MLB Player Props for Friday, 8/22: Best Bets & Predictions Today

Freeman of the Dodgers

What kind of performances can we expect on Friday from Juan Soto, Freddie Freeman, and Shane Bieber? Follow along as our MLB betting analyst, Nick Galaida, breaks down three of his favorite MLB prop bets for Friday, August 22nd. Get all of Nick’s picks, including more MLB plays, by subscribing to the RotoGrinders Props & Pick’em package.

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Happy Friday! Major League Baseball has 15 games on tap to begin the weekend, with the action beginning at 6:40 p.m. ET in Pittsburgh.

As always, be sure to monitor our MLB starting lineups page throughout the day, as unexpected changes in the batting order can result in value opportunities in the betting and DFS markets.

Another reminder – it’s not a bad beat, or unlucky, if you bet a player to hit a home run and his fly ball dies on the warning track because it’s 40 degrees with the wind blowing in! Before locking in any bets, use our MLB weather page, curated by Chief Meteorologist, Kevin Roth. There are countless edges to be found if we make the right reads on possible rain delays and great hitting weather, just to name a few. Taking a look at the weather report can save us from a bad bet that otherwise looks good on the surface.

Below, you can find my 3 picks for Friday, August 22nd!

Editor’s Note: Don’t live in a state with sports betting? Use our Underdog promo code & PrizePicks referral code GRINDERS for over $1,000 in sign-up bonuses for fantasy pick’em contests today.

Best MLB Player Props for Friday, August 22

Here are my top player prop bets for today, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 PM ET on Friday, August 22nd:

Juan Soto OVER 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-120, BetMGM)

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Soto has struggled against LHP in 2025, at least by his standards. That being said, he still has a strong 13.9% walk rate and 106 wRC+ in those same-sided matchups. He will face Joey Wentz to start the game, who has struggled to an 11.1% walk rate and 1.33 WHIP against left-handed hitters. Despite not hitting southpaws well this year, Soto still has a penchant for getting on base, which gives him a decent chance to score a run, with some quality hitters behind him in the lineup. In the later frames, Soto should get 1 or 2 chances against a RHP this evening as well, which gives this play some sneaky value.

Freddie Freeman OVER 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-130, DraftKings)

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Freeman has been on a tear since the All-Star Break, hitting .322 with 6 home runs, 23 RBIs, and a 162 wRC+ in 31 games. During that span, he’s posted an impressive 13.5% barrel rate, 47.2% hard-hit rate, and 92.5 average exit velocity – all strong indicators that he’s seeing the ball well. He gets to face Yu Darvish, who has struggled to a 5.37 FIP and 1.45 WHIP against left-handed hitters since returning from the injured list. This is a good spot for Freeman to stay hot.

Shane Bieber UNDER 5.5 Strikeouts (-160, BetMGM)

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Bieber will make his long-awaited return to the MLB mound tonight, but it remains to be seen how aggressive Toronto will be with his usage. Bieber was stretched out to 7 innings and 24 batters faced in the minor leagues, but pitching in an MLB game brings a whole new level of intensity, and obviously, the competition is tougher as well. Miami is one of the better contact teams in the league, which has helped them avoid a lot of strikeouts in recent weeks. Their biggest risk factor is that they take a lot of called strikes. Despite being stretched out, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bieber be a 5-and-dive guy this evening, which limits his prospects for strikeouts as well.

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About the Author

nickgalaida
Nick Galaida (nickgalaida)

A failed high school pitcher, Nick Galaida discovered that he has a higher aptitude for analyzing and writing about sports than he does playing them. To his friends, he is better known as “The Commish.” When he’s not organizing a fantasy league, placing a bet, or writing an article, he’s probably nose-deep in a book—further illustrating the point that his niche in this world is as a nerd rather than an athlete. Follow Nick on Twitter – @CommishFilmRoom