Plays on two starting pitchers and Los Angeles Angels slugger Taylor Ward make up my MLB prop pick recommendations on Wednesday.
Today’s MLB props narrative: I’m backing NL arms JP Sears, who has a juicy matchup vs. the San Francisco Giants, and red-hot Atlanta Braves rookie Hurston Waldrep.
Check out my favourite MLB prop bets for Aug. 20.
MLB prop bets
Best bet: Sears over 4.5 Ks (-132)
The southpaw is making his second start with the San Diego Padres since coming over in a blockbuster deal with the Athletics at the trade deadline.
His first start didn’t exactly go well:
- 5 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 1 HR, 4 K
But I can stomach that line with context. He faced a tough Arizona Diamondbacks offence that has the lowest K rate in MLB vs. lefties at hitter-friendly Chase Field.
Sears fell one K shy of this line and was allowed to stay out for 94 pitches.
That broke a streak of five consecutive outings topping this line (he punched out six-plus batters in four of them).
Sears has a much more favourable matchup tonight against the Giants, who have been putrid vs. left-handers and strike out at one of the highest rates in the game. He fanned six vs. them in July.
- San Francisco’s 75 wRC+ vs. lefties is the second-worst mark in MLB.
- The Giants have struck out in 25.6% of their plate appearances against LHPs. Only two teams have a higher K rate.
Lefty teammate Nestor Cortes cleared this vs. San Francisco on Monday, and righty Nick Pivetta fanned 11 Giants last night.
Key stat: Sears is 7-3 vs. this line over his last 10 starts.
Best MLB picks
Waldrep over 17.5 outs (-112): The 23-year-old is making his fourth appearance of the season, and the results have so far been excellent.
Waldrep pitched in relief in his season debut on Aug. 2 vs. the Cincinnati Reds before joining the rotation a week later.
- @ CLE: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K
- Vs. MIA: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K
- @ CIN: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K
He gets the last-place Chicago White Sox tonight, and perhaps they aren’t the most fadable bunch at the moment after destroying Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder on back-to-back nights.
But Strider appears lost at the moment and Elder is one of the game’s most hittable starters.
Chicago remains the third-worst offence in MLB vs. righties, per wRC+, and Waldrep — a 2023 first-round pick — was sizzling in the minors ahead of his promotion.
The matchup is right, and Atlanta has only gotten a combined 11.2 innings from its starters over its last three games. The bullpen could use a breather, having thrown the third-most innings in the second half.
Taylor Ward over 0.5 RBI (+145): Ward is entrenched as the Angels’ cleanup hitter, creating plenty of run-producing opportunities.
The big righty bat has cashed in on those in the second half and been one of the game’s most productive hitters.
- 27 RBI (3rd in MLB)
- 164 wRC+ (10th)
- .287 ISO (16th)
Ward is hitting .277 with an .899 OPS since the start of July. His 92 RBI are tied with Aaron Judge for fifth in MLB.
The Angels get Reds starter Nick Martinez, who isn’t a big bat misser (14th percentile) and enters with a 4.73 ERA. L.A. should get to him at home.
MLB prop picks made at 1:45 p.m. ET on 08/20/2025.
Chris joined NorthStar Gaming from Covers.com where he was a publishing editor and wrote betting content. Before that, he was the sports editor at VICE Canada, worked for theScore and covered the Blue Jays for MLB.com. In addition to filling out the lineup card each day for the editorial team, Chris writes frequently himself, primarily on the NBA and MLB.