Monday’s tiny MLB slate doesn’t leave much room to get cute with home run props, but there are still a few names worth circling before the schedule opens up again Tuesday.
The board is thin, with only three games on tap, and that means the usual buffet of long-ball targets just isn’t there. Even so, three hitters stand out: Washington’s James Wood, Toronto’s Kazuma Okamoto, and San Francisco’s Drew Gilbert.
Wood is the most obvious name with star power, and he’s also the one carrying the most recent frustration. Since coming off the injured list, the Nationals slugger has not homered, though he does get a soft landing Monday night against Detroit’s River Ryan.
Ryan is a young starter with very limited MLB experience, and the Tigers are expected to turn the game over to Keider Montero after him. Detroit’s bullpen has already allowed 71 home runs this season while posting a 3.84 ERA, which keeps the door open for a late swing to cash.
Wood has 30 home runs in the 2026 season, and the matchup fits his profile. He’s hitting .270 with 21 homers against right-handed pitching, and with Ryan likely only covering a few innings, there’s reason to think Wood gets multiple looks at a vulnerable pitching staff before the game is over.
Okamoto is the more in-form option. The Blue Jays infielder has piled up 33 home runs this season and has caught fire over the last two weeks, launching five in his last 12 games while putting up an OPS over 1.000 during that stretch. At +426, the price is attractive for a hitter with that kind of power production.
The matchup isn’t a bad one either. Okamoto is 1-for-3 in his career against Orioles starter Shane Baz, and Baz has already surrendered four home runs in three starts this month.
Baz has given up 15 homers in 30 appearances this season, and 23 of Okamoto’s 33 home runs have come against right-handers. That makes the right-on-right setup worth a look.
Gilbert is the true long shot of the group, but there’s at least a clean path to the plate appearances. The Giants outfielder has 10 home runs this season, and all of them have come against right-handed pitching. He’s hitting .255 with a .778 OPS versus righties, which puts him in play against Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews.
Matthews has been hittable all season, allowing 23 home runs in 22 starts while carrying a 4.74 ERA. Gilbert has also shown a little recent pop, going deep three times in his last 14 starts, so while this is the riskiest of the three props, it isn’t a wild stab.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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