Ricky Dimon
The week in Major League Baseball continues with a modest 7-game slate on Thursday. It includes Cubs vs Blue Jays, Braves vs Mets and Tigers vs Twins. The Pickswise team has been in fine form this season, with a 124-92-8 in this MLB best bets series. Let’s build on that momentum and hopefully delivering some more winners today! Make sure you also check out our MLB picks for every game on Thursday, August 14.
MLB best bet: Atlanta Braves vs New York Mets Over 8.5 (-106)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing
Baseballs have been flying all over the place at Citi Field so far in this NL East rivalry series. The Mets took the opener 13-5 before the Braves answered with an 11-6 romp on Wednesday. That’s 35 total runs through 2 games for those counting.
I expect another high-scoring affair on Thursday, likely with New York doing most of the damage. Bryce Elder is toeing the rubber for the visitors; he projects to be little more than batting practice for the Mets. Elder is 4-9 with a 6.12 ERA and 1.56 WHIP this season. Francisco Lindor is 4-for-7 lifetime against the righty with a home run and 2 doubles; Pete Alonso is 3-for-8 with a homer and a double; Juan Soto is 2-for-3 with a homer. Atlanta’s bullpen won’t be in great shape, either. The Braves used five relievers for 7.0 innings on Wednesday, including their highest-leverage arms in Dylan Lee, Pierce Johnson and Raisel Iglesias. Meanwhile, Kodai Senga of the Mets has given up 14 runs (12 earned) in his last 4 starts across only 16.1 innings.
Read our full Braves vs Mets prediction
MLB best bet: Detroit Tigers -1.5 over Minnesota Twins (-118)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
When Tarik Skubal is on the mound, you have to gravitate towards the Tigers and the under. In this case I like the Tigers even more – even on the -1.5 run line. The southpaw has faced the Twins once this year (June 29) and fired 7.0 innings of shutout baseball while surrendering only 1 hit and 1 walk to go along with 13 strikeouts during a 3-0 win. Skubal (11-3, 2.35 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 187 strikeouts to 21 walks in 145.1 innings) is well on his way to a second straight AL Cy Young Award.
Detroit should do plenty of damage at the plate, as well. Minnesota’s Bailey Ober is 4-7 with a 5.16 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and a mere 82 strikeouts in 103.0 innings. The right-hander faced the Tigers on June 28 and got shellacked to the tune of 7 earned runs on 11 hits (4 homers) and 1 walk in 5.2 innings.
Read our full Tigers vs Twins prediction
