Friday is here, and the MLB second half is officially in full swing after the All-Star break! If you are like me, you’re always looking for that edge, and SportsLine’s Matt Severance just dropped his best home run prop picks for the day. He’s putting his money on two guys, but the main event here is Nationals phenom James Wood, who is looking absolutely scorching out there.
Severance's Top Bombs for Friday: Wood and Castro Leading the Charge
When an expert like Matt Severance speaks, you listen. This guy is up $1,681 on MLB picks over the last four seasons, so he knows a thing or two about finding value. For Friday's slate, he's throwing down on James Wood from the Nationals at +285 odds on DraftKings. Wood's playing in Sacramento today at Sutter Health Park, which, okay, it's not quite Coors Field, but it's close enough for some serious dingers. The forecast is looking good too, about 85 degrees at first pitch and those winds are blowing out at least 10 mph. Sounds like perfect conditions for a ball to fly, doesn't it? Severance is also taking Willi Castro of the Rockies at +447 on FanDuel.The Expert's Track Record Speaks for Itself
Severance isn't just throwing darts, either. Last Friday, he took Seiya Suzuki of the Cubs and Austin Wells of the Yankees. Suzuki didn't blast one out in Cincinnati, but he still cashed that Over 1.5 total bases prop with two hits, including a double. That's a good fallback! But get this: Austin Wells, who's apparently having one of the worst offensive seasons in the bigs for a regular, actually hit his sixth dinger of the year at Washington! That sucker paid out at a sweet +459. Matt has now hit a home run prop in two of the last three Fridays. The man is on a roll!Schwarber's Dominance Rocks the Home Run Race
While we're talking dingers, we gotta give a shoutout to Kyle Schwarber. This dude is leading the majors with 32 homers, which is just wild. That's the fifth-most by any player age 33 or older *before* the All-Star break, and it's a new record for a Phillie! Think about it: back in the spring, Aaron Judge was the +350 favorite to lead the league, and Schwarber was way back at +800. Now? Schwarber is the clear -130 favorite. He's led the NL twice, but never all of MLB. The last Phillie to do that was Ryan Howard back in 2008 with 48. Schwarber's updated season total is now projected at 52.5. Can he do it? You know everyone is watching! So, for your Friday action, keep an eye on James Wood. Will he hit one out and make Matt Severance look like a genius again? Only one way to find out, enjoy the games!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.