Best MLB Bets Today | MLB Picks, June 5

Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox

• Time: 4:05 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Shane McClanahan vs Brayan Bello
• Moneyline: Rays (-165) | Red Sox (+140)
• Runline: Rays -1.5 (-105) | Red Sox +1.5 (-115)
• Total: Over 9 (-110) | Under 9 (-110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

My Pick: Rays -1.5 (-105)

Our first MLB best bet for Monday comes in Boston, where the Boston Red Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa is sending their ace to the mound in this contest, and we like Shane McClanahan to help the Rays win this game. Along the way, they should be able to cover the runline, as the Rays offense takes on a pitcher who has had his ups and downs throughout the 2023 season so far. See some other betting opportunities by checking out our best MLB Sportsbooks page.

Boston will send Brayan Bello to the mound for this contest, who has a 3-3 record and an ERA of 3.89. Bello has been perfectly acceptable as a starting pitcher so far this season, but acceptable will not get the job done against a Rays team that is second in baseball in runs scored this year. Look for the Rays to get after him early and for their offense to give McClanahan a cushion.

Speaking of McClanahan, he has emerged as one of the favorites to win the AL Cy Young award this season. McClanahan is 8-1 on the season so far, with a stingy ERA of 2.07. Against a Red Sox team that sits in last place in the AL East, McClanahan should have another excellent outing to help his team win this game and cover the number in the process.

Houston Astros vs Toronto Blue Jays

• Time: 7:10 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: Brandon Bielak vs Alek Manoah
• Moneyline: Astros (+108) | Blue Jays (-126)
• Runline: Astros +1.5 (-176) | Blue Jays -1.5 (+146)
• Total: Over 10 (-115) | Under 10 (-105)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

My Pick: Astros Moneyline (+108)

On Monday night, the Toronto Blue Jays will host the Houston Astros, in what could be the most exciting game of the night on the diamond. But the Jays are at a disadvantage at home in this contest, as they take on a Houston team with one of the more potent lineups in baseball. That is especially true with Toronto sending Alek Manoah to the mound, given his struggles so far in 2023.

Manoah was thought to be a Cy Young contender going into this season, but he is just 1-6 so far this season with a 5.46 ERA. He has been taken deep 10 times by opposing hitters already this season, and his propensity toward giving up hard contact will put him in jeopardy early and often here. Look for the Astros to put up some big offensive numbers against Manoah and the Jays as a result.

On the other side of the pitching matchup for this game will be Brandin Bielak of the Astros, who has been solid so far this year. He is just 2-2, but is sporting an ERA of 3.19, while averaging nearly a strikeout per inning. Simply not getting shelled will give Bielak the upper hand in this game against an opponent who is not living up to expectations on the bump.

Oakland Athletics vs Pittsburgh Pirates

• Time: 7:05 PM ET
• Starting Pitchers: JP Sears vs Johan Oviedo
• Moneyline: A’s (+160) | Pirates (-190)
• Runline: A’s +1.5 (-125) | Pirates -1.5 (+105)
• Total: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Odds courtesy of PointsBet

My Pick: Under 8.5 (-105)

Our final MLB best bet on Monday will come from Pittsburgh, where the Oakland Athletics and the Pittsburgh Pirates will do battle. Both of these teams were expected to be among the worst in baseball this year, but the Pirates have exceeded expectations, while the A’s have lived up to their billing as a cellar dweller. Either way, we should see this game go under the total of 8.5 runs.

This game features two of the bottom-10 scoring teams in Major League Baseball, which should help us to stay under the total. The Pirates rank 21st in baseball in scoring for the season, while the A’s rank at the bottom of the league in runs scored on the year thus far. As a result, we should see both of these teams struggle to put up runs in this contest in Pittsburgh on Monday evening.

While neither of the pitchers in this game are great by any means, the starters in this contest are serviceable and should help the game stay under the total. JP Sears will get the start for the Athletics, while Johan Oviedo will do the honors on the hill for the Pirates. Both of them have ERAs over 4.00 for the season, but they are both far from the worst options in their respective rotations.

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