Underdog Fantasy MLB Picks - Best Picks & Plays for August 8: Francisco Lindor Continues Hot Streak Against Justin Dunn
Tonight’s Major League Baseball slate may not feature a ton of games, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t favorable MLB player props over at Underdog Fantasy for us to target. When looking at tonight's MLB Vegas odds and some MLB betting lines, the New York Mets have the second-highest implied run total for the evening. Justin Dunn is making his debut for the Cincinnati Reds after posting a 6.92 ERA at Triple-A this season. Meanwhile, Francisco Lindor is one of the hottest hitters in baseball at the moment and he should be the catalyst for the Mets’ hit parade tonight. The Mets are also likely to be a top MLB DFS stack and Lindor will be a great option in many daily fantasy baseball lineups and MLB player props. Plus, we’ll head to Oakland where Athletics starter Cole Irvin will look to continue his breakout campaign this evening against the struggling Los Angeles Angels. If you want to add more MLB player props to increase your multiplier this evening, check out the wealth of MLB daily fantasy data we have on today’s lineup page, as well as our MLB daily projections. Don't forget to check out the latest MLB weather report too. Without further ado, here are my favorite MLB player props over on Underdog Fantasy for Monday, August 8.
MLB Player Props Underdog Fantasy August 8
Francisco Lindor – OVER 8.0 Fantasy Points
Justin Dunn had a 6.92 ERA and 1.38 HR/9 in seven starts at Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate this year, and tonight’s start will be his first donning the Reds' threads. Dunn has 25 big league starts under his belt, and he’s posted a 1.40 HR/9 and 3.94 ERA (5.61 FIP) in his career. Lefties had more success in past years against Dunn, and Lindor is my favorite bat against him tonight. He’s hitting righties at a .281 clip with an .846 OPS on the year. Lindor is also white-hot at the moment, hitting .417 with a .583 slugging percentage over his last seven games. He’s hit safely in 14 of his last 15 contests with seven multi-hit efforts during this hot streak. The New York Mets' star middle infielder should continue his excellent run tonight against Dunn and the Cincinnati Reds.
Cole Irvin – OVER 18.5 Pitching Outs
Over the last two weeks, the Angels, yes the Angels, have the eighth-lowest strikeout rate against left-handed pitchers. However, during that span, they have the third-lowest batting average, fourth-lowest BABIP, ninth-lowest wOBA, and ninth-lowest wRC+. This game is being played in Oakland, and Irvin has a 1.73 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and .222 wOBA allowed in his home park this season. Over his last five home starts, he’s surpassed this line four times, including doing so in far tougher matchups against Toronto and Houston.
Other MLB Player Prop Leans:
- Chris Bassitt OVER 18.5 Pitching Outs
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Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.
José Soriano allowed three runs over five innings while not factoring in the decision Thursday against the Blue Jays.
Soriano left with a 4-3 lead, but it was erased quickly after his departure. The 26-year-old was not exactly dominant in his outing with eight hits allowed and four free passes, but he did strike out six to help balance things out a smidgen. Soriano takes an even ERA of 4.00 into a scheduled start against the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. There should be better options for that one.