Ricky Dimon
The weekend in Major League Baseball comes to a close with a full 15-game slate on Sunday. It’s an intriguing slate that features Yankees vs Red Sox, Blue Jays vs Phillies, Rays vs Mets and Giants vs Dodgers. The Pickswise team has been in fine form so far this season. I’m 36-26-2 record so far in this best bets piece while going 4-for-8 on Same Game Parlays at +481, +632, +439 and +600 odds and 5-1 on YRFI/NRFI picks. Pickswise’s MLB handicapping team on the whole is 64-44-5 on their best bets. Let’s keep it going as we get into my MLB best bets of the day!
Also don’t forget to check out our MLB picks for Sunday’s slate.
MLB best bet: Atlanta Braves -1.5 over Colorado Rockies (-160)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
The Braves have stunk for the most part this season, but on paper they are actually a good team. The Rockies have stunk this season because…well…they really do stink. I mean they are flat out terrible. Colorado is 13-57 and appears to be well on the way to suffering another sweep after dropping the first 2 games of this series 12-4 and 4-1. Things only figure to get worse with Austin Gomber on the bump. Gomber is a bad pitcher even when healthy, and in this game he will be making his first start of 2025 on the heels of a shoulder injury.
Atlanta’s Grant Holmes is nothing special, but he is solid. The right-hander has made 6 consecutive appearances without allowing more than 3 runs. Holmes should get more than enough run support, too, from a lineup led by Ronald Acuna Jr. The leadoff hitter is back from an injury of which he is showing no signs. He is batting .387 with 7 home runs and is on an amazing streak of 4 straight multi-hit performances, including 3 with 3 hits. This has all the makings of another absolute beatdown in the Braves’ favor.
Read our full Rockies vs Braves prediction
MLB best bet: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Over 7.5 (-105)
Odds available at Bet365 Sportsbook at time of publishing
It is true that the 2 offenses have been ice cold through 3 games of this series, but I think they are due to break out on Sunday at Wrigley Field. With Paul Skenes not on the mound for Pittsburgh, a 7.5 number priced at -105 offers enticing value. It will be Mitch Keller toeing the rubber for the visitors and he is 1-9 with a 4.15 ERA. Keller has given up 9 earned runs through 2 June appearances across 12.1 innings. Chicago’s Ian Happ is 11-for-27 all time against the right-hander with 3 home runs, 3 doubles and 6 walks; Seiya Suzuki is 5-for-10 with a pair of doubles; Kyle Tucker is 2-for-2 with a dinger.
The Cubs are countering with Colin Rea, whose ERA has ballooned from 2.38 to 3.92 over his last 4 starts. This is also a favorable matchup for the Pirates, and not just because Rea is struggling. Bryan Reynolds is 8-for-14 lifetime against the 34-year-old with 2 home runs and 2 doubles; Nick Gonzales is 4-for-8 with a homer. All things considered, let’s back the over on Sunday afternoon.
Read our full Pirates vs Cubs prediction
