MLB Picks Today: Expert Predictions & Best Bets for Tuesday, August 18, including Braves vs Twins

The week in Major League Baseball continues with a full 15-game slate on Tuesday. It is headlined by the Battle of Chicago with White Sox vs Cubs live on TBS at 8:05 pm ET, while we also have Yankees vs Orioles, Marlins vs Phillies, Blue Jays vs Rays and Diamondbacks vs Red Sox to look forward to. Here are my MLB best bets today, while you can also check out our MLB picks for every game on Tuesday, August 18.

MLB Best Bet: Pittsburgh Pirates ML over Detroit Tigers (-135) 

Don’t look now, but Braxton Ashcraft has suddenly become Pittsburgh’s best pitcher. The right-hander is sporting a 3.88 ERA and 1.11 WHIP through 141.1 innings of work and has been outstanding so far in August. In three starts this month, Ashcraft owns a 2.84 ERA and has recorded 20 strikeouts with only three walks across 19.0 innings. The Tigers scored eight runs in their series-opening victory, but a similar performance cannot be expected. Detroit is a club that had just gotten swept by the White Sox, continuing what will probably be a spiral out of wild-card contention after trading Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline. The Tigers are nothing special on the road (29-33), so I will back the Pirates in front of their home crowd.

Read our full Tigers vs Pirates prediction for today's MLB matchup

MLB Best Bet: Milwaukee Brewers ML over Seattle Mariners (-144) 

Kyle Harrison is toeing the rubber for Milwaukee, coming in with a 9-3 record and a 2.99 ERA. Harrison’s home-road splits are among the most extreme in baseball: 1.38 ERA in Milwaukee compared to 6.10 on the road. With the Brewers playing in their own park for this series, the left-hander should be in line for another dominant start. Seattle is countering with Bryce Miller, who is 4-6 and has been especially bad of late (0-2 with a 6.65 ERA across his last four starts). The Mariners are batting just .219 against southpaws this year and have not played well on the road (26-37), so a lot of things are stacked against them in this spot.

Check out our Mariners vs Brewers prediction for tonight

MLB Best Bet: Atlanta Braves ML over Minnesota Twins (-118) 

Atlanta surprisingly did not do much at the trade deadline with its shaky pitching rotation, but unheralded Tyler Mahle quietly looks like a quality late-season acquisition. Sure, the sample size of his success with the Braves is small. But it’s encouraging. Through two starts, Mahle has allowed a grand total of one run through 12.0 innings with 16 strikeouts and only two walks. His team took care of the Mets 6-3 the last time the veteran right-hander was on the hill. For Minnesota, Zebby Matthews has really been scuffling of late. He comes in with a 5.34 ERA and 4.69 xERA. Matthews posted a 7.66 ERA in 24.2 innings during the month of July and so far in August has allowed 10 runs (seven earned) through 10.0 innings.

All eyes on our Braves vs Twins prediction for MLB stats, trends and more