Best MLB Bets Today: Battle Between Big Bats in LA Tonight

We have a pair of excellent wagers today. The first features a pitching duel between the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox. The other is from a high-octane battle between the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Below, we’ll share our favorite bet for both games. We’ll use odds from BetMGM Sportsbook, which is giving new players who sign up using promo code WSMGM a $1,500 First Bet Offer.

Best MLB Bets Today: Phillies vs. Red Sox (7:10 PM EST)

Under 8.5 (-110 at BetMGM Sportsbook)

The Phillies are the better team, but we expect to see a low-scoring slugfest play out tonight. One reason for that is Phillies starter Aaron Nola (8-2, 2.77 ERA, 0.97 WHIP), who will take the mound against the Red Sox tonight. The 31-year-old is having his best season since 2018, ranking fourth in wins, thirteenth in ERA, and tenth in WHIP. Nola is coming off of one of the best starts of his season, holding the Brewers scoreless on two hits and no walks over seven innings.

The Red Sox have been one of the better offensive teams in the AL this season, but we see them struggling against Nola today. One reason is that much of Boston’s success has come on the road, posting an underwhelming .235 batting average at Fenway. 

Boston also has a great pitcher starting tonight: Tanner Houck (6-5, 1.91 ERA). The team has had high hopes for the young righty, who has bounced back after an ugly 2023 campaign. In 13 starts this season, he has allowed more than two runs just four times. Houck now ranks second in the league in batting average and third in WHIP, making him a sneaky Cy Young candidate. 

Philadelphia’s lineup is one of the best in baseball, ranking in the top six in both batting average and runs scored. However, they only faced Houck in one previous start, registering just 3 hits over 18 at-bats. Given how well Houck is playing, we expect another strong outing from him tonight.

Bet on Under 8.5 (-110) at BetMGM

Best MLB Bets Today: Rangers vs. Dodgers (10:10 PM EST)

Dodgers -1.5 (-110 at BetMGM Sportsbook)

The Rangers have not looked like the World Series champions they were last season, and we don’t see that changing tonight. One reason for the team’s struggles has been their lineup, which ranks towards the middle of the pack in both batting average and runs scored. Now they have star shortstop Corey Seager out with a nagging hamstring injury, taking away their top hitter.

The Rangers’ offensive struggles will be on full display tonight, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-2, 3.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) on the mound for the Dodgers. The 25-year-old has lived up to the hype after signing the Dodgers to join the MLB this season. The former Nippon Professional Baseball League star has been incredible in his first two starts this month, allowing just one run across 13 innings. That includes seven scoreless innings against the Yankees in the last start. Given the state of the Rangers lineup, we expect them to struggle as they face Yamamoto for the first time.

Texas will have Michael Lorenzen (3-3, 3.05 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) starting against the Dodgers tonight. The 32-year-old is having one of the best seasons of his career, giving the Rangers the pitching depth they have badly needed. The righty cruised through May but showed some regression against the Giants in his start last week. Lorenzen allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings, looking like the pitcher he has been for most of his career. We expect that regression to continue today as he faces a loaded LA lineup.

Bet on Dodgers -1.5 (-110) at BetMGM

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