There is a clear theme that I'm running with for Thursday night's Major League Baseball slate.
Three leadoff hitters have my attention as well as one of the hottest bats in the majors.
Ronald Acuna Jr. typically hits well in Washington, Steven Kwan is in a great run of form during Cleveland's home stand and Yandy Diaz has been a total bases machine over the last month.
Freddie Freeman does not fit into the leadoff category, but his recent numbers are too hard to pass up from a total bases perspective.
Freeman is one of eight batters to have 10 or more hits in the last seven days and he gets to face one of St. Louis' weaker arms in the series finale at Busch Stadium.
Thursday MLB Prop Picks
Ronald Acuna Jr. Over 1.5 Total Bases (-115)
Ronald Acuna Jr.'s overall numbers inside Nationals Park are lower than the other National League East ball parks, but there are two edges that can make his total bases prop work on Thursday.
Acuna owns a .333 batting average against Anibal Sanchez, who is scheduled to make his first start of the season for the Washington Nationals.
The Braves outfielder also has eight home runs inside Nationals Park, which is his highest total inside any away park.
Acuna comes into the weekend series with the Nationals on a three-game hitting streak and he just had four hits and seven total bases against Washington last week.
Steven Kwan Over 1.5 Total Bases (+105)
Steven Kwan put together a fantastic home stand to date for the Cleveland Guardians.
The Cleveland leadoff man recorded six hits and six total bases over four games against the Chicago White Sox. He should continue that form into the weekend series with the Detroit Tigers.
Kwan and the Guardians have a favorable matchup on their hands against Elvin Rodriguez, who has an 11.51 ERA in 20.1 innings of work.
Kwan should have at least four at-bats to reach his total bases prop in what may end up as one of the most lopsided games of the night.
Yandy Diaz Over 1.5 Total Bases (+125)
Yandy Diaz is one of the most consistent hitters in MLB that you do not know much about.
The Tampa Bay Rays leadoff man is batting .303 and he has 29 total bases off 21 hits in July.
Diaz's price is a bit higher on Thursday since the Rays take on Kutter Crawford, who gave up two hits and struck out eight in 5.1 innings of work against the Rays on July 4.
Diaz was one of two hitters to get a base knock off of Crawford and he owns a .482 batting average against the Red Sox in 27 at-bats this season.
The experience against Crawford and Boston's relievers combined with the potential for four at-bats make Diaz worth the risk at +125.
Freddie Freeman Over 1.5 Total Bases (-110)
Freddie Freeman owns one of the hottest bats in baseball over the last week.
Freeman has 13 hits in the last seven days and he has seven hits alone in the first two games of the series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman recorded 12 total bases on those seven hits and he faces Dakota Hudson, who allowed 43 hits dating back to June 1.
Hudson turned things around against Philadelphia is his last appearance, but I'm not convinced that he rid himself of high concessions yet. He allowed six or more hits in four of his last six trips to the mound.