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Home Run Picks Today (Friday, May 1) – Get Three HR Best Bets

John Hyslop

By John Hyslop in MLB Baseball

Published:


Apr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) high-fives in the dugout after scoring a run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
  • We’ve got a full slate of MLB games on Friday, May 1
  • Any time this happens, it’s on us to find at least three guys we like to go yard and bet them
  • See below for my three best home run plays for tonight

If you’re awake right now, then you already know. It’s Friday. The greatest day of the week because there are 14 MLB games tonight. We’re talking 28 teams taking the field, which gives us 252 guys to choose from in the home run market. God is great. Lucky for us, I’ve been thinking about this slate for a few days now, so I’m ready. In all, I’ve done 2500 mental simulations, and after all that brain work, three guys passed the test and hit home runs in every simulation. We’re blessed. Keep reading.

Home Run Picks For Friday (May 1)

PickOdds
James Wood HR+399
Oneil Cruz HR+400
JJ Wetherholt HR+725

Each one of the home run picks for today is at least +310, meaning if we bet the same amount on each player and one of them hit a dinger, we would profit.

Putting all three in a long-shot home run parlay at FanDuel generates +15509 odds.

MLB odds as of May 1 at DraftKings, BetMGM & FanDuel. Check out SBD’s take on the best sports betting app for MLB.

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  • FANATICS SPORTSBOOK

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  • DRAFTKINGS T&Cs: GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT/PR. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $100 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 5/31/26 at 11:59 PM ET.

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  • BETMGM T&Cs: Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US), 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Promotional offers not available in MS, NY, NV, ON, or PR.

Home Run Pick #1 – James Wood Owes Us

We’re starting early tonight because, honestly, who wants to wait for the dingers? There’s nothing like losing track of time on a Friday evening, realizing the games have been on for 20 minutes, then checking the scores only to see your guy already went yard. The only way to get that feeling is to take someone in the 6:45 pm ET game.

That guy for us tonight is James Wood, and he has the perfect matchup against Jacob Misiorowski.

PitchWood Exit Velocity vs RHP (L15)Misiorowski Barrel Rate vs LHB (L15)
Sinker98.7 MPH9.1%

The entire home run community hates James Wood right now because of the robbery he pulled off yesterday against Juan Soto. It was disgusting. But we need to forgive and forget. The man is a four-seam fastball destroyer, and he’s going to see plenty of them from Jacob Misiorowski. If we’re being honest, Jacob is nasty, so this won’t be easy. He’s only allowed four home runs this season, but he’s the kind of guy who isn’t afraid to challenge hitters. If he leaves a four-seamer over the plate tonight, Wood will put it on the moon. Feels right.

  • The Bet: James Wood to Hit a Home Run (+399) – DraftKings
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Friday HR Pick #2 – Oneil Cruz Hits Bombs

The only thing better than tuning into a game late only to realize your guy already smoked a dong is tuning into two different games late and realizing your guy already went yard. That’s what we’re looking at doing tonight. The Pittsburgh Pirates are hosting the Cincinnati Reds at 6:45 pm ET. It’s the perfect setup.

What’s even more perfect is the fact that Oneil Cruz will see Brady Singer in this thing.

PitchCruz Exit Velocity vs RHP (L10)Singer Exit Velocity vs LHB (L15)
Sinker106.4 MPH92.5 MPH

The thing with Singer is he isn’t a guy we should run to target, but he also isn’t a guy we should be afraid of. He’s already given up five home runs this season in just 29 innings of work, so he can be had. The guy loves throwing the sinker to lefties, and coincidentally enough, Cruz loves hitting that pitch from righties. We’re talking a 106.4 mph exit velocity here, people. He has yet to reach the fans with one but his time is coming. Probably around 6:53 pm ET tonight. Feels easy.

  • The Bet: Oneil Cruz to Hit a Home Run (+400) – BetMGM
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Friday HR Pick #3 – JJ Wetherholt Can’t Be Stopped

It’s only 7:00 pm ET, and we’ve already hit the books pretty hard. Now it’s time for us to knock them out for good. They can sustain two huge blows, but a third one is just too much. Especially when it is a +725 banger.

I don’t know why, but the books still haven’t caught on to JJ Wetherholt. He’s the perfect guy to pass out a souvenir or two when he sees Emmet Sheehan tonight.

PitchWetherholt Barrel Rate vs RHP (L15)Sheehan Barrel Rate vs LHB (L15)
Four-seam Fastball26.7%20%

The haters are going to say this kid can’t keep laying pipe, but as usual, they’re wrong. Sure, he’s gone deep in four of his last six games, but that just means he’s seeing it right now. The kid loves fastballs, which lines up perfectly for his date with Sheehan. His four-seamer is getting abused by lefties so far this season, and that should keep up tonight. My guess is JJ slaps the first four-seamer he sees into a new dimension. Feels right.

  • The Bet: JJ Wetherholt to Hit a Home Run (+725) – BetMGM
  • BETMGM SPORTSBOOK

    USE CODE SBD1500 TO GET UP TO $1,500 PAID BACK IN BONUS BETS

  • BET365 SPORTSBOOK

    BET $10 & GET $200 IN BONUS BETS WITH CODE DIME365

  • THESCORE BET SPORTSBOOK

    USE CODE DIME TO GET 100% BET RESET UP TO $1,000

  • DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOK

    BET $5 & GET $100 IN BONUS BETS INSTANTLY!

  • FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK

    BET $5 & GET $250 IN BONUS BETS IF YOUR BET WINS!

  • CAESARS SPORTSBOOK

    USE CODE SBDDYW & DOUBLE YOUR WINNINGS ON YOUR FIRST 10 WAGERS!

  • FANATICS SPORTSBOOK

    GET 100% BET MATCH UP TO $100 FOR 10 DAYS

  • DRAFTKINGS T&Cs: GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT/PR. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $100 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 5/31/26 at 11:59 PM ET.

  • BET365 SPORTSBOOK T&Cs: GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL OR TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ/CO/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA/MD/MO/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ only (18+ KY). Must be present in AZ/CO/IA/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA (select parishes)/MD/MO/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA. Minimum $10 deposit required. Minimum odds -500 of greater. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. T&CS, time limits and exclusions apply.

  • BETMGM T&Cs: Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US), 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Promotional offers not available in MS, NY, NV, ON, or PR.

John Hyslop

John has spent the past 20+ years betting sports on a daily basis and is considered by many to be a walking sports betting encyclopedia. From obscure player props to sides and totals, if there is an angle, John will find it.

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