Daily Dinger: Best MLB Home Run Prop Bet Picks Today (Bet on James Wood, Kyle Tucker Monday)

Breaking down the best players to bet on to hit a home run on Monday, May 12, including a pick for James Wood.

Washington Nationals star James Wood is a great bet to go deep on Monday. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

There are some intriguing home run prop bets on the board on Monday, May 12, and I’m eyeing a trio of left-handed sluggers to leave the yard.

Who doesn’t love a little home run prop to kick off the week?

Here at SI Betting, we attempt to predict a home run hitter every day, and while these bets aren’t easy to hit, they do usually offer a pretty solid payout as a trade off. 

On May 12, I’m looking at a pair of players that are amongst the leaders in the National League in home runs this season, as they both have favorable pitching matchups. 

Washington’s James Woods and Chicago’s Kyle Tucker are both set at greater than 4/1 odds to go deep despite entering Monday’s action with double-digit homers in 2025.

Here’s a full breakdown of these prop picks to kick off the week in MLB! 

Best MLB Home Run Prop Bet Picks for Monday, May 12

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• James Wood to Hit a Home Run (+450)
• Kyle Tucker to Hit a Home Run (+425)
• Josh Naylor to Hit a Home Run (+650)

James Wood to Hit a Home Run (+450)

This season, Wood has been great for the Washington Nationals, smacking 10 home runs while posting a .274/.374/.529 slash line.

The youngster has been great against both lefties and righties, hitting .265 with seven homers against right-handed pitching and .291 with three homers against lefties. He’s facing a righty in Atlanta’s Grant Holmes on Monday night.

Holmes has been prone to the homer this season, allowing eight in eight appearances. He’s really struggled with the long ball as of late, allowing six homers in his last three starts.

This is a great spot to back Wood to hit his 11th homer of the season. 

Kyle Tucker to Hit a Home Run (+425)

Another player with 10 homers this season, Kyle Tucker has been great in his first season with the Chicago Cubs.

The lefty is hitting .269 overall, and he has a terrific matchup on Monday against a pitcher he’s fared well against in his career.

Chicago is taking on the Miami Marlins and starter Cal Quantrill, who Tucker is 3-for-4 with a homer against in limited at bats. Quantrill has been awful in 2025, posting a 7.11 ERA in seven outings.

He’s also given up five homers during that stretch. Tucker has been solid against right-handed pitching in 2025, hitting .270 with six of his homers. Plus, this Miami bullpen could concede a homer as well, as it has given 21 so far in 2025. 

Josh Naylor to Hit a Home Run (+650)

This last pick is a bit of a dart throw, but I’m looking to fade San Francisco Giants starter Justin Verlander on Monday.

Verlander has given up six homers in eight appearances this season, posting a 4.50 ERA. Now, he’s taking on an Arizona Diamondbacks squad that is in the top five in MLB in OPS this season.

While I toyed with the idea of backing Corbin Carroll, Eugenio Suarez or Ketel Marte with this pick, but all three players have shaky stats against Verlander in his career.

Enter Josh Naylor.

While Naylor hasn’t been great against Verlander, he is 3-for-11 with a .545 OPS. This season, the lefty is hitting an impressive .293 with four home runs. I think bettors could do much worse than backing Naylor at +650 to go deep tonight.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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