MLB Picks Today: Expert Predictions & Best Bets for Wednesday, July 22, including Dodgers vs Phillies & Tigers vs Cubs
The 2026 MLB All-Star break is in the past, so the first full week of Major League Baseball’s proverbial 2nd half is underway. It continues on Wednesday, July 22, when the intriguing matchups include Pirates vs Yankees and Orioles vs Red Sox doubleheaders, plus Dodgers vs Phillies, Padres vs Braves, and Tigers vs Cubs live on ESPN. Here are my MLB best bets for today, and also make sure to check out our MLB picks for predictions throughout the 2026 season.
MLB best bet: Los Angeles Dodgers ML over Philadelphia Phillies (-120)
The Phillies lost 2-1 on Tuesday when the game ended with some disastrous baserunning in the bottom of the 9th inning. It will be tough for the home team to recover with Aaron Nola on the mound. Nola is 3-7 with a 5.68 ERA and has allowed an absurd 23 home runs. The right-hander is a decent strikeout pitcher, but the Dodgers are striking out at the 7th-lowest rate in Major League Baseball. The visitors are countering with Eric Lauer, who is 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.09 WHIP since coming over from the Blue Jays. Lauer should be in line for more success against a Philadelphia lineup that is struggling despite being dangerous. The Phils are 2-3 since the break and have scored exactly 1 run in all 3 of their losses.
Read our full Dodgers vs Phillies prediction for tonight's MLB matchup
MLB best bet: San Diego Padres vs Atlanta Braves Under 8.5 (+100)
The Braves have collapsed since their red-hot first 2 months of the year. Their 10.5-game lead in the NL East is down to 3 over the Phillies. Although Martin Perez does not inspire a ton of confidence for Atlanta, his appearance means that the home team will probably run a whole bunch of relievers out there – and that is usually good news. The Braves rank third in all of MLB in bullpen ERA (3.14). They used a total of just 4 relievers in the first 2 games of this series, and none was a high-leverage arm. Their ‘pen will be in great shape for tonight’s contest. Meanwhile, the Braves’ bats will likely struggle against San Diego’s Michael King. As a whole, Atlanta’s current roster is 18-for-78 (.231) lifetime against King with only 2 extra-base hits and 20 strikeouts compared to only 3 walks. It’s also worth noting that the Padres’ rank 6th league wide in bullpen ERA at 3.67. Similar to the 3-2 series opener in Atlanta’s favor, this game could be low scoring.
Check out our full Padres vs Braves prediction for today's MLB game
MLB best bet: Chicago Cubs ML over Detroit Tigers (-115)
The Tigers may be sellers at the trade deadline if they don’t heat up right here and right now. They might be tempted to sell everyone following Tuesday’s 11-2 loss in Chicago. Keider Montero is heading back to Detroit’s starting rotation this evening. Montero is having a decent season, but what the visitors really need is someone who can eat up innings. The righty’s last 5 appearances have come out of the bullpen, so his longest workload since June 26 is only 3.1 innings. The Tigers used 4 relievers for 4.2 innings in this past Sunday's series finale against the Angels (a 3-2 setback). They used 5 relievers for 6.0 innings in the opening game of this series. On Tuesday, starter Framber Valdez worked a grand total of 0.2 innings. If Montero does not go deep into this game, Detroit’s pitching situation will be dire. Chicago has won 3 of its last 4 games, 5 of its last 7, 8 of its last 12 and 17 of its last 24. It has won two of Colin Rea’s last 3 starts, including a 23-3 rout of San Diego on July 1. Moreover, the Cubs are 31-20 at home; the Tigers are 20-31 on the road.
Get set for tonight's ESPN matchup with our Tigers vs Cubs expert pick
