MLB Player Props for Friday, 9/26: Best Bets & Predictions Today
What kind of performances can we expect on Friday from Kyle Harrison, Aaron Nola, and Quinn Priester? Follow along as our MLB betting analyst, Nick Galaida, breaks down three of his favorite MLB prop bets for Friday, September 26th. Get all of Nick’s picks, including more MLB plays, by subscribing to the RotoGrinders Props & Pick’em package.
Happy Friday! The final weekend of the MLB regular season began earlier this afternoon at Wrigley Field, with the Cubs hosting the Cardinals as they look to clinch the top Wild Card position in the National League. In total, 8 of today’s 15 games have significant playoff implications – buckle up for what should be an entertaining few days of baseball!
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, September 26th!
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, September 26
Here are my top player prop bets for today, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:45 PM ET on Friday, September 26th:
- Kyle Harrison Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts
- Aaron Nola Over/Under 5.5 Strikeouts
- Quinn Priester Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts
Kyle Harrison OVER 4.5 Strikeouts (-104, FanDuel)
FANDUELYesterday, Detroit struck out 7 times against LHP Parker Messick. On September 20, Detroit struck out 7 times against LHP Joey Wentz. Overall, the Tigers’ offense ranks 21st in K% against LHP during the last 14 days, with their primary issue being an inability to lay off pitches outside of the strike zone.
Tonight, Detroit will have to contend with LHP Kyle Harrison, who has generated plenty of swings at pitches outside the zone in his first two appearances since being acquired by the Red Sox. In two September outings, Harrison has been working backwards in counts much more than he did with the Giants, which has helped his fastball play up later in counts as a potential swing-and-miss offering.
The Tigers have the added challenge of having to travel to Boston with no off day after playing a night game in Cleveland on Thursday. Harrison should be able to find success.
Aaron Nola OVER 5.5 Strikeouts (-138, FanDuel)
FANDUELEntering play on Friday, Minnesota’s offense ranks 21st in K% against RHP during the last 14 days and 19th in K% during the last 30 days. Looking at tonight’s lineup specifically, the Twins have 5 players who have a 27.7% strikeout rate or worse against RHP since the beginning of August.
Since the beginning of September, Minnesota’s offense ranks 25th in O-Contact% and 23rd in Z-Contact%, meaning that they are struggling to make contact both on pitches in the zone and out of the zone. Nola should have ample opportunities to get the job done if he works into the 6th inning.
Quinn Priester OVER 4.5 Strikeouts (-166, FanDuel)
FANDUELPriester doesn’t have electric stuff, but there are plenty of strikeout candidates in tonight’s Cincinnati lineup. Since August 1st, 7 of the 9 hitters in the Reds’ lineup this evening have a 21.1% strikeout rate or higher against RHP.
Overall, the Reds rank 20th in K% against RHP in the last 14 days and 25th in K% during the last 30 days. Since the beginning of September, they rank 16th in O-Contact%, 13th in Z-Contact%, and have taken the 6th-most called strikes of any team in baseball. Priester has a significantly above-average called strike% during the last month (18.1%), which could allow him to earn a few punchouts despite not having a particularly strong arsenal.
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