MLB Player Props for Thursday, 7/9: Best Bets & Predictions Today
What kind of performances can we expect from Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Wacha, and Austin Wells? Follow along as our MLB betting analyst, Nick Galaida, breaks down three of his favorite MLB prop bets for Thursday, July 9, 2026. Get all of Nick’s picks, including more MLB plays, by subscribing to the RotoGrinders Props & Pick’em package.
Major League Baseball has 13 games on tap for Thursday, beginning with the Braves against the Pirates at 12:35 p.m. ET. There are 6 afternoon games for those who need a distraction at work, with the other 7 contests all scheduled for first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET or later.
As always, it’s important to keep an eye on the MLB weather report before committing to any wagers. After seeing record-setting temperatures and heat advisories in some cities last week, the forecast looks much different today, especially on the West Coast, where it could be below 70 degrees in San Diego and San Francisco this evening.
Below, you can find three of my favorite picks for Thursday, July 9th!
Best MLB Player Props for Thursday, July 9th
Here are my top player prop bets for today, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:35 PM ET on Thursday, July 9th:
- Mike Yastrzemski Over/Under 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs
- Michael Wacha Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts
- Austin Wells Over/Under 0.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs
Mike Yastrzemski OVER 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (+113, Novig)
Yastrzemski is off to a hot start in July, with a .273 batting average and 125 wRC+. He’s walked as many times as he’s struck out in that span – a consequence of swinging at better pitches and making more contact on swings at pitches in the zone.
Mitch Keller has struggled to a 4.91 FIP and 1.40 WHIP across the platoon in 2026. Yastrzemski being in the 8-hole means he will probably only get a pair of plate appearances against Keller, but Atlanta might not have their usual collection of southpaws this afternoon, either, after Dylan Lee and Dylan Dodd both worked last night. This is good value for a player who is seeing the ball well right now.
Michael Wacha UNDER 4.5 Strikeouts (+112, FanDuel)
FANDUELDuring the last 30 days, Wacha has posted only an 8.4% swinging-strike rate, indicating that his recent run of high strikeouts could be due for some regression. Today’s lineup from the Mets features only a pair of high-strikeout targets – Francisco Alvarez and Mark Vientos, both of whom are righties. Wacha’s primary pitch against righties is a sinker that has only a 13.6% whiff rate in 2026. There is a good chance the Mets are able to put a lot of balls in play this afternoon.
Austin Wells OVER 0.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-102, Novig)
Wells has been one of the league’s least productive hitters at the plate in recent weeks, with only 1 hit in his last 25 plate appearances. That said, he still has a 41.2% hard-hit rate in that span, and he’s been better against RHP than LHP in 2026.
Drew Rasmussen is one of the better starting pitchers in baseball, but his 3.71 FIP and 1.14 WHIP across the platoon are meaningfully worse than his 2.77 FIP and 0.59 WHIP against righties. Wells doesn’t even need a base hit to cash this prop. A timely fly ball, groundout, or a run scored could get the job done.
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