MLB Best Bets, Predictions, Player Props, Picks for Friday 5/2

We have a full, 15-game slate on Friday, May 2 and our MLB betting experts have come in with a trio of plus-money picks.

They found value in the MLB prop markets today as all three picks are player props, which should give bettors some fun ways to watch Friday’s games.

There’s plenty of baseball to watch tonight, so let’s get right into the picks. Continue reading for Friday’s MLB best bets.

[quickslipbasic bookname=”BetMGM” booklogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/779359_BetMGM800x200@1x.png” image=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-8.28.11%E2%80%AFAM.png” buttontext=”Parlay These Picks Instantly!” buttonlink=”https://switchboard.actionnetwork.com/v2/deeplink?deeplinkId[0]=ML1530392596&deeplinkId[1]=ML1530324058&deeplinkId[2]=ML1530345105&context=qs-articles”][/quickslipbasic]

Want more picks? Click here for an EXCLUSIVE discount! Get $50 off your first month of ScoresAndOdds Premium!

MLB Best Bets, Predictions, Player Props 5/2

Game	Time (ET)	Pick
[teammatchup link=”#1″ firstfullname=”Kansas City Royals” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-kansas-city-royals.png” secondfullname=”Baltimore Orioles” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/bal.png”][/teammatchup]	7:05 p.m.	Gunnar Henderson Over 0.5 Home Runs (+400)
[teammatchup link=”#2″ firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”Atlanta Braves” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/atl.png”][/teammatchup]	7:15 p.m.	Teoscar Hernandez Over 0.5 Home Runs (+450)
[teammatchup link=”#3″ firstfullname=”Chicago Cubs” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-chicago-cubs.png” secondfullname=”Milwaukee Brewers” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/mil.png”][/teammatchup]	8:10 p.m.	Quinn Priester Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+120)
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.

[relatedarticle articleimageurl=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2025/05/Yoshi.jpg” linktext=”Dodgers vs Braves Prediction, Parlay Picks, Odds” link=”https://www.actionnetwork.com/mlb/los-angeles-dodgers-vs-atlanta-braves-prediction-pick-odds-friday-may-2-qs”][/relatedarticle]

[anchor name=”1″][/anchor]

[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Grant Neiffer’s Royals vs Orioles Best Bet: Positive Regression Looming for Henderson”][/subheader]

[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Gunnar Henderson Over 0.5 Home Runs (+400)” league=”mlb” awaylogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-kansas-city-royals.png” awayname=”Kansas City Royals” awayslug=”kansas-city-royals” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/bal.png” homename=”Baltimore Orioles” homeslug=”baltimore-orioles” date=”Friday, May 2″ time=”7:05 p.m. ET” network=”MLB.TV” bookname=”FanDuel” bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/122955_FanDuelSportsBook@1x.jpg” bookreviewslug=”fanduel”][/gameheader]

By Grant Neiffer

I don’t know how, but over the past few seasons, Michael Wacha has been great at suppressing power to lefties. However, the underlying numbers say that shouldn’t be the case as he has massive fly ball splits to lefties, with over a 45% FB% in each of the past two seasons and under 8% HR/FB. Wacha is getting a big ballpark downgrade, going from the worst ballpark for lefty power over the past three seasons (KC) to the second best (Baltimore).

Meanwhile, Gunnar Henderson is one of the best home run hitters in the league. He hasn’t gotten off to a great start this season, but the underlying numbers are similar to last season, when he hit 37 home runs. Positive regression should be coming his way soon and I have the true odds here around +320, making this a great bet.

Pick: Gunnar Henderson Over 0.5 Home Runs (+400)

[teammatchup link=”#1″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Kansas City Royals” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-kansas-city-royals.png” secondfullname=”Baltimore Orioles” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/bal.png”][/teammatchup]

[teammatchup link=”#2″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” secondfullname=”Atlanta Braves” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/atl.png”][/teammatchup]

[teammatchup link=”#3″ shadow=”true” firstfullname=”Chicago Cubs” firstlogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-chicago-cubs.png” secondfullname=”Milwaukee Brewers” secondlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/mil.png”][/teammatchup]

[anchor name=”2″][/anchor]

[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Grant Neiffer’s Dodgers vs Braves Best Bet: Back Hernandez to Homer”][/subheader]

[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Teoscar Hernandez Over 0.5 Home Runs (+450)” league=”mlb” awaylogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-los-angeles-dodgers.png” awayname=”Los Angeles Dodgers” awayslug=”los-angeles-dodgers” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/atl.png” homename=”Atlanta Braves” homeslug=”atlanta-braves” date=”Friday, May 2″ time=”7:15 p.m. ET” network=”MLB Network” bookname=”bet365″ bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/859377_Bet365@1x.png” bookreviewslug=”bet365″][/gameheader]

By Grant Neiffer

Teoscar Hernandez is off to a great start with nine homers through 29 games. He’s also in a great spot today.

Grant Holmes isn’t a bad pitcher, but has been absolutely crushed by righties in his short career, giving up a 2.12 HR/9 to go along with heavy fly ball and hard-contact splits. the weather in Atlanta is good today with decent humidity and temperatures around 80 degrees during the game. The ball should be flying and given the matchup and Hernandez’s recent form, this line should be about 100 points lower.

Pick: Teoscar Hernandez Over 0.5 Home Runs (+450)

[anchor name=”3″][/anchor]

[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Charlie Wright’s Cubs vs Brewers Best Bet: Fade Priester”][/subheader]

[gameheader haspick=”true” picktext=”Quinn Priester Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+120)” league=”mlb” awaylogo=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/08/2023-mlb-logo-chicago-cubs.png” awayname=”Chicago Cubs” awayslug=”chicago-cubs” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/mlb/100/mil.png” homename=”Milwaukee Brewers” homeslug=”milwaukee-brewers” date=”Friday, May 2″ time=”8:10 p.m. ET” network=”MLB.TV” bookname=”DraftKings ” bookprimarylogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/477013_DraftKings@1x.png” bookreviewslug=”draftkings”][/gameheader]

By Charlie Wright

Quinn Priester doesn’t have overwhelming stuff, so he typically dances around the edge of the strike zone looking for weak contact. The problem this year has been enticing batters to offer at those close pitches. Priester has a sub-50% zone rate and a 23.8% chase rate. That’s a rough combination, so it’s no surprise that he has nearly as many walks (12) as strikeouts (13). If you aren’t going to find the zone consistently, you need hitters to help you out and Priester isn’t getting hitters to chase.

Priester has a weak 8.6% swinging-strike rate and just a 23.9% CSW%. He’s had more walks than strikeouts in each of his past two starts and although he has managed to keep his ERA below 4.00, his ERA estimators are well above that mark, most notably a 5.28 SIERA.

Chicago is 19th in strikeout rate against righties and tonight’s projected lineup has a solid 20.3% strikeout rate vs. right-handed pitchers this season. The Cubs have the 10th-lowest O-Swing% and the fifth-highest Z-Swing% as a team.

Chicago also leads the league in contact rate and the top of their lineup is packed with good decision makers. Kyle Tucker is in the 92nd percentile in chase rate and Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch are all 70th percentile or better. Nico Hoerner is one of the few outliers (13th percentile), but makes up for it with a 99th percentile whiff rate.

Priester hasn’t gone more than five innings in any start this season, so he likely won’t get to face the weaker hitters a third time.

Pick: Quinn Priester Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+120)

_InlineAdBlock
[procard imageurl=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/736824_ActionPRO_promo_1500x844.jpg” cta=”Premium picks, tools & analysis” firstupsell=”Track & follow smart money” secondupsell=”Biggest player prop edges” thirdupsell=”Real-time expert pick alerts” buttontext=”SAVE 66% NOW!” buttonurl=”/pricing”][/procard]