MLB Best Bets and Props
Another glorious Saturday awaits us with wall-to-wall games from 1:05 ET to 9:10 ET. We have 15 games on the slate, giving us plenty of options for MLB best bets and props.
Below are three of my MLB best bets for Saturday, May 4, but be sure to price shop for the best odds available to you at the time of viewing.
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My name is Matt Williams, and I will be covering weekend MLB best bets and props all season long. Be sure to follow me on Twitter/X @MattWi77iams
New York Mets at Tampa Bay Rays
7:15 pm ET
Christian Scott will make his Major League debut on Saturday for the Mets. The 24-year-old has posted an otherworldly 31.9% K-BB rate in Triple-A this season and could hit the ground running in the majors.
The Rays are a right-handed heavy lineup that ranks among the league worst in wRC+, K%, and BB% versus right-handed pitching. In addition, Scott boasts a 13.5 K/9 this season versus right-handed hitters.
It is always risky to bank on players making their major league debut, especially pitchers, but with a line of just 4.5 strikeouts, this is too good to pass up.
In fact, I would feel comfortable laddering up to 8.
MLB Best Bet: Christian Scott o4.5 K (+100)
Miami Marlins at Oakland Athletics
4:07 pm ET
The Miami Marlins are a complete mess. On top of being in last place with a 9-25 record, Miami carries a meager 83 wRC+ and 7% walk rate versus right-handed pitchers.
This is good news for Paul Blackburn, who has quietly been rock solid for the surprising A’s, who find themselves at 16-17, several games ahead of the Houston Astros.
Blackburn is tasked with taking on a Marlins lineup that sees the fewest pitches per plate appearance in the league, and just traded away their best hitter on Friday night in Luis Arraez.
Look for Blackburn to go six strong against an inferior lineup on Saturday.
MLB Best Bet: Paul Blackburn o17.5 Outs (+100)
Baltimore Orioles at Cincinnati Reds
6:40 pm ET
The Orioles offense boasts an impressive 138 wRC+ against southpaws this season, making their matchup versus Andrew Abbott and the Reds a solid target for a team total wager.
Baltimore’s F5 Team Total is set at 2.5 on Saturday, and they have hit the Over on this mark in six of the last seven games versus a left-handed pitcher. The fact that this game happens to take place at the Great American Ballpark is icing on the cake.
The team total is also a tremendous value when you consider that Abbott’s earned run prop is heavily juiced at Over 2.5, while the F5 TT is being offered at +110 at the time this article was written.
MLB Best Bet: Orioles Over 2.5 F5 Team Total (+110)
