3 Best MLB Player Prop Bets for Monday 8/18/25

The beauty of baseball is the wide variety of prop markets at your fingertips, from home runs to strikeouts and much more.

Utilizing our MLB projections as a guide, here are some MLB player props that look appealing via the MLB odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Please note that betting lines and MLB player projections may change throughout the day after this article is published. Also, the weather may be an issue in some locations. All stats come from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant unless noted otherwise.

Best MLB Player Props Today

Masyn Winn to Hit a Single (-115)

Eury Perez has a 3.58 ERA and 3.05 xERA for the Miami Marlins, potentially causing some to turn away from opposing batters. However, Perez has been vulnerable of late by ceding at least four earned runs in back-to-back appearances (7.84 ERA in the split).

Among the St. Louis Cardinals' batting order, Masyn Winn is a promising contact hitter who could get on base. He ranks in the 19th percentile of xSLG, 25th percentile of average exit velocity, 17th percentile of barrel rate, and 21st percentile of hard-hit percentage. Considering his .394 SLG, backing Winn to record a single feels like the clear choice.

Over Winn's nine games with a hit in August, seven of these appearances featured at least one single. Our MLB DFS projections have Winn logging 0.82 singles tonight, which points to good value with it carrying a 56.0% implied probability (or -127 odds) compared to the -115 line holding a 53.5% implied probability.

Driving our pick home, Winn bats .267 against four-seam fastballs and .280 when facing sliders. Perez leans heavily on these two pitches with a four-seamer carrying a 53.2% usage rate while his slider has a 20.2% usage rate. If Perez's struggles keep up, Winn carries a favorable matchup to hit another single on Monday.

Jack Flaherty Over 17.5 Outs Recorded (-120)

Jack Flaherty of the Detroit Tigers has been on a slide over his previous two starts with a 10.00 ERA. Tonight's opponent -- the Houston Astros -- have totaled the 10th-fewest runs scored on the season, though. Will Flaherty bounce back against a meh batting order, or will Houston take advantage of his recent stumble?

The Astros have recorded a measly 3.7 runs per game over the last 10 games. One of Flaherty's weaknesses is giving up 1.44 home runs per nine innings pitched while ranking in the 4th percentile of barrel rate allowed and 23rd percentile of hard-hit percentage surrendered. Houston is mediocre in the slugging category, ranking 15th in SLG and 16th in home run percentage. In fact, the 'Stros have hit only three big flies over their previous five games, which is significantly lower than their season-long average of 1.10 per game (16th).

Even with recent struggles, Flaherty has still completed six innings of work in two of his past four starts. This turns into a favorable meeting when looking at Flaherty's pitch usage, too.

His four-seam fastball has a 46.6% usage rate, and Houston totals the 11th-most runs above average against the tool. Flaherty's knuckle curve (26.1%) and slider (22.9%) is where he should have a big advantage, for the Astros log the 4th- and 12th-fewest runs above average against the two pitches.

Houston's struggles against breaking balls immediately turns my attention to over 17.5 outs recorded for Flaherty. This is further elevated by the Astros' meh slugging numbers. Look for the Tigers' starter to get back on track.

Elly De La Cruz to Record 2+ Total Bases (-105)

Despite batting only .210 in August, Elly De La Cruz comes into Monday on a five-game hitting streak. De La Cruz is among the top 10 batters for the most projected fantasy points on Monday. Does he have the matchup to shine against the Los Angeles Angels?

Victor Mederos will be on the mound, and he's made only three appearances and one start on the season. His sole start didn't go well, allowing three earned runs and one home run in only four innings of work. Mederos has a 5.63 ERA, 5.93 SIERA, 5.88 xFIP, and most importantly, he's a right-handed hurler. De La Cruz bats .292 against righties compared to .242 when facing southpaws.

Ranking in the 27th percentile of strikeout rate continues to be Elly's major flaw, but Medero has a 20.0% strikeout percentage and totaled only three Ks in his lone start. Furthermore, De La Cruz hits .278 against sinkers and .288 when facing sliders -- which make up Medero's top two most-used pitches. Los Angeles' starter is even on pace to finish in the 10th percentile of hard-hit rate allowed. We know Elly can slug, ranking in the 72nd percentile of average exit velocity, 69th percentile of barrel percentage, and 84th percentile of bat speed.

There's a good chance Medero has another short-lived start, but the Halos' bullpen barely provides relief with the fifth-highest ERA and sixth-highest SIERA. Los Angeles' bullpen also gives up 1.49 home runs per nine innings pitched (the most), further elevating De La Cruz's slugging.

Our projections have Elly in line for 2.36 total bases, providing a 68.3% implied probability for at least two bases (or -215 odds).

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.