Best MLB Bets Today: Division Leaders Square Off

Our favorite bets for today come from a pair of cross-country matchups. The first is a battle between division leaders, as the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies take on the AL West-leading Houston Astros. The other is a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners. 

Below, we will share our favorite bet for each game. We’ll use odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, which offers a welcome bonus of $200 in Bonus Bets to new players who sign up and make an initial wager of $5+, regardless of the outcome.

Best MLB Bets Today: Astros vs. Phillies (6:40 PM EST)

Phillies -1.5 (+130) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Astros’ starter Ronel Blanco (9-6, 3.14 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) broke out this season to become one of the best pitchers in baseball, but he has regressed over the last few weeks. The 30-year-old has been a different pitcher over his last six starts, going 0-2 with a 5.43 ERA. That is terrible news as he gets ready to face a great Phillies team tonight. 

The Phillies lead the NL East partly due to their impressive play at the plate. They rank fifth in batting average and seventh in runs scored. Their lineup is outstanding from top to bottom, led by another great season from Bryce Harper. Philadelphia’s combination of speed and power makes them dangerous, especially against a struggling starter like Blanco.

Zack Wheeler (12-6, 2.73 ERA, 0.98 WHIP) will be starting for the Phillies tonight. The ace is a favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award as he ranks seventh in wins, third in ERA, eighth in strikeouts, and fourth in WHIP. He has been especially great in August, going 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA over four starts.

As impressive as the Astros lineup is, they have missed the presence of Kyle Tucker. His extended stint on the IL is a reason why the Astros now rank outside the top ten in runs scored despite ranking third in batting average. Given that Wheeler has already dominated some of the league’s top offenses, we expect him to have the edge on the Houston lineup tonight.

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Best MLB Bets Today: Rays vs. Mariners (9:40 PM EST)

Under 7 (-110) at FanDuel Sportsbook

This matchup features two of the worst offensive teams in baseball. The Mariners rank last in batting average and twenty-seventh in runs scored. The Rays haven’t been much better, ranking twenty-sixth in batting average and twenty-eighth in runs scored. Combine the poor production for both teams with tonight’s excellent pitching matchup, and you will have a recipe for an easy cover. 

The Rays will start Ryan Pepiot (7-5, 3.65 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) tonight. The 27-year-old struggled to open the season but has been lights out over the last two months. Over his last five starts, the righty is 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA. 

Pepiot faced this Mariners team at the end of June and was fantastic, allowing one run on one hit and two walks over 5 ⅓ innings. Since then, Seattle added pieces to their lineup, but it hasn’t resulted in improved offense.

The Mariners will have Bryce Miller (9-7, 3.32 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) starting opposite Pepiot tonight. The young righty is quickly becoming one of the top pitchers in the AL, and he has been red-hot of late. Miller has allowed just two runs over his last three starts (17 innings), facing the Dodgers, Tigers, and Mets.

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