The final games of August will be played today as all 30 MLB teams are in action and gearing up for the September playoff push.
The pregame narrative: Paul Goldschmidt is running away with the NL MVP and is in good shape to continue doing damage tonight. Fellow star Juan Soto is getting on base at a historic rate, while Michael Wacha has been flying under the radar.
Find all our top MLB prop picks for August 31 below.
Odds as of 8:55 a.m. ET on 08/31/2022.
MLB prop picks
Best bet: Goldschmidt over 1.5 total bases (-110)
It’s never a bad idea to bet on the NL MVP frontrunner but in this situation, we’re even more confident.
Goldschmidt has terrorized Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Minor throughout his career, going 8-for-14 against the lefty with three home runs.
The one time they played this season, Goldschmidt tagged Minor for two hits, one of which left the yard, upping his slash line against him to a staggering .571/.600/1.286.
Even if Minor manages to finish his outing against Goldschmidt unscathed, we’re still confident that the Cardinals’ first baseman will wreak some havoc on an awful Reds bullpen.
Cincinnati’s relief arms have the second-worst ERA in the majors (4.82) and are a bottom-third group in WHIP, hits and home runs allowed.
Goldschmidt has the sixth-most extra-base hits this year with 67 (33 doubles, 34 home runs).
Key stat: Goldschmidt leads the NL in total bases with 287.
Quick picks
Soto over 0.5 runs (-110): Soto has done precisely what he was brought to San Diego to do. The 23-year-old is slashing .278/.447/.494 in August with 20 runs scored. Soto’s NL-best .447 on-base percentage this month, thanks to his high walk rate, often puts him in positions to score.
Soto is going up against San Francisco’s Alex Wood and has taken the Giants lefty deep twice in 11 plate appearances. His +800 home run prop also catches our eye if you’re feeling a little frisky, as Soto has brought himself across the plate 24 times this season.
Wacha over 3.5 strikeouts (-148): This isn’t the most eye-catching play considering it carries a fair bit of juice but we like its chances of cashing. Wacha has passed this line in three straight starts, averaging 6.3 punchouts over that span.
He has dominated this Twins lineup in the past. His 32.8 K% (20 in 61 PA) against Minnesota’s group is leaps and bounds better than his season average of 19.5% (and his career average of 20.6%).
Disclaimer This content was produced as part of a partnership and therefore it may not meet the standards of impartial or independent journalism.
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