It’s a busy Friday in baseball with 15 games on the schedule, and I’m all over it with my MLB home run prop picks.
Tonight, I see value on a number of sluggers, including Oneil Cruz against the Guardians, Junior Caminero against the Yankees, and Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez against the Blue Jays.
Find my MLB home run prop bets and HR parlay for Friday below.
[quickslipbasic bookname=”BetMGM” booklogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/779359_BetMGM800x200@1x.png” image=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-18-at-9.59.32%E2%80%AFAM.png” buttontext=”+1880 Friday Home Run Parlay” buttonlink=”https://sharpside.com/books/betmgm/passthrough?deeplinkId[0]=ML1488931445&deeplinkId[1]=ML1488885213&context=qs-articles”][/quickslipbasic]
MLB Home Run Props, Picks, Odds Today — 4/18
| Time (ET) | Player Prop |
|---|---|
| 6:40 p.m. | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#1″ firstfullname=”Pittsburgh Pirates” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/pit.png” text=”Oneil Cruz Home Run (+450)”][/teammatchup] |
| 7:05 p.m. | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#2″ firstfullname=”Tampa Bay Rays” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/tb.png” text=”Junior Caminero Home Run (+450)”][/teammatchup] |
| 7:07 p.m. | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#3″ firstfullname=”Cal Raleigh” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/sea.png” text=”Cal Raleigh Home Run (+310)”][/teammatchup] |
| 7:07 p.m. | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#3″ firstfullname=”Julio Rodriguez” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/sea.png” text=”Julio Rodriguez Home Run (+430)”][/teammatchup] |
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Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our MLB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game.
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MLB Home Run Picks for April 18
[subheader sizedown=”true” text=”Oneil Cruz Home Run (+450)” subtext=”vs. Guardians (SP: RHP Luis L. Ortiz)” center=”false” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/pit.png” link1=”” link1follow=”true” logo2url=”” link2=”” link2follow=”true” trailinglogourl=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/859377_Bet365@1x.png” trailinglink=”” trailinglinkfollow=”true”][/subheader]
Oneil Cruz gets a matchup against Guardians right-hander Luis L. Ortiz — he’s not bad pitcher, but he has one massive weakness: left-handed power bats.
Ortiz has some of the largest career HR splits in the majors, allowing a low 0.69 HR/9 to righties but 1.77 HR/9 to lefties.
Cruz’s Statcast data is some of the best in the majors, and in this spot, he has a great chance of going yard.
I have the true odds at around +350, making this a great bet.
[expertwidget username=”gneiffer07″][/expertwidget]
[subheader sizedown=”true” text=”Junior Caminero Home Run (+450)” subtext=”vs. Yankees (SP: LHP Carlos Rodon)” center=”false” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/tb.png” link1=”” link1follow=”true” logo2url=”” link2=”” link2follow=”true” trailinglogourl=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/779359_BetMGM800x200@1x.png” trailinglink=”” trailinglinkfollow=”true”][/subheader]
Junior Caminero is a young player we don’t have a huge sample size on in the majors, but he’s off to a great start this season, with five home runs in 18 games — he is in a great spot to add on tonight.
The weather in Tampa Bay should be great, with temperatures in the mid-80s and the matchup against Yankees starter Carlos Rodon is good.
Rodon has been absolutely crushed by righty power since coming to the Yankees, sitting around a 2.00 HR/9 since 2023.
I have the true odds here at around +360, making this a great bet.
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[subheader sizedown=”true” text=”Cal Raleigh Home Run (+310)” subtext=”@ Blue Jays (SP: RHP Bowden Francis)” center=”false” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/sea.png” link1=”” link1follow=”true” logo2url=”” link2=”” link2follow=”true” trailinglogourl=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/122955_FanDuelSportsBook@1x.jpg” trailinglink=”” trailinglinkfollow=”true”][/subheader]
I don’t think there is a hotter hitter in baseball right now than Cal Raleigh. The stud catcher gets an absolute gas can for lefty power going up against Bowden Francis.
Francis has been wrecked vs. lefties in his career, allowing 1.70 HR/9. Rogers Centre is an upgrade for Raleigh, and with this game being played in a dome, we don’t have to worry about weather.
I have the true odds here at around +240.
[subheader sizedown=”true” text=”Julio Rodriguez Home Run (+430)” subtext=”@ Blue Jays (SP: RHP Bowden Francis)” center=”false” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/sea.png” link1=”” link1follow=”true” logo2url=”” link2=”” link2follow=”true” trailinglogourl=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/122955_FanDuelSportsBook@1x.jpg” trailinglink=”” trailinglinkfollow=”true”][/subheader]
I’m another Mariners slugger tonight with Julio Rodriguez.
Francis is a guy I prefer to target with lefties, but J-Rod is far too good to have odds this high.
Francis owned a 1.41 HR/9 rate to righties last season, to go along with heavy fly-ball and hard-contact splits.
I have the true odds here at around +360, making this a good bet.