⚾ Best Home Run Predictions Today: MLB Odds & HR Picks for Friday, May 1

My best home run predictions today break down the best HR bets for today's MLB slate.
Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. reacts, and he's key as we look at our home run predictions today.
Pictured: Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. reacts, and he's key as we look at our home run predictions today. Photo by Brett Davis / Imagn.
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There are times when even the most talented hitters struggle for a period to hit a baseball a long way, mostly because doing that is absurdly hard.

But eventually the skill wins, and that's the theme of my home run predictions today. I'm rolling with two sluggers in Ronald Acuna Jr. and Jose Ramirez who still boast quality advanced metrics, even if their sound process hasn't turned into consistent results yet.

Elsewhere in my MLB home run picks, it's never a bad day to tab Juan Soto.


⚾ Best home run predictions today: MLB picks & odds May 1

See all of our experts’ MLB picks based on the latest MLB odds.

πŸ’£ Home run pick πŸ’΅ Units πŸ“ Notes
Ronald Acuna Jr. home run (+370 via FanDuel) 0.20u β†’ 0.74u Benefits from two homer launchpads: Coors Field and Jose Quintana.
Juan Soto home run (+346 via DraftKings) 0.20u β†’ 0.70u Gets Walbert Urena in his third-career start, and he's put up a 7.9 BB/9.
Jose Ramirez home run (+350 via DraftKings) 0.20u β†’ 0.70u Has excelled against sinkers historically.

Total wagered: 0.60 units | Max profit: 2.14 units

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πŸ’£ Best home run prediction today

Ronald Acuna Jr. to hit a home run (+370)

It's a home run betting sin if we don't get on board with a known ball-masher playing in the thin mountain air of Coors Field. And one who's finally coming to life after a slow start, and is in an ideal matchup.

Acuna's underlying metrics remain impressive, and most notably a barrel rate in the 82nd percentile. Now a superstar who has recorded three extra-base hits across as many games recently will face Jose Quintana, the 37-year-old whose K/9 astonishingly sits at just 4.4, and he relies heavily on a tortoise-like fastball with only a 90-mph average velocity.

📡 SBR Edge: Handling mediocre heat

Acuna will surely begin to revert back to the slugger we know well soon, and as recently as last year he produced a .558 slugging percentage against four-seamers.


πŸ”₯ More home run picks today

Juan Soto to hit a home run (+346)

Soto remains the only watchable part of a putrid and 29th-ranked Mets offense with his 1.010 OPS that would be fourth leaguewide had he not spent time on the injured list.

He's clubbed two homers over his last three games, and his Baseball Savant page is unsurprisingly dripping with red, with an expected slugging, expected batting average, and barrel rate that all sit in the 97th percentile or higher.

Now the legendary lefty power source gets to face Walbert Urena, who's making just his third career start. He'll be trying to get out a hitter in Soto whose OPS against righties is at 1.280 this season, and doing so with highly inconsistent command that's led to a 7.9 BB/9.

Jose Ramirez to hit a home run (+350)

Much like Acuna, Jose Ramirez is a megastar who's scuffling to begin the season, but everything under the hood still looks promising. Most significantly, an expected slugging percentage in the 88th percentile, and strikeout and walk rates that are even higher.

That strongly hints at positive regression coming soon, and it can start tonight against Oakland Athletics starter J.T. Ginn. He's off to an impressive start, but Ginn leans heavily on his sinker while throwing it 37.1% of the time. It's an offering Ramirez demolished last year while slugging .616.

🤑 More MLB props

Dive into Dustin Saracini's Best NRFI bets today if you're looking to cash in on six simple outs.


πŸš€ Best home run parlay picks today

I'm hopping on the positive regression train with today's parlay, as that's the link between Acuna and Ramirez. Meanwhile, Soto is a fine home run play any day, but especially against an inexperienced righty.

💵 Best MLB home run parlay today

  • Ronald Acuna home run (+370)
  • Juan Soto home run (+320)
  • Jose Ramirez home run (+350)

Best odds: +8783 via FanDuel (0.10u -> 8.8u)


πŸ’΅ My betting record for MLB picks

All MLB picks, including parlays, have been tracked since March 27.

Bet type Record Net profit ROI
Overall 19-57-0 -4.13 units βŒ -12.1% βŒ
Home run picks 9-33-0 -0.03 units βŒ -0.16% βŒ
HR Parlays 0-8 -0.60 units βŒ -100% βŒ

πŸ’‘ How I'm betting MLB home run picks today

Follow all of our MLB analysis and expert predictions for baseball season.

I don't often stray from my standard 0.20-unit size in this market. But if you want to get ever so slightly more aggressive today, do it through Soto.

The star is even more appealing because once Urena exits, Soto will get a handful of at-bats against a woeful Los Angeles Angels bullpen that sits second last with a 5.66 ERA.