Caleb Wilfinger
The 2025 MLB season keeps rolling along, and Friday features a more-than-full slate of 16-game slate for us to enjoy. I’m 17-9 on my MLB best bets and the Pickswise MLB handicapping team as a whole is 47-27-4 in these MLB best bets this season. Let’s keep it going as we get into today’s top picks on Friday, May 23. Also, don’t forget to check out our MLB picks for EVERY game today.
MLB best bet: Los Angeles Dodgers vs New York Mets Over 8.5 (-115)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -125.
For my first best bet on Friday’s slate, let’s head to New York for a highly-anticipated showdown between the Mets and Dodgers. Griffin Canning will be getting the start in this matchup for New York, and while the right-hander’s numbers are solid on paper, his advanced metrics (48.1% hard-hit rate, 91.7 ground ball rate) suggest that regression can be expected. Against this loaded Dodgers lineup that really makes opposing pitchers work, I could certainly see Canning struggling in this spot.
As for the visitors, the Dodgers’ pitching struggles have played a significant part in their middling performance over the last few weeks. Those issues should continue on Friday with Clayton Kershaw on the mound (11.25 ERA, 11.88 xERA) for manager Dave Roberts’ team. Kershaw is still working his way back from nearly a year away from MLB action, and the Mets lineup (9th in OPS, 8th in on-base percentage and slugging) isn’t one that he should enjoy facing in his second start since coming off the injured list. Given the potency of both lineups and the struggles that each starting pitcher has experienced to this point in the season, offense can certainly be expected in this series opener.
Read our full Dodgers vs Mets prediction for tonight’s game on Apple TV+
MLB best bet: Los Angeles Angels first 5 innings team total over 2.5 vs Miami Marlins (+125)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to +115.
For my second MLB best bet on Friday, we’re heading to Los Angeles for an interleague matchup between the Marlins and Angels. Instead of targeting the Angels on the money line at home, I’m going to revisit a wager I’ve made a few times this season; one that centers around fading Sandy Alcantara. It wasn’t long ago that Alcantara was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. However, this season has not gone to plan for the Marlins’ ace following his return from Tommy John surgery; he has posted a 7.99 ERA and 1.61 WHIP through his first 9 outings. Furthermore, Alcantara has surrendered 33 runs on 39 hits, along with 20 walks over his last 32.0 innings pitched.
Even if Alcantara improves on his recent outings, all we need is for Los Angeles’ surprisingly hot lineup to put up 3 runs in the first 5 innings. Ultimately, Alcantara has allowed 3 or more runs in each of his last 7 starts — so I’ll go back to the well one more time and take the Angels to exceed their team total in the first 5 innings on Friday.
Celebrate the start of the weekend with our expert’s MLB parlay picks for Friday night’s action
