Staff Writer

Angels vs. Blue Jays prop picks July 4: Bet on red-hot George Springer at +280

The Toronto Blue Jays are surging ahead of their weekend series with the Los Angeles Angels.

The pregame narrative: Toronto leads the AL East after a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees. The team’s top performer during the series, George Springer, is on an absolute tear and is in a nice spot to continue his dominant ways at the plate.

Check out my Angels vs. Blue Jays picks for July 4, featuring Springer and Eric Lauer.

Angels vs. Blue Jays picks

Best Bet: Springer over 1.5 hits (+280)

Springer is on one right now, and I’m looking to jump on any way I can.

He’s +110 to top his 1.5 total bases prop line, which is another wager I have no problem with. But when somebody is hitting as well as Springer is, I’m willing to look for a prop like this one that provides some juicier odds.

For those unaware of just how well he is hitting the ball these days, check out his numbers across his last 10 games:

.514 batting average
.943 SLG
1.528 OPS
33 total bases

Springer is averaging 3.3 total bases per game over this stretch, thanks to his 18 hits and five home runs.

He’s facing Angels starter Kyle Hendricks, and he certainly isn’t pitching well enough to shake me off Springer.

Hendricks enters tonight’s game with an underwhelming 4.66 ERA and 4.88 FIP. He also has a first-percentile fastball velo (86.3), per Baseball Savant, that should present some very hittable pitches to Springer.

The Blue Jays slugger’s combination of above-average bat speed (68th percentile) and elite power (96th percentile xSLG) should help him deliver on this plus-money prop.

Key stat: Springer has two-plus hits in seven of his last 11 outings.

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Quick pick

Lauer over 5.5 strikeouts (+120): This number is a little outside Lauer’s comfort zone, but there are a couple of reasons to expect an above-average performance.

Firstly, Lauer has performed well since transitioning fully into a starting role. He combines a 3.32 ERA with a 3.88 FIP across his last four starts while averaging 5.25 strikeouts per outing.

He’s only topped this mark once during this stretch, but Los Angeles’ swing-happy bats provide reason for optimism.

The Angels rank 29th in strikeouts per game this season (9.79). They’ve been even worse recently, averaging 11.33 punchouts per contest across their last three.

Lauer isn’t an elite strikeout guy, but he does have an above-average strikeout rate (69th percentile).

Blue Jays picks made at 10:19 a.m. ET on 07/04/2025.

MLB odds, schedule and matchups June 23: Betting notes and lines for Monday’s 9-game slate

The MLB season continues to roll through June with nine series getting underway on Monday night.

Today’s MLB narrative: After a gruelling series with the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Mets welcome the underachieving Atlanta Braves. The New York Yankees aim to stay ahead in the AL East, but will have to deal with the Cincinnati Reds. Elsewhere, the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers lock up.

Check out the latest MLB odds for June 23 below.

MLB odds and betting insights

It’s gone from bad to worse for the Orioles. Baltimore will now likely be without star catcher Adley Rutschman until the All-Star break. The Rangers, meanwhile, are coming off a series victory over the Pirates and are gaining ground in the AL West.

The Mets just finished a gruelling, three-game series against the Phillies and now must prepare for the Braves. Atlanta just swept New York last week and will need a similar result if it wants to climb back into the NL East pennant race.

Arizona has had bad injury luck this season, and now Corbin Carroll is receiving an MRI on Monday for his hand. Carroll has missed the last four games with this injury, and his absence will be missed in Monday’s series opener against the White Sox.

Boston received plenty of criticism for the Rafael Devers trade, but the Red Sox enter Monday’s action in fine form and just a handful of games behind the Yankees for first in the AL East. The Angels, meanwhile, could use a win to keep pace in the AL Wild Card race.

Today’s MLB schedule

Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles

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New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds

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Atlanta Braves vs. New York Mets

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Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Chicago White Sox

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Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers

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Seattle Mariners vs. Minnesota Twins

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Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals

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Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels

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Washington Nationals vs. San Diego Padres

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Mets vs. Phillies Sunday Night Baseball prop bet: Pick Bohm, Nimmo to have big performances

The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies settle their weekend series on Sunday Night Baseball.

The pregame narrative: New York and Philadelphia have exchanged blows across the first two games of this series, setting up an all-important rubber match. The winner of tonight’s contest will slip into first in the NL East as the two squads continue jockeying for position.

Check out my Mets vs. Phillies prop bets, featuring Alec Bohm.

Mets vs. Phillies prop bets

Best Bet: Bohm over 1.5 total bases (-112)

It’s hard to ignore somebody playing as well as Bohm.

The Philadelphia infielder is hitting the cover off the ball. Here’s how he’s performed across his last 12 games:

Hits in 11 contests (20 total)
.408 batting average
.571 SLG
1.024 OPS
28 total bases

Bohm is averaging 2.33 total bases during this stretch, clearing this total in seven outings.

He’s facing a pitcher tonight in David Peterson who, at face value, has performed very well this season. The New York hurler combines a 2.60 ERA with a 3.06 FIP, but there’s not much to Peterson’s Baseball Savant page that’ll blow you away:

3.75 expected ERA (54th percentile)
.268 expected batting average (26th percentile)

Combine those with a 29th percentile average exit velocity, and you get a pitcher who’s liable to be hit hard on any given night.

Bohm is doing an excellent job of making quality contact, as he’s in the 91st percentile of squared up percentage this campaign.

One important factor working in Bohm’s favour, too, is his head-to-head success against Peterson.

Key stat: Bohm has nine hits, including two home runs, in 26 at-bats versus Peterson.

Mets vs. Phillies prop bets made at 11:46 a.m. ET on 06/22/2025.

Mets vs. Phillies Sunday Night Baseball prop bets: Pick Bohm, Nimmo to have big performances

The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies settle their weekend series on Sunday Night Baseball.

The pregame narrative: New York and Philadelphia have exchanged blows across the first two games of this series, setting up an all-important rubber match. The winner of tonight’s contest will slip into first in the NL East as the two squads continue jockeying for position.

Check out my Mets vs. Phillies prop bets, featuring Alec Bohm and Brandon Nimmo.

Mets vs. Phillies prop bets

Best Bet: Bohm over 1.5 total bases (-104)

It’s hard to ignore somebody playing as well as Bohm.

The Philadelphia infielder is hitting the cover off the ball. Here’s how he’s performed across his last 12 games:

Hits in 11 contests (20 total)
.408 batting average
.571 SLG
1.024 OPS
28 total bases

Bohm is averaging 2.33 total bases during this stretch, clearing this total in seven outings.

He’s facing a pitcher tonight in David Peterson who, at face value, has performed very well this season. The New York hurler combines a 2.60 ERA with a 3.06 FIP, but there’s not much to Peterson’s Baseball Savant page that’ll blow you away:

3.75 expected ERA (54th percentile)
.268 expected batting average (26th percentile)

Combine those with a 29th percentile average exit velocity, and you get a pitcher who’s liable to be hit hard on any given night.

Bohm is doing an excellent job of making quality contact, as he’s in the 91st percentile of squared up percentage this campaign.

One important factor working in Bohm’s favour, too, is his head-to-head success against Peterson.

Key stat: Bohm has nine hits, including two home runs, in 26 at-bats versus Peterson.

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Best MLB picks

Nimmo over 1.5 total bases (+148): Speaking of hot hitters, here’s another guy who’s scorching earth at the plate.

Nimmo is absolutely demolishing the baseball. The Mets outfielder just cranked two home runs in Saturday’s victory over the Phillies, and has posted the following numbers across his last 13 games:

.340 batting average
.679 SLG
1.076 OPS
Five home runs
36 total bases

Nimmo is averaging 2.77 total bases during this run and has cashed this prop in seven contests.

He faces a pitcher in Jesus Luzardo who has struggled ahead of this matchup. Luzardo pairs a 13.50 ERA with a 5.40 FIP in his last four starts.

Bet on Nimmo to stay hot and deliver on this plus-money prop.

Mets vs. Phillies prop bets made at 11:46 a.m. ET on 06/22/2025.

White Sox vs. Blue Jays prop picks June 22: Bet on big outings from Alejandro Kirk, Chris Bassitt

The Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox play out the rubber match of their weekend series on Sunday.

The pregame narrative: Toronto and Chicago have exchanged 7-1 beatdowns to open this series. The former sends Chris Bassitt out on Sunday while the latter rolls with Adrian Houser. Can Toronto earn a win and keep pace with its AL East rivals?

Check out my Blue Jays picks vs. the White Sox for June 22, featuring Alejandro Kirk and Chris Bassitt.

Blue Jays picks vs. White Sox

Best Bet: Kirk over 1.5 hits (+210)

Kirk continues to be a constant for Toronto.

The Blue Jays catcher recorded a hit in Saturday’s victory over Chicago, marking the 18th time in 24 games that he registered a knock.

This wager requires Kirk to deliver a pair of hits, however, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he can do just that.

Firstly, Kirk has notched two-plus hits in five of his last 10 games. This kind of success at the plate is nothing new, as he’s hitting .311 on the season.

Secondly, Houser has been allowing plenty of contact in June. Houser has surrendered 20 hits in 17.1 innings pitched across three starts this month and owns a 44th percentile expected batting average (.253).

Lastly, Kirk has had some serious success against Houser in their limited shared plate appearances. Expect him to stay hot in a plus matchup.

Key stat: Kirk has recorded a hit in all six of his plate appearances versus Houser.

Quick pick

Bassitt over 5.5 strikeouts (-118): Bassitt isn’t an elite strikeout arm by any means, but an intriguing matchup and some strong recent results make this market a quality target.

The White Sox are unsurprisingly one of the worst strikeout teams in MLB. They rank 22nd in team strikeouts per game (8.71), and are even worse on the road.

Chicago averages the sixth-most strikeouts per game as a visitor this season (9.35).

Bassitt’s 51st percentile strikeout rate isn’t going to blow anybody away, but he has been clearing this total with some regularity lately.

The veteran hurler has totalled six-plus strikeouts in five of his last eight starts.

He’s been even better at racking up strikeouts at home. Bassitt has a 9.8 Ks per nine rate at home compared to a 7.4 Ks per nine rate on the road.

For comparison, Bassitt has topped this mark in six of his eight starts at Rogers Centre and two of his seven outings anywhere else.

Blue Jays picks made at 9:30 a.m. ET on 06/22/2025.

White Sox vs. Blue Jays prop picks June 22: Bet on big outings from Alejandro Kirk, Chris Bassitt

The Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox play out the rubber match of their weekend series on Sunday.

The pregame narrative: Toronto and Chicago have exchanged 7-1 beatdowns to open this series. The former sends Chris Bassitt out on Sunday while the latter rolls with Adrian Houser. Can Toronto earn a win and keep pace with its AL East rivals?

Check out my Blue Jays picks vs. the White Sox for June 22, featuring Alejandro Kirk and Chris Bassitt.

Blue Jays picks vs. White Sox

Best Bet: Kirk over 1.5 hits (+210)

Kirk continues to be a constant for Toronto.

The Blue Jays catcher recorded a hit in Saturday’s victory over Chicago, marking the 18th time in 24 games that he registered a knock.

This wager requires Kirk to deliver a pair of hits, however, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he can do just that.

Firstly, Kirk has notched two-plus hits in five of his last 10 games. This kind of success at the plate is nothing new, as he’s hitting .311 on the season.

Secondly, Houser has been allowing plenty of contact in June. Houser has surrendered 20 hits in 17.1 innings pitched across three starts this month and owns a 44th percentile expected batting average (.253).

Lastly, Kirk has had some serious success against Houser in their limited shared plate appearances. Expect him to stay hot in a plus matchup.

Key stat: Kirk has recorded a hit in all six of his plate appearances versus Houser.

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Quick pick

Bassitt over 5.5 strikeouts (-118): Bassitt isn’t an elite strikeout arm by any means, but an intriguing matchup and some strong recent results make this market a quality target.

The White Sox are unsurprisingly one of the worst strikeout teams in MLB. They rank 22nd in team strikeouts per game (8.71), and are even worse on the road.

Chicago averages the sixth-most strikeouts per game as a visitor this season (9.35).

Bassitt’s 51st percentile strikeout rate isn’t going to blow anybody away, but he has been clearing this total with some regularity lately.

The veteran hurler has totalled six-plus strikeouts in five of his last eight starts.

He’s been even better at racking up strikeouts at home. Bassitt has a 9.8 Ks per nine rate at home compared to a 7.4 Ks per nine rate on the road.

For comparison, Bassitt has topped this mark in six of his eight starts at Rogers Centre and two of his seven outings anywhere else.

Blue Jays picks made at 9:30 a.m. ET on 06/22/2025.

Alcaraz vs. Lehecka Queen’s Club final odds and best bet: Pick the Spaniard to win convincingly

Carlos Alcaraz aims to add another trophy to his mantle in a Queen’s Club final against a plucky Jiri Lehecka.

Today’s Queen’s Club narrative: Alcaraz is in absolutely incredible form, and it’s difficult to see anybody upsetting the Spaniard. Lehecka does have recent history in his favour, however, and has plenty on the line in this matchup.

Check out our Alcaraz vs. Lehecka odds and my best bet for the June 22 men’s final.

Alcaraz vs. Lehecka odds

Go to full Queen’s Club betting markets.

Click linked odds to add selection to your betslip.

Alcaraz vs. Lehecka markets	Betting odds
Alcaraz to win	-455
Lehecka to win	+340
Alcaraz -1.5 sets	-136
Lehecka +1.5 sets	+107
Alcaraz -3.5 games	-129
Lehecka +3.5 games	+100
Over 22.5 games	-114
Under 22.5 games	-112

Queen’s Club odds as of 2:48 p.m. on 06/21/2025.

Best men’s final tennis pick

Best Bet: Alcaraz -1.5 sets (-136)

There is a case to build for Lehecka, but I will continue backing Alcaraz until further notice.

The Lehecka case starts with the 23-year-old’s 2025 results. He owns an impressive 24-12 record on the campaign, and is an even more impressive 6-1 on grass.

One of the Czech star’s 24 victories this year came against Alcaraz, as he beat Alcaraz in three sets at the Qatar Open.

This will be the third head-to-head meeting between these two young talents, and it’s the first clash that I believe will be more indicative of this result.

Alcaraz beat Lehecka 6-2, 6-3 at the 2023 Queen’s Club final en route to his first and only title at the tournament.

Bettors don’t have to look far to find a reason to bet on Alcaraz. The Spaniard hasn’t lost a match since April 20, winning 17 consecutive matches during this stretch.

Alcaraz has won 13 of those matches by two-plus sets, further illustrating how dominant he’s been.

He’s also one of the absolute best returners on this surface. Alcaraz has won a higher percentage of return games on this surface than anybody else (31.8%).

Key stat: Alcaraz owns a dominant 24-1 record on grass courts since 2023.

Queen’s Club predictions made at 12:51 p.m. on 06/21/2025.

Bublik vs. Medvedev Halle Open final odds and best bet: Bet on Bublik to pull off upset

Alexander Bublik has a chance to exercise some demons against Daniil Medvedev in the Halle Open final.

Today’s Halle Open narrative: Bublik is staring down a matchup that has not treated him well. Medvedev is searching for his first Halle Open title and his first tournament win in quite some time. Fans and bettors should be treated to an excellent matchup in Germany.

Check out our Bublik vs. Medvedev odds and my best bet for the June 22 men’s final.

Bublik vs. Medvedev odds

Click linked odds to add selection to your betslip.

Bublik vs. Medvedev markets	Betting odds
Bublik to win	+125
Medvedev to win	-167
Over 24.5 games	-112
Under 24.5 games	-112

Best men’s final tennis pick

Best Bet: Bublik to win (+125)

Now seems like the right time for Bublik to earn his first-ever win over Medvedev.

This matchup has historically been a house of horrors for the Kazakhstani star. Bublik has lost all seven matches against Medvedev and hasn’t been particularly competitive.

He’s won just two sets against Medvedev, while the latter has taken 14.

So why is now the time for Bublik to pull off the upset?

Firstly, he’s playing some excellent tennis. He won at Turin in May and has won eight of his last nine matches, with his lone loss coming to Jannik Sinner at the French Open.

Secondly, Medvedev has taken a step back in 2025. His .657 winning percentage is his worst mark in a single year since 2017 (.500).

Medvedev was not in fine form before this tournament started. He had lost three of his last four matches before arriving in Halle.

Plus, Medvedev hasn’t won a tournament since 2023.

Thirdly, this matchup has extra meaning for Bublev. A win for him will earn him a seeded entry to Wimbledon, which is certainly a huge benefit.

Bublik is known for being a streaky player, and right now he’s trending up. I’m looking to jump on at this plus-money price.

Key stat: Bublik ranks 20th in grass-court serve rating over the last 52 weeks, while Medvedev sits 32 per ATPtour.com.

Halle Open predictions made at 4:18 p.m. on 06/21/2025.

Bublik vs. Medvedev Halle Open final odds and best bet: Bet on Bublik to pull off upset

Alexander Bublik has a chance to exercise some demons against Daniil Medvedev in the Halle Open final.

Today’s Halle Open narrative: Bublik is staring down a matchup that has not treated him well. Medvedev is searching for his first Halle Open title and his first tournament win in quite some time. Fans and bettors should be treated to an excellent matchup in Germany.

Check out our Bublik vs. Medvedev odds and my best bet for the June 22 men’s final.

Bublik vs. Medvedev odds

Go to full Halle Open betting markets.

Click linked odds to add selection to your betslip.

Bublik vs. Medvedev markets	Betting odds
Bublik to win	+128
Medvedev to win	-159
Over 24.5 games	-113
Under 24.5 games	-113

Best men’s final tennis pick

Best Bet: Bublik to win (+128)

Now seems like the right time for Bublik to earn his first-ever win over Medvedev.

This matchup has historically been a house of horrors for the Kazakhstani star. Bublik has lost all seven matches against Medvedev and hasn’t been particularly competitive.

He’s won just two sets against Medvedev, while the latter has taken 14.

So why is now the time for Bublik to pull off the upset?

Firstly, he’s playing some excellent tennis. He won at Turin in May and has won eight of his last nine matches, with his lone loss coming to Jannik Sinner at the French Open.

Secondly, Medvedev has taken a step back in 2025. His .657 winning percentage is his worst mark in a single year since 2017 (.500).

Medvedev was not in fine form before this tournament started. He had lost three of his last four matches before arriving in Halle.

Plus, Medvedev hasn’t won a tournament since 2023.

Thirdly, this matchup has extra meaning for Bublev. A win for him will earn him a seeded entry to Wimbledon, which is certainly a huge benefit.

Bublik is known for being a streaky player, and right now he’s trending up. I’m looking to jump on at this plus-money price.

Key stat: Bublik ranks 20th in grass-court serve rating over the last 52 weeks, while Medvedev sits 32 per ATPtour.com.

Halle Open predictions made at 4:18 p.m. on 06/21/2025.

Alcaraz vs. Lehecka Queen’s Club final odds and best bet: Pick the Spaniard to win convincingly

Carlos Alcaraz aims to add another trophy to his mantle in a Queen’s Club final against a plucky Jiri Lehecka.

Today’s Queen’s Club narrative: Alcaraz is in absolutely incredible form, and it’s difficult to see anybody upsetting the Spaniard. Lehecka does have recent history in his favour, however, and has plenty on the line in this matchup.

Check out our Alcaraz vs. Lehecka odds and my best bet for the June 22 men’s final.

Alcaraz vs. Lehecka odds

Go to full Queen’s Club betting markets.

Click linked odds to add selection to your betslip.

Alcaraz vs. Lehecka markets	Betting odds
Alcaraz to win	-455
Lehecka to win	+340
Alcaraz -1.5 sets	-136
Lehecka +1.5 sets	+107
Alcaraz -3.5 games	-129
Lehecka +3.5 games	+100
Over 22.5 games	-114
Under 22.5 games	-112