MLB Best Player Props for April 3: Nolan Arenado Ready to Slug Today

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MLB Prop Pick: Nolan Arenado Over 1.5 Bases (+112) at Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)

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Nolan Arenado Over 1.5 Bases (+112)
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Picks Summary:

  • Jonathan India Under 0.5 Hits (+158)
  • Tyler Stephenson Under 0.5 Hits (+169)
  • Wil Myers Under 0.5 Hits (+149)
  • Taijuan Walker Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-113)
  • Nolan Arenado Over 1.5 Bases (+112)
  • Charlie Morton Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-103)

The best sportsbooks have released their MLB odds for today’s baseball action.

Three games, in particular, interest me as worth investing in:

  • Cubs vs. Reds
  • Phillies vs. Yankees
  • Braves vs. Cardinals

For reasons that I will explain, you should invest in player props for all three games.


Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds

Monday, April 03, 2023 – 06:40 PM EDT at Great American Ball Park

Concerned About Drew Smyly?

Should we be concerned about Chicago starter Drew Smyly because he suffered poor Spring Training? His 6.06 Spring Training ERA is indeed poor, but we can’t be surprised when players fail to perform well in situations where success does not matter.

Instead of trying to win games that don’t count, players use Spring Training to work on things so that they perform better in the regular season. Last year, Smyly’s Spring Training ERA was 6.14, and yet he was sufficiently prepared to achieve a 3.47 regular season ERA.

Smyly’s Outlook Today

We should have confidence in Smyly today because he is facing the Reds. His track record against them is unequivocally positive.

In his career, he is 5-0 with a 2.92 ERA when facing the Reds. Smyly’s success against them has extended into their notoriously hitters-friendly ballpark.

He is 3-0 with a 3.52 ERA in his career in Cincinnati.

Smyly vs. Red Batters

Smyly’s track record against individual Red batters is likewise solid. Of the six that have faced him at least seven times, five have more strikeouts than hits.

Betting Approach

Multiple wager opportunities at plus money are available. The prop bet I am interested in is the Over/Under hits.

For this bet to hit, we must decide whether a given player will achieve more or fewer hits than the posted Over/Under. I want to hit the “Under” hits for Jonathan India, Wil Myers, and Tyler Stephenson.

India is batting .222 in nine career at-bats against Smyly while Myers and Stephenson are both 1-for-7 lifetime against him.

The idea is that it is exceptionally likely that at least two of these prop bets will hit, which would entail a great profit given the attractive odds.

MLB Prop Pick: Jonathan India Under 0.5 Hits (+158) at Bovada

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Jonathan India Under 0.5 Hits (+158)
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MLB Prop Pick: Tyler Stephenson Under 0.5 Hits (+169) at Bovada

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Tyler Stephenson Under 0.5 Hits (+169)
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MLB Prop Pick: Wil Myers Under 0.5 Hits (+149) at Bovada

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Wil Myers Under 0.5 Hits (+149)
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Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees

Monday, April 03, 2023 – 07:05 PM EDT at Yankee Stadium

Taijuan Walker’s Outlook

Taijuan Walker starts for Philadelphia today. Now is the time of year to back him because, as measured by FIP (like ERA but factors out fielding), March/April is when he is at his best.

Impressively, his career FIP in March/April is 3.03 – conversely, it is Over 3.50 in every other month.

Walker’s Strikeout Totals

Walker had a promising strikeout-to-inning ratio during Spring Training – he achieved 12 Ks in 9.1 innings, but what I like most about his strikeout total potential is his dedication to increasing his workload this season.

His promise to improve his innings output will entail that he has more opportunities to strike out batters because he will face more of them.

Yankees’ Batters

New York batters possess an all-or-nothing mentality in that, more than other teams, they tend to hit a home run or strikeout.

Their vulnerability to striking out is evident in the fact that they’re suffering the third-worst strikeout rate this season.

Betting Approach

Let’s invest in a high strikeout total from Walker by betting the “Over” on his strikeout prop.

For this bet to hit, he’ll need to achieve five or more strikeouts today.

For Philadelphia residents looking to bet on this player, you can do it at our top Pennsylvania betting sites.

MLB Prop Pick: Taijuan Walker Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-113) at Bovada

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Taijuan Walker Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-113)
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Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Monday, April 03, 2023 – 07:45 PM EDT at Busch Stadium

Charlie Morton’s Outlook

Charlie Morton starts for the Braves today. Morton’s outlook is negative in view of his terrible history in St. Louis.

At Busch Stadium, he is 1-5 with a 5.85 ERA in 10 career starts.

Nolan Arenado’s Outlook

I like Nolan Arenado the most to take advantage of Morton’s vulnerability today. Arenado boasts a .579 slugging rate with three doubles and a home run in 19 at-bats facing Morton.

Betting Approach

For your MLB picks, let’s expect a low strikeout total from Morton and a high base total from Arenado.

The latter prop bet refers to the number of bases that Arenado runs. A double, for example, is two bases. A triple is three bases, and so forth.

MLB Prop Pick: Nolan Arenado Over 1.5 Bases (+112) at Bovada

MLB Prop Pick: Charlie Morton Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-103) at Bovada

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Charlie Morton Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-103)
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*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.