MLB Best Bets Today: MLB Player Props for Monday, May 4

Betting Expert Juan Pablo Aravena offers his top MLB prop plays for Monday's 12-game slate, including Matt Olson of the Braves playing on the west coast.
MLB Best Bets Today: MLB Player Props for Monday, May 4

Monday's slate in the majors is loaded with several intriguing matchups. Here are our three best bets for this slate,  where we're targeting two pitchers to go over their proposed strikeout lines while seeing an elite hitter continue his red-hot ways.

Cash in on the best sportsbook promos available at the best MLB betting sites this baseball season. The BetMGM bonus code gets new players one of the best welcome bonuses in the industry.

Best MLB Bets Today

Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees

Cam Schlittler has been excellent for the Yankees in the early stages of the 2026 MLB season, and he's going to have a favorable matchup Monday against the Orioles. Schlittler, who carries an impressive 1.51 ERA and 0.74 WHIP across 41.2 innings and seven starts so far, has a perfectly attainable strikeouts line for this game. He'll be facing an Orioles team that ranks seventh in the majors in strikeouts entering Monday's slate with 313. 

Schlittler's K numbers have been very good as well, as he's fanned at least six in six of those seven appearances while surpassing this line of at least 6.5 Ks five times already. Don't be surprised if Schlittler hits this line once again.

Check out Caesars Sportsbook this MLB season and use the Caesars Sportsbook promo code for one of the top MLB betting promos.

Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs

Cabrera has been one of the best pitchers in an injury-riddled Cubs pitching staff, but the veteran hurler should have a favorable matchup against the Reds on Monday. Cabrera has been an impactful addition to the rotation in Chicago, posting a 3.06 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 29:12 K:BB through 35.1 innings while posting a 3-0 record. 

The Reds have been one of the best teams in the NL Central in 2026, but they tend to struggle offensively away from Great American Ball Park and have scored the ninth-fewest runs in the majors when playing on the road so far in 2026, while ranking in the middle of the pack in strikeouts. In terms of Ks, Cabrera has struck out at least five in his last two starts and fanned a season-high seven the last time out against the Padres on April 28.

Check out Fanatics Sportsbook to bet on MLB odds and use the Fanatics Sportsbook promo for a great welcome offer.

Atlanta Braves vs. Seattle Mariners

The Braves have the best offense in the majors this season, and one of the main reasons why they've been so good has been the play of their star hitters. Entering Monday's slate, the Braves rank near the top of several categories on a collective basis, and Olson has stood out in an elite lineup due to his recent performances. As if that wasn't enough, Olson has had excellent results in a favorable matchup against Logan Gilbert, as he's hitting .214 with an .884 OPS and a home run in 14 at-bats against him throughout his career. 

Olson is seeing the ball extremely well of late, regardless of who's on the mound, as he's hit safely in all but one of his last 11 games as well. The star slugger has hit .372 with a 1.277 OPS, five homers, 12 RBI and 13 runs scored over that stretch. Olson is a strong bet to rack up over 1.5 total bases with the way he's been playing.

Check out on one of the top sports betting apps when you sign up with the bet365 bonus code for your baseball betting.

MLB Picks Recap

  • Orioles vs. Yankees: Cam Schlittler Over 6.5 strikeouts (-125 DraftKings)
  • Reds vs. Cubs: Edward Cabrera Over 5.5 strikeouts (-112 FanDuel)
  • Braves vs. Mariners: Matt Olson Over 1.5 total bases (-150 BetMGM)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
35-year-old sports analyst and journalist. Fan of every single sport on this earth, but mainly NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL and soccer. Eternal optimistic who, for unknown reasons, chose to root for the Chicago Cubs and Jacksonville Jaguars. Born and raised in Chile.
RotoWire Logo

Continue the Conversation

Join the RotoWire Discord group to hear from our experts and other MLB fans.

Top News

Tools

MLB Draft Kit Logo

MLB Draft Kit

Fantasy Tools

Don’t miss a beat. Check out our 2026 MLB Fantasy Baseball rankings.

Related Stories