MLB Picks Today: Expert Predictions & Best Bets for Thursday, September 10, inc. Rockies vs Yankees

Before Thursday Night Football welcomes in the football weekend, we have a solid five-game MLB slate on Thursday, September 10. The full card features some intriguing matchups, including Rangers vs Mariners, Astros vs Phillies and Pirates vs White Sox, and the action gets underway at 12:15 PM ET with Rays vs Braves.

Let's break down my MLB best bets for today, while you can also find out our expert MLB picks for EVERY GAME today and throughout the rest of the 2026 campaign!

MLB Best Bet: New York Yankees -1.5 over Colorado Rockies (-145)

Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -155.

Let's head to the Bronx for a strange interleague matchup between the Rockies and Yankees. New York is clearly the far superior team in this matchup, and the Yankees are looking to complete the sweep with Max Fried on the mound at home. Fried continues to excel at inducing soft contact, having allowed just three home runs in his 95.2 innings pitched this season. The lefty has fabulous advanced metrics as well, ranking inside the top 5% in xERA, barrel rate and hard-hit rate. Fried should shut down the Rockies lineup, and Colorado starter Ryan Feltner (5.91 ERA) has really struggled of late — allowing at least four runs in eight of his last nine outings. All things considered, I'll back the chalky home favorite and lay it with the Yankees.

Check out our full Rockies vs Yankees prediction for today's MLB game

MLB Best Bet: Philadelphia Phillies F5 -0.5 over Houston Astros (-125)

Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -135.

I'd like to avoid any bullpen shenanigans in this game, and I do see some value with Philadelphia in the first five innings. It's all about the pitching matchup in this one, as Astros starter Cristian Javier (5.96 ERA) has really struggled this season — especially when it comes to limiting hard contact and keeping the ball in the yard (bottom 1% ground-ball rate, bottom 15% barrel rate). That doesn't bode well for a matchup against a Phillies lineup that has been much better at home this season compared to when they've had to travel away from Citizens Bank Park.

As for the hosts, Zack Wheeler continues to be one of the most consistent pitchers in the sport (3.04 xERA, top 10% chase rate and strikeout rate), and the wily veteran should take care of business in the first half of this game against a middling Houston lineup. Let's back Philadelphia to lead after five innings.