The opening weekend of the 2025 MLB season was nothing short of thrilling. Powerful swings were on display all over the place. The New York Yankees set a new record with 15 home runs through their first three games. Here’s a look at three sluggers worth trusting to send a ball beyond the fence on Monday, March 31st.
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Monday’s Best MLB Home Run Prop Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Kyle Schwarber (+255)
Kyle Schwarber smacked a pair of home runs over the weekend to fuel a Phillies’ series victory. The two-time All-Star looks to stay hot as Philadelphia heads home to face Colorado. The Rockies’ pitching staff logged an abysmal 5.48 ERA and surrendered a league-high 110 homers during away contests in 2024. Despite that lack of success, the team’s front office didn’t add to the starting rotation in the offseason.
Right-hander German Marquez will be on the mound at Citizens Bank Park. Targeting him in this market is the way to go, considering he has allowed 35 home runs across his past 36 MLB starts. Schwarber has gone 6-for-14 with two dingers and a double against Marquez. Those seeking a bigger payout could lock in Schwarber leaving the yard in his first at-bat at +800 odds. He racked up a whopping 15 leadoff blasts last year.
Matt McLain (+650)
Reds fans were rightfully excited when Matt McLain burst onto the scene with 65 runs, 16 home runs and 50 RBI in 89 games as a rookie in 2023. A shoulder injury sustained in spring training kept the young star out for the entire 2024 season. McLain has since returned to the lineup and hasn’t missed a beat. He showcased his strength by launching two homers in Cincinnati’s opening series versus the San Francisco Giants.
It’s worth pointing out that one of those jacks came on a slider and the other on a four-seam fastball. Texas is handing the ball to Kumar Rocker on Monday night. The former Vanderbilt Commodore has relied on his fastball or slider over 81% of the time through his first three starts in the big leagues. Rely on McLain to stay patient at the plate and get the Cincinnati crowd on its feet with another moon shot.
Brent Rooker (+400) & Tyler Soderstrom (+650)
These final two picks are more about Chicago Cubs starter Ben Brown than anything else. While Brown has the talent to be a dependable arm for the Cubs down the road, he has a long way to go in terms of limiting hard contact. Brown’s hard-hit percentage of 51.4% was the highest mark posted among qualified MLB hurlers in 2024. He was also tagged for the third-highest average exit velocity (91.8 miles per hour).
That bodes well for Athletics hitters on Monday. Outfielder Brent Rooker recorded a career-high 57.1% hard-hit percentage and finished tied for fifth among hitters with 29 home runs against right-handed pitching last year. Meanwhile, first baseman Tyler Soderstrom has tallied three homers versus righties in his first four contests of this campaign. The first regular-season game at Sutter Health Park is set up to be a fun one.
