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The 2026 MLB season rolls along on Thursday, April 16 with 10 games on the docket, beginning with the Pittsburgh Pirates trying to take three of four from the Washington Nationals and concluding with the San Diego Padres going for a sweep of the Seattle Mariners. Those looking to get into MLB betting and prop betting can follow SportsLine MLB expert Adam Thompson’s best home run picks for Thursday’s games.

Thompson was one of the earliest SportsLine experts and rejoined the company in 2026. An analytics-driven exploiter of matchups, Adam specializes in the NFL, MLB and the NBA. He also has delivered consistent winners in college basketball, horse racing and golf. Over the past two seasons, he’s up over 70 units in MLB.

Use the recent DraftKings promo code to get a great offer when you wager on Thursday’s MLB games.

Best Home Run picks for Thursday

  • Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds (+406)
  • Gary Sanchez, Milwaukee Brewers (+444)

Sal Stewart, Reds (+406, DraftKings)

Stewart is having quite a start to his rookie year. He’s hit four home runs over the last week alone, and his seven HR is just one behind the MLB lead. Landen Roupp, the Giants’ starting pitcher, has yet to give one up in three starts but of the 11 homers he gave up in 2025, nearly half of them were in April and 10 of them were on the road. Great American Ballpark isn’t known as a hitter’s park for nothing. Stewart has been solid on the road (two HR, .280) but exceptional at home (five HR, .351). Conditions could be favorable for the third baseman to continue his torrid run.

Gary Sanchez, Brewers (+444, DraftKings)

The Brewers’ catcher is batting only .233 over the last 15 days with seven hits in 30 at-bats. However, five of those seven went yard, and four of those were in the friendly confines of American Family Field. Sanchez and the Brewers face the Blue Jays and Patrick Corbin, who went just four innings in his lone outing and gave up two home runs to the Twins. Sanchez has one dinger in 11 career at-bats vs. Corbin, but he’s hitting .364 off him with a 1.091 OPS. It sound like a good time for a second homer off the left-hander.