Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images. Pictured: Luis Garcia
Throughout this season, I’ll be evaluating my favorite MLB player props of a slate based on what the Action Labs Player Prop tool likes — the tool grades each bet on a scale from 1-10, with 10 being the best possible grade.
Below, I have laid out two prop bets I’m playing for Sunday, the case for each bet and the best books to find odds on those player props.
MLB Player Props & Picks
Corey Kluber Over 5.5 Strikeouts (+108)
| Yankees vs. Orioles | Yankees (-330) |
| Time | 1:05 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | FanDuel |
The Yankees signed two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber this offseason hoping the 35-year-old still had some juice left in that arm. It looked like a fantastic move as Kluber was excellent in May, going 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA, and tossed a no hitter on May 19.
Unfortunately, Kluber suffered a shoulder injury and was placed in the injured list on May 27. He finally returned on Aug. 30, and while his overall stat line wasn’t strong, he looked great through the first three innings before a fourth-inning grand slam finished his night after four frames.
Even at his age, Kluber has a 9.58 K/9 rate this year, which is right in line with his 9.79 career rate. He’s throwing his changeup at 14% this season, the most of his career and up from 6.4% in his last full season in 2018. His changeup has been his best pitch, allowing just a .135 batting average against and a 42.1% strikeout rate.
Kluber started the year a little slow but has gone over this strikeout total in five of his last six starts, including his first start off the IL, despite lasting just four innings. Baltimore has the ninth-highest strikeout rate in the league this season and ranks just 26th against changeups.
I’ll play Kluber to go over this total against the Orioles.
Action Labs Grade: 9/10
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Luis Garcia Over 5.5 Strikeouts (+128)
| Astros vs. Padres | Padres(-112) |
| Time | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Best Line | FanDuel |
After making just one start last year, 24-year-old Luis Garcia earned a role in the starting rotation this spring and has been pretty solid. He’s 10-6 with 3.23 ERA in 23 starts, allowing just a .218 batting average against.
The rookie has been very consistent for Houston this year, averaging 5.3 innings per start. All five of his pitches have a negative run value this year, with his best pitch being his cutter, which has generated a 44.7 Whiff% this year.
Garcia has generated a 10.52 K/9 rate this year and has been up at 11.09 since the All-Star break. He’s averaging 6.2 strikeouts per outing. The San Diego offense has been ice cold and ranks just 28th in wOBA and 27th in wRC+ over the last 30 days.
Back Garcia to reach this total on Sunday.
Action Labs Grade: 10/10
