Thursday's MLB slate features 11 games, but the marquee matchup pits division leaders against each other as the Atlanta Braves aim for a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs. The Braves, sitting atop the NL East, send left-hander Chris Sale to the mound against Cubs right-hander Ben Brown and the NL Central leaders. With several early games on the schedule, the late action offers plenty of opportunities for fans looking to place MLB bets—especially home run prop bets.
SportsLine MLB expert Adam Thompson has scoured the Thursday, May 14 lineup to find his top home run bets. Thompson, who was one of the earliest SportsLine experts from 2016-19 and rejoined in 2026 after a stint as the primary betting analyst for the Gambling.com Group, specializes in analytics-driven matchup exploitation across the NFL, MLB, and NBA. Over the past two seasons, he's delivered consistent winners, going up over 70 units in MLB and over 60 units in the NBA.
When it comes to home run props, all eyes are on Braves first baseman Matt Olson. The slugger leads Atlanta with 14 home runs this season, ranking fifth in all of MLB. The Braves' offense is No. 1 in runs scored and No. 2 in home runs, and Olson is the engine driving that power. A key factor: eight of his dingers have gone straight out to center or not far off, and the wind is expected to be blowing straight out to center for Thursday night's matchup. That bodes well for Olson, especially against a Cubs bullpen that has given up the seventh-most home runs in the league. Chicago starter Ben Brown has only lasted four innings once and typically goes two frames, so the relief corps will be tested early.
Elsewhere, the Giants don't hit many home runs—ranking 29th in that category—but they have a few players who can go deep, and Thursday's conditions at Dodger Stadium are favorable. Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan has allowed six home runs in just seven starts, and the wind is expected to blow out to center by first pitch. That could set up a breakout for a Giants hitter like Willy Adames, who hasn't homered yet this season but has the power to change that in a hurry.
Whether you're backing Olson's consistent power or looking for a sleeper pick, Thursday's MLB slate offers plenty of opportunities to add some excitement to your game-day experience.