We have a 15-game slate today, starting early with Astros vs. Reds at 6:10 p.m. ET and closing with Padres vs. Giants at 10:15 p.m. ET.
Our experts have analyzed the matchups and found great options for Friday.
Below are 3 expert MLB picks and predictions for today's slate of games.
MLB Best Bets Today
The team logos in the table below represent the matchups our MLB betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:40 PM | |
  | 9:45 PM | |
  | 10:10 PM | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our MLB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Sean Zerillo's Yankees vs Brewers Best Bet
By Sean Zerillo
Editor's Note: This written best bet is a transcription from today's episode of the Payoff Pitch Podcast.
I think the wrong team is favored in this matchup. I project the Brewers as -106 ML favorites.
It’s worth mentioning that the Yankees had to travel yesterday, so today might be a tough travel spot for them. I wouldn’t mind if you docked them another percentage point of win probability for that.
Jacob Misiorowski has been elite this season, posting a 2.75 xERA and 2.60 SIERA behind a 28.5% strikeout minus walk rate.
While Max Fried has also been solid, his expected run indicators are closer to four. He has a super high ground-ball rate, which should allow him to overperform.
Ultimately, you have to chip away at Fried, and that’s exactly what the Braves can do — i.e., slap singles and keep the lineup moving.
Pick: Brewers ML (+108 or Better)
As a reminder, you can see all of Zerillo's game projections with an Action PRO subscription.
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Jon Anderson's Cardinals vs Padres Player Prop Pick
By Jon Anderson
I think Canning can be relied on for some strikeouts in a normal outing. He'll be wild, he'll get hard, but he's always had the ability to fool guys. So 3-4 strikeouts is a solid expectation.
The particular bats to target are the Padres lefties. San Diego righties are fine too, as McGreevy is a very hittable pitcher, no matter who you are, but the lefties see him particularly well.
Jackson Merrill looks very good in my matchups model, which looks at how hitters do against the type of pitch movement that they'll see from tonight's starter. Merrill has a .401 xwOBA and 12.9% Brl% when hitting balls off of guys most similar to McGreevy. Gavin Sheets is also a competent power lefty who will be in this lineup in a good matchup. Those are the two bats I'd pick if I'm looking for big games from San Diego.
So, my three betting angles for this one. I'm betting on:
- McGreevy regression
- San Diego lefty power
- Canning to get some whiffs
The lines on Canning's strikeouts are not advantageous. They're probably too high, actually, so I think we should scrap that idea. You aren't getting a good price on a hypothetical Canning over 3.5 strikeouts bet.
The main line I'm liking here is McGreevy's pitching outs prop. My projection model makes Under 17.5 outs closer to -200, so we're getting a lot of EV on this wager. The bettors believe in McGreevy, and they should not.
Pick: Michael McGreevy Under 17.5 Outs (-150 or Better)
Check out Anderson's full Cardinals-Padres breakdown here:
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Ryan Minion's Braves vs Dodgers Total Base Prop
By Ryan Minion
Over the first six weeks of the season, Drake Baldwin has been super efficient at the plate, posting a stellar .303 AVG and ranking in the top 25 in baseball with an OPS of .889.
Baldwin has smashed nine homers and currently ranks fifth in the entire MLB with an exceptional 30 RBIs. On Friday, the left-handed hitter will get an ideal matchup versus Dodgers right-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan, who has been far from impressive in 2026.
The Dodgers right-hander has posted a dreadful 5.23 ERA across his first six starts of the season, and he has also allowed 18 ER across 31 frames in 2026.
For a SP who relies heavily on the effectiveness of his four-seam fastball, Sheehan matches up very poorly with lefties who boast impressive power at the plate, especially matched up with that pitch.
While Sheehan’s four-seam and off-speed arsenal have been somewhat effective versus right-handed batters, the Dodgers righty has gotten smoked by lefties with a strong, hard-hit rate and high barrel-percentage.
If Sheehan leaves a high-velocity four-seam fastball in the zone, Baldwin has the exact type of batting profile to make him pay for missing his spots.
I expect Sheehan to continue struggling on the mound, and I feel great about backing Baldwin to exceed his 1.5 total bases mark on Friday night.
Pick: Drake Baldwin Over 1.5 Total Bases (+100 or Better)
Check out all of Minion's total base props for Friday here:
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