Daily Dinger: Best MLB Home Run Picks Today (Trust Teoscar Hernandez vs. Lefty, Bet Aaron Judge)

Breaking down the best players to bet on in MLB to hit a home run on Friday, Sept. 20.

Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) hits a two run home run. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Thursday was a terrific day in Major League Baseball to bet on a home run prop – if you took Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani became the first member of the 50-homer, 50-stolen base club, slugging three dingers against the Miami Marlins in a 20-4 win. He left no doubt about reaching the 50-50 club (his own club now), and bettors would have easily cashed in on a home run prop for him.

Tonight, I’m targeting three players to go yard, including one of Ohtani’s teammates in the Dodgers’ matchup against the Colorado Rockies.

Home run props are always fun to bet (who doesn’t want to see a long ball?), but they also are hard to predict. Let’s see if we can cash in on some favorable odds on Sept. 20. 

Best MLB Home Run Picks Today for Friday, Sept. 20

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Teoscar Hernandez to Hit a Home Run (+340)
• James Wood to Hit a Home Run (+450)
• Aaron Judge to Hit a Home Run (+235)

Teoscar Hernandez to Hit a Home Run (+340)

Whenever the Dodgers are facing a lefty, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez is one of my favorite players to target in the home run market.

So far this season, Hernandez has 29 home runs, hitting 10 of those against left-handed pitching while posting an impressive .295/.360/.571 slash line. He’s only had 149 at bats against lefties, yet he’s only hit nine less homers than he has against righties in 405 at bats.

Tonight, he gets a crack at Kyle Freeland (4.89 ERA), who has given up 16 home runs in 19 starts. Freeland does have a 2.00 ERA this month, but he gave up two homers in his last outing against the Chicago Cubs.

This is a great spot to bet on Hernandez to break into the 30s in homers in 2024. 

James Wood to Hit a Home Run (+450)

Washington Nationals rookie James Wood is one of the more exciting young players in the game, and he’s looked good since getting called up to the big leagues, hitting .266 with seven homers in 70 games.

Wood has been especially good against right-handed pitching, posting a slash line of .269/.381/.463 with six of his seven long balls.

He faced Chicago Cubs starter Jameson Taillon (21 homers allowed in 26 starts) on Friday night. 

While Taillon (3.54 ERA) has pitched well in 2024, he still is prone to the long ball, allowing 20 or more homers in each of the last five full seasons that he’s pitched.

Don’t be shocked if Wood gets a hold of one on Friday night. 

Aaron Judge to Hit a Home Run (+235)

After Ohtani broke into the 50-home run club this season in style, will New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge look to outdo him on Friday?

Judge leads MLB with 53 home runs, although he’s cooled off a bit in that department in the month of September.

Luckily, Judge is taking on a young Oakland A’s pitcher in J.T. Ginn, who has a 4.94 ERA and has given up four homers in six starts in 2024 on Friday night. 

Even though Judge hasn’t been a home machine, he still has a hit in seven of his last eight games, keeping his insane slash line (.321/.455/.687) this season intact.

He’s worth a shot in this prop against an inexperienced starter on Friday.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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