Best MLB Prop Bets Today | MLB Player Props, May 15

Christian Yelich Over 0.5 Hits (-220 at DraftKings)

The safest prop bet on Monday might be Christian Yelich getting a hit against Jack Flaherty and the Cardinals. Flaherty has had a rough year, going 2-4 with a 6.18 ERA. Over his last three starts, Flaherty has allowed 25 hits across just 12 innings. He’s also struggled against Yelich in the past, as the former MVP is 9 for 31 (.290) with three extra-base hits against the St. Louis righty.

Equally important, Yelich is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now. He’s no longer the elite hitter he once was, but he’s turned it on recently. Yelich has had three straight multi-hit games and has at least one hit in 10 of his 12 games during the month of May. Given his history of success against Flaherty and how bad Flaherty has been lately, it’d be shocking to see Yelich not get at least one hit on Monday.

Alex Kiriloff Over 1.5 Hits (+200 at DraftKings) 

There is definitely a risk-reward trade-off with this prop bet. Kiriloff has never faced Noah Syndergaard, who will start against Kiriloff and the Twins on Monday. We are also banking on Kiriloff to get at least two hits on Monday. But with the value at +200 for two measly hits, it’s worth the risk.

Keep in mind the 25-year-old Kiriloff has been red-hot since the Twins recalled him from triple-A on May 5. He’s currently batting .409 and has multi-hit games in three of his last five games, including a two-home-run game on Saturday. The left-hand-hitting Kiriloff is also the ideal batter to face Syndergaard, who has posted a 6.12 ERA this season. Lefties are hitting .325 against him this year. That should allow Kiriloff to stay hot early in Monday’s game and end the game with at least two hits.

Shohei Ohtani Over 6.5 Strikeouts (-145 at DraftKings)

Ohtani always provides double-digit strikeout potential, giving him plenty of value with the over/under at 6.5 strikeouts. While the Orioles are toward the bottom of the league in terms of striking out, they’re still a young team that’s going to be vulnerable to a lot of strikeouts against a pitcher like Ohtani. That’s what makes this a good bet, especially since Ohtani has at least seven strikeouts in five of his eight starts this season, including four in a row.

The other thing to like about Ohtani is that he’s gone at least six innings in six of his eight starts. He’s averaging 1.4 strikeouts per inning and is likely to pitch at least six innings, making it more likely than not that he’ll be able to get seven strikeouts against the Orioles on Monday.

Freddy Peralta Over 17.5 Outs Recorded (-130 at DraftKings)

Peralta will face the Cardinals on Monday, giving him a chance to take advantage of one of the more disappointing teams in baseball this year. If he has a good game, there’s an excellent chance the Brewers will allow Peralta to complete at least six innings, giving him more than 17.5 outs. While the Cards are coming off a nine-run game on Sunday and a good road trip, they also played the late game on Sunday and could be a little tired for Monday’s game back in St. Louis.

Plus, Peralta is having an excellent year, going 4-2 with a 3.32 ERA in his seven starts. He’s recorded at least 18 outs in five of those seven starts, including his last three starts. Peralta has only allowed 20 base runners in his last 18 innings, so he’s staying out of trouble and allowing himself to go deep in games. He’s already pitched six innings against the Cardinals once this year, allowing just one run on four hits while going six innings deep in his last two starts, which came at Coors Field and against the Dodgers. In other words, he’s responded well to challenges and should be able to give the Brewers six innings again on Monday.

Pablo Lopez Over 2.5 Earned Runs (+130 at DraftKings)

With a 3.47 ERA, Lopez isn’t an obvious candidate to allow more than 2.5 earned runs during Monday’s game against the Dodgers. He’s actually allowed two runs or less in six of his eight starts this year. But Monday’s game looks like it could be an exception to that. With the odds at +130, there is tons of value in betting on Lopez to struggle a little against a Los Angeles lineup that’s averaging close to five runs in its last seven games.

Offensively, the Dodgers have started to live up to their potential in recent weeks. Their hitters have also given Lopez a lot of trouble in the past. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith are a combined 15 for 44 (.341) against Lopez. Plus, Freeman and Smith are both red-hot at the moment. With James Outman, J.D. Martinez, and the power of Max Muncy, the Dodgers have a deep lineup to use against Lopez. While he’s had a good season, Lopez doesn’t have much margin for error, which is why we see him giving up at least three runs on Monday before he exits.