Saturday's MLB Player Props & Expert Picks: Will Wheeler Earn First Win?

We offer our top MLB player props and expert picks for Saturday based on the best MLB odds for a loaded 16-game slate.

Saturday's MLB lineup is packed with exciting matchups, starting with four out of the first five games featuring divisional showdowns. One of the highlights is the AL East clash between the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees, with both teams boasting winning records heading into the weekend.

The schedule also includes 11 interleague matchups. Among these games is a marquee showdown between the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves, a pair of teams in the top 10 of the World Series odds.

In conjunction with our Blue Jays vs. Padres player props, here are our MLB player props and expert picks for Saturday (MLB picks based on odds via our best MLB betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Saturday’s MLB expert picks

• Yandy Diaz Over 0.5 runs (-113 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Zack Wheeler to record a win (-148 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐
• Nathan Eovaldi Over 17.5 outs recorded (-125 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Julio Rodriguez Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBIs (+100 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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MLB player props

Yandy Diaz Over 0.5 runs ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Game info: Rays vs. Yankees | Moneyline: Yankees (-115 via Betway) | Total: 8.5 via Betway | Start time: 1:05 p.m. ET

Yandy Diaz entered the weekend with a .225/.276/.313 slash, but was still tied for the team lead with 10 runs scored. He entered Friday with multiple hits in back-to-back games and at least one run scored in three of the last five. 

Diaz has succeeded against southpaw Nestor Cortes, as he is 6-for-21 with a .890 OPS and four of the six hits going for extra bases. We have confidence in Diaz scoring at least one run today, as he is in his better-hitting split against a southpaw. Over his career, Diaz slashes .302/.390/.487 against left-handed pitching and has a .281/.371/.409 slash line against righties.

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Best odds: -113 via Caesars

Zack Wheeler to record a win ⭐⭐⭐

Game info: White Sox vs. Phillies | Moneyline: Phillies (-300 via Betway) | Total: 7.5 via Betway | Start time: 6:05 p.m. ET

Zack Wheeler is among the favorites by the 2024 Cy Young odds to capture the NL award despite starting the year 0-3. That is because Wheeler has pitched to a respectable 3.00 ERA and 1.04 WHIP while leading the team with 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Wheeler’s 2.53 FIP ranks seventh among all qualified NL starting pitchers, and he is in a great position to earn his first win against a Chicago White Sox team that was on pace to win just 27 games this season entering the weekend. Chicago ranks dead last in nearly every offensive category, including on-base percentage, slugging, wOBA, and wRC+. 

Best odds: -148 via Caesars

Nathan Eovaldi Over 17.5 outs recorded ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Game info: Rangers vs. Braves | Moneyline: Braves (-160 via Betway) | Total: 9.5 via Betway | Start time: 7:20 p.m. ET

Nathan Eovaldi is an innings eater, with two of his four starts being quality starts. He is second among all Rangers starting pitchers in WAR (0.6) and has pitched to an outstanding 1.01 WHIP despite three of his four starts coming against division contenders (Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros). 

Eovaldi faces a somewhat compromised Braves lineup, which is missing Ozzie Albies (out with a fractured big toe). Albies' absence should not be understated, as he was batting .317 and is second on the team with 14 RBIs. In addition, Ronald Acuna has not yet shown his MVP-caliber form, as he is striking out one of every four at-bats (25%). Atlanta entered Friday cashing its team total Over in 36 of its last 55 home games (+13.64 units/21% ROI), but Eovaldi benefits from getting five days rest, on which he has a .586 winning percentage and 3.87 ERA in his career.

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Best odds: -125 via DraftKings

Julio Rodriguez Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBIs⭐⭐⭐⭐

Game info: Mariners vs. Rockies | Moneyline: Mariners (-190 via Betway) | Total: 10.5 via Betway | Start time: 8:10 p.m. ET

Colorado's Daniel Hudson has lost all three of his starts, with just one quality start mixed in. Thus, Seattle should improve upon its .289 BABIP against a pitcher that ranks in the 26th percentile in barrel rate and is among the worst pitchers (first percentile) in hard-hit percentage allowed.

Julio Rodriguez entered Friday with just a .212 batting average against righties, but his on-base percentage is 43 points higher in that split, and he had five hits in his previous three games. We expect Seattle’s best player to fill up the stat sheet in a game with such a high total.

Best odds: +100 via DraftKings

MLB player props made Saturday at 4:29 a.m. ET.

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