Best MLB Bets Today | MLB Picks, August 14

This Monday's slate of MLB games is set to feature matchups from some of the best in this entire week. Some matchups could be previews of the 2023 World Series as well as some games that will have huge big implications on the AL and NL Wild Card race. All of these games are great opportunities to place bets and earn some significant winnings.

Seattle Mariners @ Kansas City Royals

• Time: 8:10 PM E.T. - Monday
• Starting Pitchers: Logan Gilbert (Mariners) vs Brady Singer (Royals)
• Moneyline: Mariners (-142) | Royals (+120)
• Run Line: Mariners -1.5 (+122) | Royals +1.5 (-146)
• Total: Over 8.5 (-114) | Under 8.5 (-106)

Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Check out other MLB betting sites for more betting opportunities!   

My Pick: Seattle Mariners (SEA)

The Seattle Mariners (63-54) seemed to have found their rhythm at the right point of the season. Before the series against the Baltimore Orioles won eight consecutive games, which includes a two-game home series sweep over the San Diego Padres and a four-game road series over the Los Angeles Angels.

The Mariners will go on the road to take on the Kansas City Royals (38-81), one of the worst teams in the league, in a four-game road series. Seattle is coming into the game with an edge in the pitching and batting game, yet the lines are closer than usual.

Logan Gilbert (3.66 ERA in 137.2 innings pitched) is set to start at the mound for the Mariners, while Brady Singer (5.05 ERA in 128.1 innings pitched) is set to start at pitcher for Kansas City.

The Mariners have been mostly successful this season due to their stellar pitching, but they have seen some success at the plate. Seattle ranks eighth in the NL in runs accounted for (531), 13th in hits accounted for (927), seventh in home runs accounted for (142), eighth in stolen bases accounted for (78), and seventh in walks accounted for (391).

The Royals rank in the bottom six teams in the AL in most of the batting categories this season. Kansas City is ranked 13th in runs accounted for (470), 10th in hits accounted for (962), second in stolen bases (115), eighth in strikeouts encountered (1032) and ninth in batting average (.241).

Baltimore Orioles @ San Diego Padres

• Time: 9:40 PM E.T. - Monday
• Starting Pitchers: Grayson Rodriguez (Orioles) vs Yu Darvish (Padres)
• Moneyline: Orioles (+118) | Padres (-138)
• Run Line: Orioles +1.5 (-196) | Padres -1.5 (+162)
• Total: Over 8 (-110) | Under 8 (-110)

Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook.

My Pick: Baltimore Orioles (BAL)

One of the most exciting matchups of Monday night is set as the Baltimore Orioles (73-45) go on the road to take on the San Diego Padres (56-62) in a three-game series. This will be the first time the Orioles and the Padres will meet in regular season play since the 2019 MLB Season.

In terms of the pitching matchups, the Padres come into this game with the edge. The Padres will have one of their most experienced pitchers in 36-year-old Yu Darvish (4.19 ERA in 120.1 innings pitched) starting at the mound against the Orioles. The Orioles will have right-handed rookie Grayson Rodriguez (5.84 ERA in 74 innings pitched) start against the Padres.

While the Padres will have the odds in the pitching game, the Orioles will have the better matchups at the plate. The Padres have the All-Star batters, while the Orioles possess young but consistent batters.

The Padres rank eighth in the NL in runs accounted for (540), 12th in hits accounted for (944), fourth in home runs accounted for (150), fourth in stolen bases (97), second in walks accounted for (479), seventh in strikeouts encountered (983), 11th in batting average (.240) and sixth in on-base percentage (.326).

The Orioles are ranked fourth in the AL in runs accounted for (575), eighth in hits accounted for (997), ninth in home runs accounted for (136), seventh in stolen bases (81), ninth in walks accounted for (379), sixth in strikeouts encountered (987), sixth in batting average (.251), seventh in on-base percentage (.318) and fifth in slugging percentage (.419).

Tampa Bay Rays @ San Francisco Giants

• Time: 9:45 PM E.T. - Monday
• Starting Pitchers: Tyler Glasnow (Rays) vs Ryan Walker (Giants)
• Moneyline: Rays (-138) | Giants (+118)
• Run Line: Rays -1.5 (+126) | Giants +1.5 (-152)
• Total:Over 7.5 (-122) | Under 7.5 (+100)

Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook

My Pick: San Francisco Giants (SF)

The last game of the night comes down to the beginning of a three-game series between the Tampa Bay Rays (71-49) and the San Francisco Giants (63-55). This could be a potential 2023 World Series matchup if they can get past the Wild Card rounds.

The Rays have seen their fair share of injuries in their bullpen and more as three of their top starting pitchers are out for an extended period. Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen are out for the rest of the season, which is devastating to the Rays' postseason run.

The Rays are going with their best available left this season in Tyler Glasnow (3.15 ERA in 68.2 innings pitched) to start at the mound against the Giants. The Giants are set to start Ryan Walker (2.40 ERA in 41.1 innings pitched) on Monday night.

Tampa Bay will have the edge in the batting game against San Francisco. The Rays are ranked second in the AL in runs accounted for (620), fourth in hits accounted for (1026), second in home runs accounted for (173), first in stolen bases accounted for (129), 10th in walks accounted for (378), ninth in strikeouts encountered (1034), fourth in batting average (.255), fourth in on-base percentage (.327) and second in slugging percentage (.444).

The Rays will be going into this series without shortstop Franco Wander, who is being investigated by the MLB for his social media posts. His absence could make a serious impact on the Rays’ overall efficiency at the plate, but they have a great selection of players to rely on outside of Wander.