Best Hitter & Pitcher Props to Bet in Cubs vs Angels (March 31)
By Chris Amberley in MLB Baseball
Published:
- The Cubs host the Angels tonight in the second contest of a three-game set
- LA starter Jose Soriano has a career 33.3% K rate versus the hitters in Chicago’s lineup
- See below for my best hitter and pitcher props to bet in the Cubs vs Angels matchup on March 31
A couple teams off to middling starts square off tonight at Wrigley Field, as the 2-2 Cubs host the 2-3 Angels. The weather is calling for cool, overcast temperatures in Chicago tonight, which is a downgrade for both lineups and a boost for the starting pitchers.
As a result, I’m looking to fade offense tonight in my Cubs vs Angels best hitter and pitcher props, so keep reading for my favorite picks and the reasoning behind each selection.
Cubs vs Angels – Hitter & Pitcher Props to Target
My favorite wager in the MLB player props tonight is over 4.5 strikeouts for LA starter Jose Soriano. I’m also looking to bet under 0.5 hits for the Angels Josh Lowe, and over 0.5 strikeouts for Chicago’s Moises Ballesteros.
SPORTSBOOK
Cubs vs Angels Prop #1: Jose Soriano Strikeouts
- Jose Soriano Over 4.5 Strikeouts (+105 at bet365)
SPORTSBOOK
The Angels enter play as underdogs in the MLB odds, but I think you can make a pretty compelling case for them to win outright based on Soriano’s form. The right-hander threw 6 shutout innings in his season debut against the Astros, mowing down seven Houston hitters along the way. The 27-year-old was a strikeout machine during Spring Training as well, punching out 13 batters over 11.2 innings.
Soriano has averaged roughly a strikeout per inning over the course of his MLB tenure, and there are no shortage of strikeout candidates on this Cubs roster. Chicago has a 22% whiff rate versus right-handed pitching so far this season, with multiple starters posting a K rate north of 30% so far.
Chicago Cubs Strikeout Rate in 2026
Soriano doesn’t have a ton of experience against the Cubs lineup, however he does own a 33.3% strikeout rate over the course of 18 at-bats.
Cubs vs Angels Prop #2: Josh Lowe Hits
- Josh Lowe Under 0.5 Hits (+105 at bet365)
Onto Lowe now, who will be a popular fade in the MLB public betting circles. The 28-year-old has started the season in a 2-for-18 slump, going hitless in four of LA’s first five games.
Lowe has struck out on 47.4% of his at-bats so far, and has managed just two hard hits and one barrel. Those numbers may seem extremely low, but percentage wise the hard contact and barrel rates aren’t that far off from 2025. Last year, he posted his two lowest outputs in those categories since his rookie campaign, and his struggles have clearly followed him into the 2026 season.
Cubs vs Angels Prop #3: Moises Ballesteros Strikeouts
- Moises Ballesteros Over 0.5 Strikeouts (-160 at bet365)
Last but not least, Ballesteros to strike out at least once is a slam dunk in my eyes. Sure, paying -160 juice isn’t ideal, but Bet365’s price on the prop is 30 cents lower than consensus at the time of writing.
Ballesteros enters play with at least one K in all four of his starts, and owns a called+swinging strike rate of 25.5%. His 33.3% K rate is a bit above his career average, but strikeouts have plagued him throughout his journey from the minors to the pros, and it will take some time for the sophomore’s eye to adjust to Big League pitching on a full-time basis.
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Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.