3 Best MLB Player Prop Bets for Thursday 6/5/25

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

Framber Valdez 7+ Strikeouts (+124)

Framber Valdez has been fantastic in recent starts for the Houston Astros, pitching seven-plus innings in four of his last five outings. Pitching deep into games has resulted in Valdez racking up seven-plus Ks in four of his last five contests, and he'll have a favorable matchup versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

Not only will Valdez have a stellar shot to accrue another quality start against a Pirates team that has the fifth-worst wOBA (.271), fourth-worst wRC+ (68), and fifth-worst ISO (.110) versus southpaws, but Pittsburgh is also recording the fourth-highest strikeout rate (27.2%) in that split. While Valdez's sinkers helps him reside in the 96th percentile in groundball rate (59.9%), his curveball (43.3%) and changeup (31.6%) have elite whiff rates this season.

At the moment, the Pirates' projected lineup has four batters with a strikeout rate of 26.7% or worse against left-handed pitchers in 2025, including Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds at the top of the order. Additionally, Pittsburgh only has three players with a wRC+ above 96 when facing lefties this year, paving the way for Valdez to cruise in Thursday's contest.

James Wood to Record an RBI (+155)

The Chicago Cubs are expected to send out Drew Pomeranz as an opener on Thursday with Colin Rea to follow, which should lead to James Wood having a productive performance. Wood has produced formidable metrics against lefties and righties, earning a .375 wOBA, 142 wRC+, and .253 ISO versus left-handed pitchers (compared to a .414 wOBA, 168 wRC+, and .290 ISO versus right-handed pitchers).

The form has also been excellent for Wood, who has tallied 2 multi-hit outings, 4 doubles, 4 homers, and 12 RBIs across his last 10 games. Rea is permitting a .387 wOBA, 1.68 WHIP, and 1.75 HR/9 to left-handed hitters, so if he does pitch the bulk of the innings, Wood could achieve his RBI prop by sending a ball over the fence.

Since the start of last season, Wood is logging a .209 ISO or better and .407 wOBA or better against two of Rea's three primary pitches versus left-handed hitters (four-seam fastball and curveball). With temperatures in the 80s and winds blowing out at Nationals Park on Thursday, I love Wood's chances of plating at least one run for Washington.

Brandon Lowe to Record 2+ Total Bases (+115)

Following a rough March/April where he registered a forgettable .258 wOBA, 66 wRC+, and .112 ISO, Brandon Lowe began to heat up in May with a .393 wOBA, 161 wRC+, and .281 ISO, and he's carried over that success into June. Lowe has at least one hit in 18 of his last 20 appearances, and the hard-hitting lefty has accumulated 7 multi-hit outings, 3 doubles, 7 homers, and 15 RBIs during that span.

On Thursday, Lowe will square off against Jack Leiter, who is giving up a .281 wOBA and 1.31 HR/9 to lefties (compared to a .274 wOBA and 0.35 HR/9 to righties). Leiter is also in the 21st percentile in xERA (4.74), 38th percentile in xBA (.258), 27th percentile in strikeout rate (18.6%), and 21st percentile in barrel rate (10.5%).

As for Lowe, he's tallying a .357 wOBa, 136 wRC+, and .223 ISO versus right-handed pitchers in 2025. Given his recent form and the warm, humid weather at hitter-friendly Steinbrenner Field on Thursday, Lowe should be able to continue his recent stretch of success at the plate against Leiter and the bullpen of the Texas Rangers.

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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.