MLB Picks Today: Expert Predictions & Best Bets for Sunday, August 2, including Red Sox vs Dodgers

The week in Major League Baseball wraps up with a full 15-game slate on Sunday, headlined by White Sox vs Rays, Rangers vs Astros, Yankees vs Cubs and a Sunday night showdown on NBC between the Red Sox and Dodgers. 

Here are my best bets for Sunday's card, and make sure to check out our MLB picks for predictions on every game throughout the 2026 season. 

MLB Best Bet: Cincinnati Reds ML over Pittsburgh Pirates (-144) 

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Playable to -160.

Chase Burns will take the mound for Cincinnati on Sunday, boasting a dominant 12-1 record with a 2.40 ERA, 1.12 WHP and 128 strikeouts in 112.2 innings of work. The right-hander has allowed 1 earned run in his last 10.0 innings across 2 appearances, and he carries a 1-0 mark with a 2.50 ERA and a 24-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 18.0 innings (3 starts) against Pittsburgh this season. The Pirates will give the ball to Mitch Keller, who is 6-7 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.31 WHIP and has surrendered at least 5 runs in 3 of his last 4 road starts. Cincy catcher Tyler Stephenson is 7-for-26 (.269) lifetime against Keller with 3 doubles, a triple, a home run and 7 RBIs. The Reds won the first 2 games of this series, and I expect them to get the job done in the finale, perhaps even with ease. 

MLB Best Bet:Tampa Bay Rays ML over Chicago White Sox (-138) 

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Playable to -150.

Home-field advantage should be a real factor in this contest. The Rays, who are coming off a 1-0 victory on Saturday, boast a 41-17 record at Tropicana Field in 2026 compared to 24-28 on the road. Similarly, the White Sox are trash on the road (24-31) while going 34-21 in Chicago. Those trends will likely continue on Sunday, when Tampa Bay sends Griffin Jax to the mound. Jax has allowed exactly 1 earned run in 3 of his last 4 starts. At home this season, the right-hander is sporting a 3.40 ERA to go along with 56 strikeouts in 42.1 innings of work. The visitors will counter with Anthony Kay, who is saddled with a 5.56 ERA on the road compared to a 3.24 mark at home. Cedric Mullins is 2-for-5 lifetime against Kay with a homer; Nick Fortes is 2-for-2 and Junior Caminero is 1-for-1. Look for Jax to get more than enough run support from his offense in this one. 

MLB Best Bet: Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Dodgers Under 9 (-105) 

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Playable to -115.

It’s the hottest team in baseball (Boston) going up against the best team (Los Angeles) on Sunday night. Something resembling playoff atmosphere should be on display, and playoff baseball could ensue. That means high-quality pitching with runs likely at a premium, even if the aces aren't on the bump. After all, Jake Bennett of the Red Sox and Emmet Sheehan of the Dodgers are no slouches. Bennett is 6-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 0.97 WHIP through 11 appearances in his rookie season. Sheehan’s numbers are not good (4-7, 4.95 ERA), but he has given up 2 earned runs or fewer in 4 of his last 5 outings. The right-hander does not work deep into ballgames, but that is not a big problem for the Dodgers since they bring a solid bullpen to the table. It’s also worth noting that Boston ranks 2nd in the entire league in bullpen ERA (2.97).