MLB Picks Today: Expert Predictions & Best Bets for Thursday, August 20, including Braves vs White Sox
The week in Major League Baseball continues with a modest nine-game slate on Thursday, August 20. It is headlined by Nationals vs Rangers at 8:05 PM ET live on FS1, but features a ton of great afternoon matchups, including Cardinals vs Reds, Giants vs Guardians, Blue Jays vs Rays, Braves vs White Sox, Mariners vs Brewers, A's vs Royals, Yankees vs Orioles and Angels vs Astros. Let's dive in and break down my three MLB best bets today, and also make sure to check out our MLB picks for predictions throughout the 2026 season.
MLB Best Bet: Chicago White Sox ML over Atlanta Braves (+100)
The Braves hit the skids at the end of the summer, just as they did at the beginning of the summer with a 4-13 stretch starting in mid-June. Atlanta got swept at Minnesota to begin this week and owns a 1-5 record in its last six games. Silent bats have been the culprit. The Braves scored a grand total of seven runs in the three contests against the Twins. In two losses to the D-Backs last weekend, the Braves crossed the plate a combined three times. Maurico Dubon is 2-for-21 (.095) dating back to August 11, and Ozzie Albies is 4-for-28 (.143) dating back to August 10. On the mound, Grant Holmes’ most recent outing resulted in six earned runs allowed on six hits and three weeks through 3.1 innings during a 10-3 loss to the Diamondbacks last Saturday. Holmes has allowed at least three runs in no more than 5.0 innings in four of his last six appearances. The White Sox will counter with Anthony Kay, who is 9-5 this season and is sporting a 2.55 ERA through three August starts spanning 17.2 innings.
Check out the full analysis of our Braves vs White Sox prediction
MLB Best Bet: Milwaukee Brewers ML over Seattle Mariners (-124)
It is the rubber match of a three-game series between Seattle and Milwaukee. The Mariners prevailed 7-5 in Wednesday’s matchup, but they have still been outscored by 20 runs in this series. No, that is not a misprint. The Brewers won 22-0 on Tuesday. They should have the upper hand again on Thursday, albeit not by a 22-0 margin. George Kirby is a solid starter for the M’s, but his road ERA in 2026 sits at 4.55. He faces a Brewers lineup that ranks 12th in wOBA with a 102 wRC+ against righties in the last 30 days. Kirby has also had two very shaky outings within his last four starts, including five earned runs allowed in 4.2 innings against the Astros in his most recent appearance. For the Brew Crew, Robert Gasser has given up just 10 earned runs across 27.0 innings in his last five outings.
Get MLB stats, trends and more for today's Mariners vs Brewers prediction
MLB Best Bet: New York Yankees ML over Baltimore Orioles (-118)
Gerrit Cole has been on a roll for the Yankees. The veteran right-hander wrapped up July with 6.0 innings of shutout baseball against the White Sox and has compiled a 1.93 ERA through three August appearances. New York won each of the first two games in this series by multiple runs and has won three in a row overall. Baltimore, on the other hand, is on a three-game losing streak. The O’s have lost four of their last six home contests, as well. Yankees DH Ben Rice went 2-for-5 with a home run on Wednesday and is 4-for-10 lifetime against Kyle Bradish with one homer. Give me the visitors to finish off the road sweep.
Read our full Yankees vs Orioles prediction
