It’s tough to beat afternoon baseball and a packed schedule with all 30 teams hitting the diamond.
Below, I’ve targeted a trio of sluggers facing favorable pitching matchups for my free MLB player props and home run picks for Wednesday, April 9.
Best MLB home run props today
Oneil Cruz (+630 at FanDuel)
Juan Soto (+450 at bet365)
Anthony Santander (+600 at bet365)
HR picks for April 9
Oneil Cruz (+630 at FanDuel)
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz is mired in a 2-for-15 mini slump with just a single extra-base hit across his past five games, so landing a plus-matchup against St. Louis Cardinals righty Erick Fedde is just what the doctor ordered. Fedde served up a pair of homers in his last road start, and he sports a 4.33 xFIP against left-handed hitters dating back to the beginning of 2023.
Still, this is all about Cruz. He sports a solid power profile with a career .351 wOBA and .213 ISO against righties, after all.
Juan Soto (+450 at bet365)
It’s been nine games since New York Mets superstar Juan Soto’s lone long fly for the season, but he’s picked up five extra-base hits since and sports an elite .413 wOBA and .268 ISO against righties dating back to the 2022 campaign.
He also finds himself in a favorable matchup against Miami Marlins youngster Max Meyer. Meyer has allowed 1.7 HR/9 and a .500 slugging percentage to left-handed hitters dating back to last season, which is fuelled by a healthy 41.8% hard-hit rate.
The forecast is also calling for the wind to be blowing out to right-center at Citi Field.
Anthony Santander (+600 at bet365)
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander hit 32 homers with a monster .274 ISO against right-handed pitchers last season, and he lands in a solid matchup to tee off on tonight. Boston Red Sox righty Tanner Houck has surrendered three big flies across just 9 2/3 innings while boasting a 6.52 ERA and 5.12 xFIP.
Houck’s underlying 65.5% hard-hit rate and 13.8% barrel rate reinforce his tough start.
Santander is also ripe for a splash of statistical correction. His 37.5% hard-hit rate and 3.1% barrel rate are way below his 43.6% and 11.2% averages over the past three years. The homer drought ends tonight for the first-year Jay Bird.
Not intended for use in MA.
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