3 Best MLB Props to Back Today: Eovaldi, Rooker, and Crooks Highlight the Board

Thursday’s slate is loaded, but three prop bets stand out above the noise for very different reasons. One is a workhorse veteran pitcher who’s been on an absolute strikeout tear over his last month. One is a slugger who mashes at home and has 10 home runs already despite a rough batting average. And one is a rookie catcher who’s simply been putting the barrel on the ball more than the numbers suggest. Mix a strikeout prop, a home run swing, and a total bases play together and you’ve got a genuinely fun card to build around today.

These aren’t three picks from the same mold — they’re the three best plays on the board regardless of category, and each one has real, verifiable numbers behind it. Here’s the breakdown.

Nathan Eovaldi Is Missing Bats Like It’s 2021 Again

Nathan Eovaldi takes the mound for the Texas Rangers against the Baltimore Orioles today, and the strikeout market has him at over 7.5 with +136 odds at DraftKings. Given how he’s pitched lately, that number looks soft. Over his last seven starts, Eovaldi has racked up 53 strikeouts in 42.2 innings — an 11.2 K/9 pace that’s a notable jump from his season-long mark. He’s fanned at least nine batters in each of his last three outings, including a 10-strikeout effort against the Angels and a 9-strikeout, 7-inning gem against Toronto.

The matchup only helps his case. Baltimore strikes out at a 23.7% clip against right-handed pitching this season, one of the higher marks in MLB, and the Orioles have punched out 696 times against righties overall. Eovaldi’s had shaky results against Baltimore historically, but this version of him — hitting 120 strikeouts across 111.1 innings on the year with real recent helium — is a different pitcher than the one from those older outings. Getting plus-money on a pitcher this locked in against a lineup this susceptible to strikeouts is exactly the kind of value worth chasing.

Brent Rooker’s Power Is Undeniable Even Through a Slump

Brent Rooker’s batting average sits at just .200 this season, but don’t let that fool you — the man has 10 home runs in only 180 at-bats, and he’s found his power stroke lately with three homers over his last 15 games. Facing the Boston Red Sox today, Rooker is a homer prop worth a look for anyone building a card around thump rather than average.

Rooker’s numbers at home are notably stronger, with four home runs and a .455 slugging percentage in his home sample this year, and the Athletics are hosting Boston in this one. The Red Sox pitching staff has allowed 111 home runs on the season, tied for the second-most in baseball, which lines up well with a hitter who’s shown he can change a game with one swing. Rooker strikes out plenty and the average won’t jump off the page, but for a home run prop specifically, his raw power output backs the bet.

Jimmy Crooks Is Squaring Up More Than the Batting Line Shows

Jimmy Crooks has been thrust into everyday duty behind the plate for the Cardinals, and while the rookie catcher’s overall average sits in the .170s, his total bases prop against the Colorado Rockies today — over 0.5 at -115 on Fanatics — is a very reachable number. Crooks already has three home runs and 11 extra-base hits on the season in a limited sample, showing he’s not just making soft contact even when the hits aren’t falling.

Any single, double, triple, or home run clears this prop outright, and facing a Rockies pitching staff that’s given up plenty of hard contact all year in the thin Denver air, Crooks gets a favorable environment for exactly that kind of extra-base pop. He’s a rookie still figuring out full-time at-bats, but total bases props are forgiving lines, and Crooks has shown enough juice in his batted-ball profile to clear 0.5 more often than his batting average alone would suggest.

Today’s Edge

Three completely different flavors of value, all backed by real trends. Here’s how to build around them:

• Nathan Eovaldi OVER 7.5 Strikeouts (+136 DraftKings)
• Brent Rooker to Hit a Home Run vs. Boston Red Sox
• Jimmy Crooks OVER 0.5 Total Bases (-115 Fanatics)

Whether you play them individually or stack them into a same-game-style card across the slate, these are the three props carrying the most confidence on the board today. Always check your book for the latest number before locking anything in, and consider a quick look at our player prop search tool to shop lines before you bet.