The complete MLB schedule for Wednesday includes several afternoon matchups as teams finalize their series before heading out on the road. Two games featuring potential playoff contenders — the Philadelphia Phillies against the Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros facing the Detroit Tigers — begin shortly after 1 p.m. ET. As the day continues, the New York Yankees look to secure another victory following their nine home runs against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, while the Milwaukee Brewers travel to play the Chicago Cubs. With numerous games scheduled, there are ample player prop opportunities for those interested in MLB betting available at the top sportsbooks.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB matchup 10,000 times. It enters Week 21 of the 2025 MLB season with a profitable record of 31-23 on highly-rated MLB money line selections. The Inside the Lines team has focused on its most promising props for Wednesday’s matchups. Here are some of their top recommendations.
Top MLB player prop suggestions for Wednesday, Aug. 20:
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Top MLB player props on Wednesday
For daily free sportsbook selections, visit the Inside the Lines Blog.
Jesus Luzardo Under 6.5 strikeouts
Jesus Luzardo leads our projected strikeout metrics, yet there’s a mild preference for his Under, with the line set at 6.5 at +105 odds on DraftKings. Luzardo is currently on an intriguing run; over his last 11 starts, he has either struck out seven batters (seven times) or four (four times). That’s quite a striking pattern. Given the odds and our projections, the Under is the recommended bet here.
Yusei Kikuchi Over 5.5 strikeouts
FanDuel presently lists this at 4.5 (-166) as of the time of writing, which is a notably advantageous bet considering our projection of 5.88. That figure may rise to 5.5, aligning with other sportsbooks like DraftKings, soon. Kikuchi has exceeded 4.5 strikeouts in 73% (19-7) of his appearances. Moreover, there’s buy-low potential here with the left-hander coming off a performance with three strikeouts, three walks, and four earned runs. Other pitchers averaging between 5.5 and 6.0 strikeouts (Kikuchi’s average is 5.73) hold a 5-0 record with a 7.4 strikeout average when competing against the Reds at home. They also stand at 6-2 when facing the Reds in Cincinnati.
MLB home run, stolen base, strikeout reference sheet
The SportsLine Model is created and powered by the Inside the Lines team. You can explore all of the team’s selections and content at our blog, which features all our personal top bets for no cost. The concept is straightforward. We compare the strongest projected values from the SportsLine Model against the best available odds at the time we publish our analysis. In many instances, lines shift in our favor, making it wise to bookmark the blog, follow us on social media, and frequently check for updates throughout the day to optimize your expected value.
The table below displays today’s projected top Home Run, Stolen Base, and Strikeout Leaders. We include each projection, and for HRs and SBs, the money line we would set for YES HR/SB. This reference sheet can be utilized to compare with your sportsbook’s line, and if your line is considerably higher than ours (and you favor the player), consider placing that bet.
