Marlins vs. Reds Monday MLB props, odds: Major league batting leader Luis Arraez out of Miami lineup

Despite having one of the richest farm systems in the majors and playing great baseball leading into last week's trade deadline, the Cincinnati Reds were quiet in terms of making a major move to improve the team's playoff chances. Coincidence or not, the Reds have lost six straight games since the deadline but do catch a break Monday when Miami visits, as the Marlins are without MLB batting leader Luis Arraez. Miami was priced -155 at DraftKings, but is now -140.

It's an interesting spot for Marlins manager Skip Schumaker to rest his most important everyday player with the team having lost four straight and struggling offensively since last Monday. Miami has scored two runs or fewer in five of seven games in that span. Arraez won the AL batting crown in 2022 with Minnesota and leads the majors currently at .375, 32 points ahead of No. 2 Ronald Acuna Jr. of Atlanta.

The 26-year-old Arraez is on track to become the first player since 1900 to be the batting champion in the AL and NL in consecutive seasons. Hall of Famer Ted Williams was the last MLB player history to hit .400, doing so in 1941 (.406). And it's not as if Arraez is in a funk right now and needed a break as he's riding a seven-game hitting streak. 

Jon Berti is playing second base in Arraez's place and leading off. Arguably the Marlins' second-most important offensive player is former All-Star Jazz Chisholm, who is also out. He has battled injuries all season and is currently dealing with a hamstring issue.

Marlins stellar rookie right-hander Eury Perez (5-3, 2.36 ERA) will make his return to the majors in Monday's. He had been sent down to Double-A Pensacola on July 7 to monitor his workload after he had surpassed his career high in innings between the majors (53 1/3) and minors (36 2/3) this year. After not appearing in a game for 20 days, Perez pitched twice in the minors to work his way back.

Perez's 2.36 ERA through his first 11 career MLB starts (minimum 50 innings) is the lowest for a 20-year-old or younger pitcher in the live ball era. He's 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA in five on the road. Perez's big-league debut was a no-decision vs. the Reds in Miami on May 12, in which he allowed two runs over 4.2 innings.

The Reds counter with their own rookie in lefty Brandon Williamson (3-2, 4.85 ERA). He is 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA in his past six starts since July 1, holding opponents to a .221 average. Williamson has never faced the Marlins.

On the first inning runs prop at DraftKings, Under 0.5 is taking 91% of the bets and 85% of the money. 

SportsLine's 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Bible has the best sleepers, breakouts, busts, rookie breakdowns, target analysis, rankings and so much more -- all in one place!