Monday’s 12-game MLB slate gives home run bettors a few names worth circling, and the board points to three hitters with clear paths to the long ball: James Wood, Paul Goldschmidt and Esmerlyn Valdez.
Wood is the headliner. The Washington slugger has been one of the most dangerous bats in baseball this season, hitting .271 with a .953 OPS and 30 home runs in 106 games. He’s done most of his damage against righties, with 21 of those homers coming in those matchups, and on Monday he draws Toronto Blue Jays veteran Max Scherzer.
That matchup has plenty of appeal for Wood backers. Scherzer has been rough in six appearances in 2026, carrying a 10.23 ERA and allowing nine home runs.
He has also given up multiple homers in back-to-back outings. Wood, meanwhile, has been scorching lately, going deep 10 times in his last 21 games while batting .325 over that stretch.
He has not faced Scherzer before, but the setup favors another big night for the Washington offense.
Goldschmidt is another strong target, especially with the Yankees needing production. The former MVP has been excellent against left-handed pitching this season, and he gets Chicago White Sox lefty Noah Schultz on Monday. Goldschmidt is batting .333 with a 1.066 OPS in 2026, and nine of his 16 home runs have come against lefties.
Schultz has been vulnerable all season. He has allowed nine home runs in 12 outings and owns a 6.04 ERA.
After starting strong, he has given up a homer in six straight appearances, and his ERA has jumped from 2.53 to 6.04 over his last eight outings. Goldschmidt has only one homer since the All-Star break, but Cody Bellinger’s hamstring injury over the weekend should keep his bat in the lineup more often.
At +426, he stands out against a struggling pitcher.
The value play on the board is Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Esmerlyn Valdez. Since making his debut in late May, Valdez has put together a loud 2026 season, hitting 14 home runs in 37 games, with a .293 average and a 1.092 OPS. He’s been even hotter over the last 28 days, batting .309 with nine homers in 22 games, and he’s already gone deep seven times against both right-handed and left-handed pitching.
That kind of production makes him a tough matchup to game-plan around, and he gets Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly at +405. Kelly has had a rough 2026, posting a 5.12 ERA while allowing 22 home runs in 18 outings. He’s also given up at least one homer in five straight starts, which only adds to Valdez’s appeal.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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