MLB All-Star Game Betting Preview: 3 Player Props and Our Best Bet
The Midsummer Classic is finally here! The MLB season is more than halfway finished, but tonight’s contest pits the best players from the American League against the National League in Globe Life Field.
With more than three dozen major league players making their debut in tonight’s contest, this contest feels like anyone could emerge to be recognized as a budding star on the game’s biggest stage.
What should bettors expect in tonight’s All-Star contest? We’ll cover that as well as our top three MLB player prop bets as the American League takes on the National League inside the Texas Rangers’ stadium on Tuesday night.
Paul Skenes To Record 1+ Strikeouts In 1st Inning (-350)
For the fifth time ever, a rookie pitcher will earn the start in the All-Star contest. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes will join Dave Stenhouse (1962), Mark Fidrych (1976), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), and Hideo Nomo (1995) as the only rookie pitchers to earn the starting bid.
Skenes secured the start after having pitched only 11 times in the majors this season. The rookie has a 1.90 ERA in 66.1 innings, and the right-hander has thrown 89 strikeouts in those appearances.
With Skenes facing multiple players for the first time, expect the starting pitcher to record at least one strikeout in his first All-Star appearance to cover this player prop bet on Tuesday night.
Aaron Judge To Record A Hit (+100)
In his ninth season, New York Yankee center fielder Aaron Judge is enjoying his sixth All-Star selection – and fourth consecutive trip – in Texas on Tuesday night. Judge has been a model of consistency for the Yankees since breaking into the majors in 2016.
In 2024, Judge is one of the best hitters in the American League as the center fielder has a .306 batting average, ranking seventh in the major leagues this season. The 6-foot-7 star is leading the majors with 34 home runs and 85 RBIs.
It’s tempting to pick Judge for the home run player prop, but the Midsummer Classic has been a nightmare for the athlete. He has collected just one hit in nine plate appearances. Expect him to at least record a hit tonight to redeem his dreadful All-Star Game past performances.
Bryce Harper To Record 1+ RBI (+190)
Like Aaron Judge, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper is another athlete who has made multiple All-Star Roster – eight, to be exact – but has little to show for it. Harper has not played in the Midsummer Classic since 2018 due to injuries, giving him extra motivation to succeed in tonight’s contest.
Expect him to do just that tonight. After striking out five of the 11 times he has stepped up to bat, Harper will record his third hit on Tuesday and drive home at least one run for the National League.
Savvy bettors can parlay this RBI player prop with Harper recording a hit (+105) for +241 odds, meaning a $10 wager would net a $24.16 payout.
Best Bet: NL Total Runs UNDER 3.5
In nine out of the past 10 MLB All-Star games, the National League has scored above three runs only once – an 8-6 defeat in 2018’s contest. Since then, the Midsummer Classic has been a pitchers’ duel.
Expect this trend to continue in 2024. With multiple pitchers – such as Skenes – taking center stage tonight, bettors should concede a low-scoring game dominated by the players taking the mound in Texas.
Ernie Horn
Sports Betting Contributor
Ernie is a 25-year veteran of the newspaper industry. He spent those early years working as a sports reporter and editor, but made the move back to the digital world in 2022. Ernie covers college football and NFL betting for Hello Rookie.