out 6+ batters in 8 straight home starts vs. NL teams.
With New York’s top-heavy lineup, there’s definitely some swing-and-miss upside, especially with guys like Pete Alonso and Francisco Alvarez in the heart of the order. Even if Valdez pitches to contact, he still consistently racks up strikeouts against patient, power-heavy teams like this.
The line’s set at 5.5 which we feel is even a bit low for him. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Valdez get to 7+ Ks if he goes 6 innings. He’s the kind of pitcher who thrives under pressure so we expect another solid Opening Day performance from the Astros ace.
Player Prop Odds: +145
Corey Seager quietly scored a run in 7 of the Rangers' last 8 games against the Red Sox, and he’s been sneaky consistent in this prop bet. He’s batting in the 2 hole ahead of Marcus Semien and ahead of Adolis García, which puts him in a prime scoring position.
He’s up against Garrett Crochet, a lefty with big strikeout potential but some control issues as shown by his 3.4 BB/9 in last season. Seager’s career of .360 OBP vs. LHP gives him a solid shot to reach base, and the bats around him should take care of the rest to get him across the plate.
Seager’s smart base running and clutch instincts (let’s not forget that he’s a 2-time World Series MVP) make this a high-upside play at decent odds. It only takes one hit and one trip around the bases to cash this — and Seager’s in a lineup built to generate offense early and often for the full 9 innings.
Opening Day is about timing matchups, and that’s what we love the most about these 5 player props — they offer strong value, solid trends, and good betting numbers across the board. Here’s the recap:
Whether you're targeting plus-money shots or even some smart trends, these props bring a blend of upside and consistency to your Opening Day bets. Start the season strong with your bet slip!
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