With a few teams having an off day, the West Coast takes center stage tonight with six of the 10 games tonight beginning in the late window. Three players I have my eye on are Parker Messick, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Elly De La Cruz.
My MLB player props for Monday, August 24, are below.
MLB Player Props Today
- Parker Messick Over 17.5 Outs Recorded (60 cents, Kalshi)
- Fernando Tatis Jr. Over 1.5 Total Bases (43 cents)
- Elly De La Cruz Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + Runs Batted In (54 cents)
Guardians vs Angels Prop
With Kevin McGonigle ranking in the top five among all position players in WAR, it will be difficult for anyone to unseat him for AL Rookie of the Year. However, Messick has been among the best rookie pitchers in baseball.
The 25-year-old is sixth in MLB and second among rookies with a 2.54 ERA. He also ranks in the top 20 in strikeouts (152) and WHIP (1.03).
Messick is averaging 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings and he has another great matchup. While he fanned seven against the Angels in Cleveland, he also went 6 and 2/3 innings while allowing just four hits and two earned runs.
In addition to that outing against the Angels, Messick has completed at least six innings in seven of his past 11 starts, allowing two runs or fewer in 10 of them.
While he has been a tough customer for all hitters, he has reverse splits and has limited right-handers to a .197 opposing batting average and .588 OPS. That should play against a right-handed heavy Angels lineup.
Messick also essentially has a 2.30 ERA in night game and road games. With another strong performance tonight, he should be in line for six innings and 18 outs.
Pick: Parker Messick Over 17.5 Outs Recorded (60 cents)
Pirates vs Padres Prop
Tatis is a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger, but you would not have known it from his start to the season.
Through his first 55 games, Tatis did not have a home run and just a paltry .652 OPS. However, over his last 74 games, he has 17 home runs, 50 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and a .926 OPS.
Now his season-long numbers are much in line with his career averages with a .814 OPS, 126 OPS+.
In August, Tatis has been arguably the best hitter in baseball. He leads MLB with nine home runs this month, his last four coming in multi-home run games. He has a hit in 16 of his last 18 games, including seven multi-hit games. In that span, Tatis has recorded 74 total bases while averaging 3.1 per game.
Tonight, he will face Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft, who has been locked in over his last two starts. He has allowed two earned runs in 17 innings over his last two starts, but he is not too far removed from allowing four earned runs in three consecutive starts.
The Padres have scored four runs or more in eight of their last 11 games, all wins and Tatis has been right in the middle as I suspect he will be tonight.
Pick: Fernando Tatis Jr. Over 1.5 Total Bases (43 cents)
Reds vs Giants Prop
The Reds have been shut out twice in the last seven games and the common denominator was that De La Cruz did not record a hit.
In the other five, three of which were Reds' wins, De La Cruz has recorded a hit and a run scored in each of those games. In that span, De La Cruz is averaging 2.7 hits, runs, and runs batted in per game.
Tonight, De La Cruz will face Giants' left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, who has a 6.18 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 12 career starts. This season, right-handed hitters are slashing .330/.390/.557 with 13 extra-base hits (five home runs) and 20 RBI against him in 106 at-bats.
Last time out, he allowed seven hits and six earned runs to the Reds' in-state rival Guardians.
De La Cruz is a switch hitter but he has put a lot of work in to improve against left-handed pitchers. He is hitting .322 with eight home runs, 26 RBI, and 22 runs scored with a 1.015 OPS against left-handers this season.
Batting in the leadoff spot of late may get him a fifth plate appearance, but it has also allowed him to set the table for Sal Stewart, who leads MLB with 98 RBI this season.
Pick: Elly De La Cruz Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + Runs Batted In (54 cents)
