Braves vs. Mets Friday props, odds: Surging Matt Olson new favorite to win MLB home run crown, tied with Shohei Ohtani at 40

For months, Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani has led the majors in home runs and been the betting favorite at DraftKings to win his first-ever MLB home run crown. The latter half is no longer the case as Atlanta's Matt Olson has tied Ohtani at 40 homers, and Olson is the new even-money favorite to win the title with Ohtani at +105.  

Ohtani has gone six straight games without a homer, although he still is such a runaway favorite for AL MVP that most sportsbooks no longer even offer that prop. Olson could lead the majors in homers and RBIs and still likely not win NL MVP, as he's a +2500 third favorite with teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. the -650 leader and on his way to a possible 40/40 season.

Olson went yard in Thursday's 7-5 loss in Pittsburgh to become the fastest player in Braves history to reach a 40 bombs, doing it in his team's first 113 games. The 40 homers are already a career high for Olson. The only other players in history with at least 40 homers and 100 RBIs – Olson leads MLB by 12 with 101 – are: Babe Ruth (four times), Mickey Mantle (twice), Sammy Sosa (twice), Mark McGwire (twice), David Ortiz, Roger Maris, Aaron Judge, Hank Greenberg, Hack Wilson, Luis Gonzalez, Jimmie Foxx and Chris Davis.

Olson is on pace for 57 dingers; the franchise record of 51 was set by Andruw Jones in 2005. He got to 40 that year in 116 games. Olson is a lefty hitter, and the franchise record for lefties is 41, set by Darrell Evans in 1973. FanDuel gives Olson an over/under of 62.5, with the Under a -6000 favorite and the Over at +1300. They are using that number because it would top Aaron Judge's AL mark of 62 homers set last, even though Olson  plays in the NL. Ohtani's total of 62.5 has the Over at +3000 and the Under at -50000. 

Olson has the shortest odds on Friday of any player on the DraftKings board to homer at +210 (Over 0.5). Atlanta is opening a series in New York with the Mets, and Olson has one homer in 24 at-bats against them this season. He has a single in five career at-bats against Mets starter Tylor Megil.

Teams are starting to pitch around Olson when possible, as he has been intentionally walked twice in two of his last eight games. He's the first Atlanta player to be intentionally walked multiple times in a game twice in an entire season since Brian McCann in 2011 (also twice). Olson's 73 walks overall are fifth in the majors and only 15 shy of his career high. 

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