Cole Ragans, Aaron Nola, Taj Bradley Top MLB Player Props Today
We have an exciting schedule of MLB games on Monday night to begin the week, with every team reaching the halfway mark of the 162-game regular season at some point before Sunday ends.
June 24 is a travel day for some teams, so we have 12 games on tonight’s schedule. Plenty of options exist for MLB player prop bets today, but I’ve done the hard work of narrowing down the best for you based on specific criteria or analysis, ensuring you have all the information you need for an exciting day of MLB action!
Best 3 MLB Player Props Today
1. Phillies SP Aaron Nola Over 5½ Strikeouts
The Philadelphia Phillies have been the best team in the National League through the first half. Philly begins a three-game series on the road tonight against the Detroit Tigers. They will send 31-year-old right-hander Aaron Nola to the mound. We haven’t had many prime opportunities to back Nola, but tonight’s game against Detroit is a great one.
Nola will make his 16th start of the season. I expect the Tigers to struggle against the right-hander. I would have loved to snag a 2½ earned runs line, but I’m only seeing 1½ on the board at BetUS. Thanks to some solid starting pitching, Detroit has surprisingly hovered around .500. However, its offense leaves much to be desired.
Aaron Nola, Vicious 81mph Knuckle Curve…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/oQOw5okhzQ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 5, 2024
Nola has been consistently solid for most of his first ten seasons in the bigs. He is a true front-end rotation arm. He has finished with over 200 strikeouts in five consecutive seasons and is on pace to make it six in 2024. His K % is at its lowest since his rookie season, but I don’t see massive regression for him. He has a respectable 3.54 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP through his first 15 outings.
Nola has at least six strikeouts in seven of 15 starts this season (46%). Nola typically throws deep into games, so he should have plenty of opportunities to climb to six strikeouts. I expect him to quiet the Tigers. The Tigers own the fifth-lowest batting average in the league (.232) and are tenth in strikeouts. Detroit ranks seventh in K %. Nola is a great player prop bet to put away at least six Tigers tonight.
2. Rays SP Taj Bradley Over 6½ Strikeouts
I was hoping we could snag Taj Bradley again at 5½ strikeouts after we cashed at that number a couple of times earlier this season, but I’m happy at 6½.
The Tampa Bay Rays will send the 23-year-old righty Bradley to the bump against the Seattle Mariners tonight at Tropicana Field. Bradley had to wait until May to make his season debut and has made eight starts. He’s been solid, but his xERA of 4.73 makes me slightly concerned. However, it’s a small sample size, and I’m willing to trust him against a Seattle lineup that’s been mediocre this season.
Taj Bradley, 97mph Fastball and 92mph Splitter (sword), Individual Pitches + Overlay pic.twitter.com/P2ixr3jOD4
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 13, 2024
Bradley excelled in his rookie campaign in 2023, including exceeding five strikeouts in 13 of 21 starts (61%). He has at least seven strikeouts in half of his outings in 2024. His 112 Stuff+ is on par with his 110 Stuff+ in 2023 and is tied for tenth-best in the league alongside Luis Gil. The 23-year-old right-hander will evolve as his career progresses, but his underlying metrics back up his tremendous putaway pitches. He is in the 88th percentile in K % and 68th in Whiff %.
He has struck out at least seven in four of his previous five starts at home. Bradley has an opportunity to post a terrific line again tonight against the Mariners. Seattle has struck out the most in MLB. They have the third-highest Whiff % and the highest K %—Bank on Bradley to fan at least seven Seattle hitters.
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3. Royals SP Cole Ragans Under 4½ Hits Allowed
I’m firing on another pitcher prop with our final MLB bet tonight. I have faded the Marlins all season, which has paid off. The Kansas City Royals return home from a brutal West Coast road trip that saw them drop seven of nine games. They have an excellent chance to get back on track at home against the Miami Marlins with their ace Cole Ragans on the bump.
The 26-year-old left-hander is among the favorites in AL Cy Young odds. He enters tonight’s start with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. The Royals acquired him at the trade deadline last season when they sent Aroldis Chapman to the Rangers. Kansas City moved him to the starting rotation, and he is off to a strong start in 2024. He should be considered a serious contender for the Cy Young award with his 21% K-BB%, and he currently ranks third in pitching WAR in the American League!
Cole Ragans, Nasty 86mph Changeup. 👌
8th K thru 4 pic.twitter.com/4osxaIJrMn
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 9, 2024
Ragans has a 111 Stuff+ this season. He is in the 88th percentile in Whiff % and K %. He’s been tremendous, with an OBA of just .208 since joining the Royals last summer. He has allowed fewer than six hits in 11 of 16 starts this season (68%).
The Marlins have been abysmal against southpaws this season. The fish rank dead last in wRC+ and OPS against left-handers and have the fourth-lowest batting average against lefties (.223). I’m riding with Ragans with confidence at BetUS Sportsbook.
Questions Of The Day
What is the best MLB player prop bet today?
I like Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans to finish under six hits allowed against the Miami Marlins.
Who is the best MLB team on the run line this season?
The Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals are the most profitable teams on the run line, going 46-31 and hitting 59.7% of the time.
